IT is all coming together slowly as Joe Royle looks to right the wrongs of last season.Darren Bent, Marcus Bent and Pablo Counago all scored for the second game in succession as Ipswich Town beat AIF Mjallby 3-1 in a pre-season friendly last night.

IT is all coming together slowly as Joe Royle looks to right the wrongs of last season.

Darren Bent, Marcus Bent and Pablo Counago all scored for the second game in succession as Ipswich Town beat AIF Mjallby 3-1 in a pre-season friendly last night.

It was an impressive show of firepower which will further boost the strike-force's confidence, while the defence looked far more solid.

Blues boss Royle said: “The game was won by half-time which was good and it was nice to see us go so well.

“We played some breathtaking stuff first half, in particular our forward play. To score three and have two disallowed was something.

“Mjallby were a fit, strong side and gave us a good work-out and I was pleased we kept a clean sheet for so long.”

Dean Bowditch didn't score this time but is biding his time ready to make his mark in the free-scoring Ipswich Town attack.

He scorned a couple of opportunities but has not let that put him off and is looking to find the net tomorrow when Town travel to Denmark to take on Helsingor.

A year ago Bowditch could not have even dreamt he would be involved in the Blues first-team squad.

“It has not really sunk in yet that I'm on the pre-season tour with the first team. It is a big thing for me so to get a couple of games under my belt is brilliant.

“I'm looking to get as many minutes on the pitch as I can and get used to the new lads coming in.

“It is important for me to learn from this experience.”

But Bowditch knows getting into the starting line-up is a big ask and is prepared to be patient.

He said: “At this stage I'm not really working for a place. It is case for me to play my best in training and in these games and if the manager spots you he might put you in again.

“There are five or six strikers here with so such much quality. They are different class. Darren plays for England, Marcus has so much strength, Pablo played for Spain and you learn different things from them. For example Darren, he gets the ball and runs at people, or he will just touch and go. Marcus works hard and has got pace and strength. Pablo gets the ball to feet and defenders can't get the ball. I think I will try that and if it comes off I will do it again but mostly they do different things all the time so they are never predictable.”

While Bowditch has progressed so quickly for club and country, his brother Ben is still trying to establish himself at Tottenham Hotspur and the younger sibling appreciates Town's progressive youth policy.

He added: “Ipswich is such a good club for pushing people through and I have got used to playing in older age groups. They believe if you are good enough, you are old enough and there is no doubt the better players you are playing with, the better they make you look.

“The quality players are putting balls through straight to your feet and here in the first team people like Jim Magilton and Jamma are so good on the ball and play great balls through.

“Then when you get the ball and you are clean through you score but you think - what a ball.”

The squad train this morning and some will go swimming this afternoon while others will go and watch Cardidff City play in a friendly near to Trelleborg.