Ipswich Town continued their 100% pre-season record with a 2-1 win over fellow Sky Bet Championship side Charlton Athletic.
After a goalless first half, Kieran McKenna's side broke the deadlock through a great finish from Jack Clarke, with Ali Al-Hamadi finishing smartly one on one to decide the game after a quick Charlton equaliser.
Both sides exchanged fairly good attacks each, but both failed to really trouble the opposition defence inside the first ten minutes with Conor Chaplin being the first to have a shot on 12 minutes.
The stand in skipper was fed around the 18-yard line whose shot was blocked. Cedric Kipre, who brilliantly headed away a 9th minute corner, then read the play well to thwart a dangerous run into the box on 13 minutes as Town arguably had more of the possession.
Town though looked the more dangerous side, as a 15th minute quick counter attack saw Chiedozie Ogbene drive forward in possession before slipping Ben Johnson free down the right wing whose cross was turned behind at the near post for a corner.
The resulting corner picked out Conor Chaplin at the far post whose looping header looked certain to find the bottom far corner but for a well placed defender to hack clear.
Townsend's next corner on 18 minutes was smartly taken low but just evaded Ben Johnson, while Cam Humphreys' left wing diagonal cross towards the left-back at the far post was well read and claimed by the Addicks' keeper.
Kieran McKenna's side maintained the pressure a minute later, Christian Walton picked out Ogbene with a brilliant pinpoint long ball as the midfielder held up possession well but to see a defender stop Ali Al-Hamadi from getting to the cross.
Conor Chaplin was then fed in space the following minute but again saw his shot blocked.
Chaplin then teed up Jack Clarke from a 28th minute dangerous free-kick, only for the latter's fierce strike to be deflected through to Ali Al-Hamadi at the far post who couldn't turn the ball goalwards.
Town forced a big save from the visiting keeper on the half-hour mark, Al-Hamadi was found inside the box to smartly tee up Humphreys in a shooting position whose first time low shot was crucially smothered away by the stopper.
The Blues continued to be on the front foot as Jack Clarke found Fin Barbrook free on the edge of the box whose strike was deflected narrowly over for a corner on 32 minutes.
Al-Hamadi was then beaten to the ball close to goal by the keeper on 37 minutes after a good run from Ogbene was halted by a defender who passed a risky ball back to his keeper.
The Blues' striker was then through on goal a minute later but failed to get a real connection on his shot as the keeper made a comfortable save.
Charlton however looped a diving header from a right wing cross comfortably wide of Christian Walton's near upright on 44 minutes, in a first half McKenna you'd suspect would be pleased with other than not making the opportunities and possession count.
Town started the restart bright - the only side to make a change at the break switching Walton for Aro Muric, with a succession of corners, roughly four in a row, before Jack Clarke broke through on 51 minutes onto the right-hand side of the box before expertly firing home into the bottom far corner to deservedly break the deadlock.
Ben Johnson meanwhile saw a 55th minute shot from outside the the box well blocked, while Charlton equalised moments later.
A corner was ricoshaded off the crossbar at close range with Aro Muric unable to keep out the rebound at point blank range.
Town responded on 57 minutes though, Ali Al-Hamadi latched onto Ben Johnson's great long ball over the top to drive onto goal and lash home low past the onrushing keeper into the bottom left-hand corner.
The hosts thought they should've been awarded a penalty on the hour mark when Jack Clarke was upended after jinking through into the box, before Conor Chaplin curled a free-kick on the right-hand edge of the box just wide of the top near corner on 63 minutes.
Ashley Young and Omari Hutchinson, fresh off the bench, then linked up nicely with the latter sliding Fin Barbrook free down the right-hand side on 65 minutes but saw his shot deflected behind, followed by Town seeing a shot a minute later go narrowly wide.
Hutchinson then broke through down the right-hand side on 72 minutes but saw his shot deflected behind for a corner, while a superb stop from Aro Muric saw the Town stopper react quickly at his top right-hand corner to strongly keep out Lloyd Jones' header from Tyreece Campbell's 79th minute cross.
Conor Coventry then released Charlie Kelman through albeit his 85th minute shot went wide into the side-netting.
Sammie Szmodics went close to adding a late goal for Town on 89 minutes, only to see his shot deflected by Zack Mitchell onto the crossbar.
A great performance from Town who made it 3 out of 3 victories for pre-season.
Town:- 28 Christian Walton (HT' Muric), 18 Ben Johnson (62' Young), 6 Luke Woolfenden (74' Elkan Baggott), 4 Cedric Kipre, 22 Conor Townsend, 25 Fin Bradbrook (74' Taylor), 30 Cameron Humphreys, 21 Chiedozie Ogbene (62' Hutchinson), 10 Conor Chaplin (capt) (74' Szmodics), 47 Jack Clarke, 16 Ali Al-Hamadi (74' Hirst). Subs: 1 Aro Muric, David Button, 15 Young, O'Shea, 12 Baggott, 3 Davis, 14 Taylor, 20 Hutchinson, 23 Szmodics, 29 Philogene, 9 Hirst.
Charlton:- Kaminski (63' Maynard-Brewer), Ramsay (HT' Z Mitchell), A Mitchell (72' Jones), Gillesphey (72' Bell), Lembikisa (72' Coventry), Rankin-Costello (HT' Fullah), Anderson (72' Docherty), Carey (72' Apter), Bennett (63' Edwards), Kanu (72' Campbell), Olaofe (72' Kelman). Unused Subs: Ahadme, Mbick, Leaburn.
Booked: Docherty (82').
Goals: Jack Clarke (51'), Al Al-Hamadi (57'); Tankto Oloafe (55').
