Town boss Paul Cook will field a changed but still very competitive side when the Blues face Gillingham in the Papa John s Trophy at the Priestfield Stadium on Tuesday evening and says it’s a chance for those currently on the fringes to make a case for a place in the team which takes on Shrewsbury at Portman Road in League One on Saturday.
Goals at each end of the match from Dom Ball and Freddie Ladapo saw the Blues to a comfortable 2-0 Papa Johns Trophy victory over Arsenal’s U21s at Portman Road. Ball gave Town the lead with his first for the club in the third minute and Town had had opportunities to increase their lead before Ladapo added the second with five minutes left on the clock.
Town’s U21s continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 4-2 victory against Hull City at Bent Lane on Friday afternoon. Harley Curtis’s opener was soon cancelled out by two strikes from the visitors, but Jack Manly levelled before half-time and then put the Blues ahead in the second half, before a late penalty from Matt Ward (pictured) secured the three points.
Conor Chaplin scored a hat-trick and Matt Penney, Tommy Hughes, Freddie Ladapo and Greg Leigh netted one each as the Blues hammered Needham Market 7-0 in their first pre-season friendly at Bloomfields.