Ipswich Town ramped up their pre-season preparations with an impressive 2-1 win against Preston North End at Deepdale.
The clash against their Championship rivals looked set to provide an interesting step-up for the Blues, but goals from Conor Chaplin and George Hirst handed them a deserved victory despite Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile's late goal.
Massimo Luongo was able to bring Town forward on the counter, but instead of setting up Nathan Broadhead to his left, he overlapped the winger and went for goal himself, forcing Freddie Woodman to parry it out for a corner in the sixth minute.
A moment of magic almost saw the visitors open the scoring five minutes later. Dominic Ball was able to play Broadhead into the final third down the right flank, with the Wales international setting up Kayden Jackson to rush into the box with a backheel pass. The versatile attacker was able to cut the ball back for Chaplin in the middle, but Woodman was able to push the ball out once again before Luongo blasted the rebound over the bar.
The Preston goalkeeper had to work hard to keep his side in the game as Ipswich threatened again. Ball, clearly thriving in his new role at right-back, was able to brush past his man and set up an unmarked Chaplin in the middle. Last season’s top scorer was clearly keen to build on his goal against Flyeralarm Admira on Saturday afternoon, taking aim from distance and forcing Woodman into yet another save in the 20th minute.
The Blues came close to capitalising from the resulting corner, but Cameron Burgess couldn’t keep his header down.
Kieran McKenna’s side began to look frustrated as Preston grew into the game. A quick ball over the top saw new signing Will Keane clip the post before the flag was raised for offside – a move that clearly brought Ipswich to life.
A pinpoint cross-field ball from Luongo allowed Jackson to break down the right, seemingly cutting his pass back for Broadhead. The former Everton man opted to flick it back to Chaplin instead, presenting him with the space to rifle a powerful effort into the back of the net from 20 yards out in the 34th minute.
McKenna’s half-time changes were certainly a surprise, with Cameron Humphreys brought on at left-back while Greg Leigh was given a run out at right-back.
Two other substitutes combined in the early stages of the second half when Kyle Edwards found space down the right to loop a cross into the box. The ball met the head of Jack Taylor in the box, but the former Peterborough United man was unable to make the right contact as he fired over the bar.
Preston weren’t exactly desperate for an equaliser, pushing forward with quite a lethargic tempo. One of their best chances came just before the hour-mark when Brad Potts floated a cross towards Ben Woodburn, who headed well wide from inside the box.
A mistake at the back presented them with a golden opportunity to level the scores when Hladky was caught off his line. Woodburn teed up Alan Browne, but Lee Evans managed to rush back and block the shot off the line.
The game started to open up in the final 30 minutes. Sone Aluko’s through ball played Evans into the box, allowing the midfielder to square the ball to Hirst. The striker looked destined to score, but he couldn’t force his shot past Woodman with one of his first touches of the game.
They came again, with Edwards afforded too much space down the right. His cross to Hirst was accurate, but the former Leicester City man was unable to keep his header down in the 73rd minute. Town were edging closer to finally killing the game off.
They were able to do so in the 78th minute when Marcus Harness slotted Hirst through on goal with a sublime pass. The striker wasn't going to miss a third opportunity to score, lifting the ball over substitute goalkeeper Dai Cornell to make it 2-0.
The game wasn't done there, however, as a lapse in concentration saw Rodriguez-Gentile pick up the ball on the edge of the area. He was able to turn and fire a low shot into the back of the net, beatng Vaclav Hladky.
The hosts almost scored an equaliser in the dying stages of the match when Elkan Bagott gave the ball away on the edge of the area, allowing Kian Taylor to rush in and go for goal. Thankfully for Town, Ryan Carr was able to clear it off the line.
Hladky was the hero at the end of the match, however, making a number of close-range saves to help Town secure their fourth pre-season win, while the linesman's offside flag denied Preston a last-gasp equaliser.
Ipswich Town: 4-2-3-1: Walton (Hladky 63’); Ball (Leigh 45’), Woolfenden (Baggott 83'), Burgess (F. Barbrook 83'), Davis (Humphreys 45’, Carr 69'); Morsy (Evans 45’), Luongo (Taylor 45’); Jackson (Edwards), Chaplin (Aluko 45’), Broadhead (Harness 45’); Ladapo (Hirst 63’)
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