Ipswich 2 (Diallo 4, Bowditch 45)

Crystal Palace 1 (Derry 40)

A full-strength Crystal Palace side suffered their first pre-season at Ipswich Town on Saturday, writes Neil McSteen.

After two comfortable wins on their tour of Northern Ireland, a squad largely made up of last season's play-off heroes slipped to a lacklustre defeat at the Coca-Cola Championship outfit.

Dean Bowditch sealed the win in first-half injury-time, turning and tucking home from inside a crowded penalty area.

Darren Bent had started the move on the right flank, with Pablo Counago on hand to help a low cross onto Bowditch in the centre.

Ipswich had already opened the scoring in the fourth minute when an unmarked Drissa Diallo nodded home a Jim Magilton corner from 10 yards.

Indeed in the early stages, Ipswich posed a far greater threat than Palace, who could simply not get going.

A midday-kick-off in searing heat saw both managers and officials agree with on a water break in each half, affecting the flow of an untidy match.

Aki Riihilahti did his best to kick Palace out of their lethargy, his 20-yard volley flashing just over Kelvin Davis' goal after the half hour mark.

Jim Magilton then tested new goalkeeper Julian Speroni with a delightful 20 yard chip, but the Argentine was equal to his effort tipping over the bar.

Miss of the match came just before half-ime.

Andy Johnson had just smashed the ball against the bar following a slip from Diallo, and when the ball fell kindly for Michael Hughes, he blazed over from six yards with Davis stranded.

Moments later Davis found himself the embarrassed party. Andy Johnson scampered down the left flank before being cut down 10 yards from the by-line by Diallo. As Davis organised his defenders, Shaun Derry quickly fired in a curling free-kick to beat his desperate dive at the near post.

Seconds later, Town fought back to make it 2-1 when Palace failed to clear Darren Bent's cross and Bowditch swooped from 12 yards.

The second half may have been goal-less but the action was of a higher quality with run-outs for Black, Borrowdale, Hudson and Butterfield. Palace started playing with more urgency, showing brief flashes of the form that clinched Dowie's first three points at Portman Road in December.

Freedman went close to levelling the scores when he picked up Wayne Routledge's cross, took it past a couple of defenders before seeing his shot saved by Davis and Black put the rebound wide.

Joe Royle said: "Palace are a handful, Johnson was leading scorer in the division last season and Freedman has always scored goals, so it was nice to keep them quiet."

Iain Dowie said: "I thought we had enough chances to have claimed something out the game.

"Outside two sloppy moments and one great save from Julian we didn't come under a great deal of pressure.

"The lads have worked very hard and have had two sessions a day everyday. So these are formative times, and I am pleased.

"Wayne was outstanding, Boyce looked very assured and AJ was unlucky not to get a goal."

Although this was just a friendly, on this evidence Palace are still a long way off the top-flight standard.

Palace: Speroni, Boyce (Butterfield 46), Leigertwood (Borrowdale 46), Riihilahti (Soares 76), Powell (Hudson 46), Popovic (Togwell 78), Routledge, Johnson, Freedman, Hughes (Dolan 82), Derry (Black 46).