Town ran out 2-0 winners over Portuguese top division side C.S. Maritimo today as Graeme Jones’ team prepare for their first Championship fixture of the new campaign which is just over a week away.
Harry Cornick opened the scoring from a yard in the second half before James Collins fired in from the penalty spot after Brendan Galloway had been upended.
The Portuguese side started brightly and had the first effort of the game as Ruben Ferreira was found out on the left, but he blazed his effort high and wide.
Cornick came on just after the hour mark and made a near-immediate impact, his lightning pace catching out the Maritimo goalkeeper who went to clear the ball from the edge of the box, but Cornick got a block in, with the ball falling kindly for the winger who gathered before smashing it in from close range in the 67th minute.
The former Bournemouth man nearly doubled the lead and his tally for the afternoon 15 minutes later – Ryan Tunnicliffe’s outstanding 60-yard diagonal ball set Cornick down the right, he powered down the side of the box before getting a low effort away, forcing a superb save from the goalkeeper who palmed it behind for a corner.
Town grabbed their second in the 84th minute when Brendan Galloway sprinted into the box before cutting in, only to be brought down. James Collins took the resulting penalty, making no mistake as fired it into the bottom left corner.
The Town are next in action on Saturday, as they face Norwich City at Kenilworth Road.
Town XI: Sluga, Cranie (Neufville 76), Pearson, Bradley, Potts (Galloway 76), Trialist, Mpanzu (Tunnicliffe 72), Shinnie (Berry 65), Lee (Cornick 61), McManaman (Moncur 46), Collins.
GOALS: Cornick 67, Collins 84