Aaron Cresswell curled home a late deflected freekick to earn the Blues their second 1-1 draw of pre-season at Den Bosch’s training ground. The home side had gone ahead early in the second half through Randy Wolters.

Town boss Paul Jewell gave all three trialists — Marian Kello, Plaisir Bahamboula and Soualio Bakayoko — a start, while Ryan Stevenson (hamstring, back training on Monday) and Lee Martin (groin, back Saturday) missed out with minor injuries.

Penalty area action was rare in the early stages, the first incident of interest coming in the sixth minute when Tom Van Weert went to ground in the box under the attention of Jack Ainsley but the referee showed no interest.

Jimmy Bullard came close to scoring from just outside the centre circle in the 18th minute after picking up a loose ball from keeper Bruno Appels's had kick clear. With Appels beaten, the ball sailed narrowly over the bar.

On 21 Andy Drury picked up the game and tour’s first yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Jelle De Bocke with the home side generally keeping the ball better than Town but with neither goalkeeper particularly threatened.

The home side went close to scoring in the 25th minute when Enzio Boldewijn headed off the far post at from a freekick on the left.

The referee had his yellow card out for a second time on the half hour after De Bocke fouled Drury in retaliation for the earlier challenge. The Blues midfielder and Jimmy Bullard expressed their frustration that play had been pulled back with Town in a promising position.

On 35 Jeffrey Vlug unleashed a strike from 20 yards which flew only just over keeper Kello’s crossbar.

And that was it for chances with a very understated half coming to an end with neither side threatening again.

The home team had had the better of it, like Helmond their pre-season started a few weeks ago, and had come closest to scoring when they struck the post. At the other end, the Blues were yet to test keeper Appels aside from Bullard’s long-range effort.

Boss Paul Jewell made a number of changes at the break with French trialist pair Plaisir Bahamboula and Soualio Bakayoko amongst those making way. Left-back Bakayoko made the better impression, while Bahamboula found it harder than he did against Helmond on Tuesday.

Jason Scotland struck Town’s first shot of the second half in the 55th minute but the ball scuffed off a defender and flew wide. Moments later, the Trinidadian made way for Ronan Murray, who was making his first appearance of the tour.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas forced the keeper into a save on 58 with a low shot after he had been found wide on the right by Luke Hyam.

But despite the Blues looking more of a threat after the break, it was the home side who went in front. Ralf Seuntjens played the ball into the feet of Van Weert, who laid it back to Randy Wolters, who drove a low shot beyond Kello and into the net.

Bullard, who after drifting out of the game in the latter stages of the first half was becoming more influential, curled a goal-bound freekick which the Den Bosch keeper punched clear on 70.

Michael Chopra saw a shot blocked on 75 from an Edwards cross, then from the resultant corner Town’s scorer at Helmond on Tuesday sent the ball back across goal and Luke Chambers volleyed over when he probably should have done better.

Carson hit a low effort through to Appels with the Blues continuing to threaten here and there but without looking particularly convincing. All too often the ball was needlessly given away.

On 83 the Blues got back on terms. Bart Van Brakell picked up the game’s third yellow card for a foul on the lively Murray and Aaron Cresswell stepped up to curl a 25-yard freekick off the wall, beyond Appels and into the net.

The game was brought to a close two minutes early by the over-fussy and card happy referee after Hyam and Rinke Pennings briefly squared up in the centre circle.

The Blues were better after the break, but overall it wasn’t a particularly inspiring game. The home side were on top in the first half, while the Blues were probably slightly the better team in the second but without particularly impressing.

Den Bosch: Appels, De Bock, Boldewijn, Van Bart, Brock, Van Den Broek, Hofstede, Tahapari, Vlug, Van Weert, Wolters.

Town: Kello, Ainsley (Edwards 46), Bakayoko (Cresswell 46), Chambers, Delaney (Whight 74), Hyam, Bullard, Drury (Chopra 46), Emmanuel-Thomas (Lawrence 64), Scotland (Murray 56), Bahamboula (Carson 46). Unused: Lee-Barrett.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

Photo: Action Images

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