JORDAN Rhodes marked his return from Rochdale with two goals for Ipswich in an entertaining enough game at Portman Road.

Derek Davis

Combination Reserve League

Ipswich Town 2 Southend United 0

JORDAN Rhodes marked his return from Rochdale with two goals for Ipswich in an entertaining enough game at Portman Road.

The 18-year-old, who tucked away two goals during the five games he enjoyed on loan at Spotland, showed a sharpness and hunger against a decent Southend side who matched Town for much of the time before going down to 10 men.

Rhodes, and Town, showed their intent from the off and had an early chance when Ronnie Jones brought down Reggie Lambe on the edge of area and Rhodes' low free kick took a deflection, but keeper Ian Joyce saved.

Joyce pulled off a far more difficult stop moments later when he tipped over a Rhodes shot after the striker did well to escape Jones' attentions.

Joyce also blocked a Rhodes effort after he got on the end of a Danny Haynes flick and Dean Bowditch was also denied by the Southend stopper.

Shane Supple had a reasonably busy night, too, and showed secure handling and decent distribution.

He held on to an Alan McCormack shot from 30 yards and got down smartly to a low effort from Damien Scannell.

The young Irishman also made a point-blank block to deny Francis Flourent after he was set up by Anthony Grant and a terrific tip over save to thwart the lively Scannell in the dying minutes.

The breakthrough for Town came five minutes before the break when Rhodes outpaced his marker and beat the keeper to the ball and after rounding the keeper, side-footed into an empty net.

The Shrimpers went down to 10 men when Mbive Lokando was dismissed for bringing down Rhodes in the area as he bore down on goal with only the keeper to beat.

Rhodes made no mistake with the spot-kick as he sent Joyce in the opposite direction.

Haynes was denied by Joyce who tipped a shot on to the crossbar and hit another low effort wide.

Bowditch was inches away from a low Rhodes pass across the six yard box, but could not add to the scoreline. Jack Ainsley replaced Pim Balkestein at half-time as a precaution with the Dutchman playing in his first game since suffering a groin injury.

Teams

Ipswich Town Res: Supple; Clemo, Balkestein (Ainsley, 46) Watson, Robinson; Haynes, Upson (Cawley, 70) Reason, Lambe (Murphy, 55) Rhodes, Bowditch. Subs not used: Daniels, Ward.

Southend United Res: Joyce; Lokando, Jones, Reynolds, Herd; Forshaw, McCormack, Grant, Scannell; Laurent, Walker, Forshaw (Abbey, 58) Subs not used: Ademeno, MacDonald, Osifuwa.

Attendance: 304.