Aaron Cresswell's return to Portman Road with his new club West Ham for a pre-season friendly, ended in a 0-0 draw.

Ipswich's former star, last night returned to the club he spent three years at, after just weeks of signing for Premier League side West Ham United.

Mick McCarthy's side had just returned from a pre-season camp over in his home country, Ireland, and picked up a good 4-0 result whilst out there, against Shelbourne.

However, they now faced a more trickier challenge, in a friendly match on their home turf to Sam Allardyce's Hammers.

Neither team could find the back of the net in their pre-season test at Portman Road
Neither team could find the back of the net in their pre-season test at Portman Road

Cresswell in this game, was doing what he did at the Tractor Boys during his time there, getting in crosses to the front men, Carlton Cole was the man up top for the Hammers and was found by the former Tranmere left back several times, but failed to capitalize and give an end product.

Cresswell also smashed the bar with one of his threatening crosses.

Town keeper Gerken was tested several times in the first half through Stewart Downing in particular, along with the Blues' former loanee Mark Noble.

It was Mick McCarthy's boys who had the best chance of the first-half, with Jack Marriott finding a leak in the West Ham defence and dragging a shot wide which Frank Nouble failed to get on the end of.

In the second half, Bartosz Bialkowski who signed for the Suffolk club yesterday came on as half time substitute, and the former Notts County keeper did well when called into action when he made some intelligent saves from Seb Lletget's efforts.

Both sides had valuable chances to have the bragging rights at the end of the night, but both teams failed to take them valuable chances.

Mick McCarthy spoke to the clubs' website after the game and said how pleased he was with the youngsters that featured for his Ipswich side.

“I was pleased with our youngsters. Teddy Bishop did great. He’s a good footballer and showed tonight that he can get around the pitch and put a tackle in."
Bishop did make a key block in the game, after preventing Carlton Cole from putting the ball in the back of the net and giving his side the lead.