Blau-Weiß Linz 1-4 Ipswich Town match report: George Hirst, Ali Al-Hamadi and Leif Davis on target for Tractor Boys during Austrian victory

Ipswich Town’s pre-season training camp in Austria concluded with a 4-1 friendly victory over Blau-Weiß Linz at the Hofmann Personal Stadion.

Following a mixed-weather week in the mountain spa town of Windischgarsten, the Blues descended on the Danubian city of Linz for the first of four public friendlies this summer.

Their opponents – fresh from their highest-ever finish of sixth in the Austrian Bundesliga last season – proved decent opposition for Town, but Kieran McKenna’s side showed their quality in spells on their third successive year in the central European country.

Unlike the Suffolk side, they were at the end of their preparations as they played their final pre-season clash ahead of the Austrian domestic season kicking off next Friday.

George Hirst scored twice, including a well-taken second, in the first half to give the Blues a lead that they would never relinquish.

Blau-Weiß Linz’s veteran Brazilian centre-forward Ronivaldo struck on the stroke of half-time from a confusing indirect free-kick, but further goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Leif Davis wrapped off a successful week.

Town’s pre-season schedule continues on Friday with a trip to Scottish cup champions Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Eight weeks on from the final Premier League match against West Ham United, the Blues saw two new arrivals get their first taste of life in an Ipswich shirt.

Azor Matusiwa was the first that the Blue Army got a glimpse of and looked up for it in midfield, while looking understandably rusty with some loose moments in possession. The Dutchman from Stade Rennais is to be the replacement for the outgoing Sam Morsy and showed similar qualities to what Town fans have become accustomed to with the club captain in recent years.

Cedric Kipre played the second half and looked composed on the ball without being overly tested in a defensive capacity, also seeing a header go over the crossbar from a set piece. It is clear to see he is a strong defender who arrives with top Championship pedigree having been a standout in West Bromwich Albion’s side two seasons ago. Getting minutes into the legs of both signings will have been one of McKenna’s biggest positives.

Town are looking to fill the void left by Liam Delap’s departure to Chelsea this summer and much of the talk has been surrounding a shiny new centre-forward. But perhaps the Blues’ best option as the leading marksman is in the building with Hirst, who was notably wearing number nine on the back of the new red away strip.

The Scotland international penned a new four-year contract earlier this month and looked the part in his 45 minutes on the pitch in Linz, netting both goals in the first half. The first was a well-taken penalty after Jaden Philogene was dragged down, then he finished a very nice move involving Matusiwa and Sammie Szmodics into the bottom corner.

Al-Hamadi played like he had a point to prove, while Nathan Broadhead’s delightful through ball for Davis was one of the highlights of a second half that was arguably more impressive than the first.

It was also pleasing to see Chiedozie Ogbene return to the pitch for the final 15 minutes, the Irishman in action for the first time in nearly nine months after an Achilles tear. Without a doubt, the Blues’ trip to Austria ended with a lot of things to be pleased with.

First Half XI (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Townsend, Baggott, O’Shea (c), Johnson; Humphreys, Matusiwa; Philogene, Szmodics, J. Clarke; Hirst.

Second Half XI (3-4-2-1): Walton; Greaves, Kipre, Woolfenden; Davis, Taylor, Barbrook, H. Clarke; Broadhead, Chaplin; Al-Hamadi.