TUESDAY NIGHTS PRE SEASON FRIENDLIES
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Ambitious Blue Square Bet Premier club Crawley Town – one of the favourites for the title – gained an excellent pre-season friendly win on Tuesday night against npower Championship side Crystal Palace at the Broadfield Stadium.
A fine strike just after the quarter hour-mark from one of several new signings on show, ex-Salisbury City man Matty Tubbs, was the deciding goal.
Josh Fuller opened the scoring in the first half as Crawley`s new league rivals Grimsby Town recorded a comfortable 3-0 win in their second pre-season outing at Evo-Stik Premier DivisionFrickley Athletic.
Fuller's strike was followed by two second half own goals as the Mariners coasted to victory. The visitors passed the ball around well on the night with Bradley Wood standing out as the star performer before limping off in the last ten minutes.
There was also a promising cameo from new signing Alan Connell, who showed some nice touches and was unlucky not to add to the Mariners' tally.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Hayes & Yeading United won 2-0 at Zamaretto League Division One Central outfit Beaconsfield SYCOB, with both goals coming in the opening 45 minutes, one of them from now fit-again striker Staforde Palmer.
New signing Gary Ormston was on target for FA Vase winners Whitley Bay as the Northern Leaguers won 2-1 at Evo-Stik League Division One North hosts Durham City.
Steve Thompson equalised, but Bay`s winner came from Lewis McArdle.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Kidderminster Harriers went down to a 3-2 defeat by Blue Square Bet North Solihull Moors at Damson Park.
Julian English opened the scoring for Moors before a free kick from Ryan Beswick doubled the lead before half time.
Harriers bounced back after the break with goals from James McPike and Kristian Dennis before Ross Dempster wrapped up a victory for the home side from the penalty spot.
Goals from Craig Hammond, John Sands and triallist Declan Rogers secured a 3-0 victory for Zamaretto Premier side Cambridge City in their opening pre-season game at Ridgeons League neighbours Newmarket Town.
City`s new league rivals, demoted Salisbury City, won 2-0 at Sydenhams Wessex League Alton Town.
Bradley Gray netted after 15 minutes with Chris Flood adding a second late in the first half to send the visitors in 2-0 up at the break.
npower Championship side Preston completed a six-goal rout of Evo-Stik League Division One North neighbours Bamber Bridge at Irongate.
North End`s goals came from Sean St Ledger, Keith Treacy, Matthew James, Billy Jones, Paul Hayes and Neil Dougan.
Brig`s consolation goal in the 68th minute was even scored by a North End employee - Technical Skills coach Phil Eastwood - who somehow curled the ball home from an acute angle inside the box.
League Two side Tranmere drew both pre-season friendlies 2-2 against non-League opposition in West Cheshire Leaguers Heswall and Evo-Stik North outfit Cammell Laird on Tuesday night.
The two matches followed the same pattern with Rovers' two teams comprising a mixture of first-team players, youth players and triallists going 2-0 down against their opponents before battling back to level.
At Lairds, the home side netted twice in the space of 2 first half minutes from headers before Aaron Cresswell pulled a goal back with a well struck free kick on 32 minutes. Ten minutes from time Jay Gibbs equalised with a far post volley.
On the other side of Wirral, Heswall scored either side of half time only for Ian Thomas-Moore to chip the keeper and Dale Jennings score a fine solo effort to level.
Cheltenham Town recorded a 3-1 victory over Zamaretto Premier neighbours Cirencester Town.
The Robins, now managed by former Kidderminster Harriers` boss Mark Yates, scored through Frankie Artus, Josh Klein-Davies and Wesley Thomas.
Cirencester finally got their goal 2 minutes from time through Carl Brown.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Kettering Town were beaten 1-0 at home by county neighbours Northampton Town.
The Cobblers scored the only goal of the night midway through the first half when new signing Marcus Hall’s low cross was finished off by Kevin Thornton.
League Two side Burton Albion won 5-2 at Station Road against Evo-Stik League Division One South hosts Mickleover Sports.
The Brewers actually went in at the break trailing to John McGrath's own goal, but a more free flowing attacking performance in the second half saw the visitors run out comfortable winners.
Goals from triallist Connor Franklin, Russell Penn, James Ellison, Shaun Harrad and another triallist, Lewis Young, rounded off a 5-2 victory, although Sports did manage to regain the lead in the 52nd minute through Karl Ashton.
Evo-Stik Premier side Nantwich Town were hit for six at the Weaver Stadium by League Two neighbours Port Vale.
Rob Taylor gave Vale a 7th minute lead, Justin Richards opened his Port Vale account 4 minutes later before triallist Kyle Blake pulled one back for the home side 5 minutes before the interval.
But Vale hit four more goals in the second half, including a Marc Richards brace.
David Davies pulled a goal back for the home side but Anthony Malbon and Will Bratt completed the scoring.
Four goals from new signing Neil Mellor, and two from Jermaine Johnson were to give a strong Sheffield Wednesday side and emphatic win in dreadful conditions at the Look Local Stadium against Evo-Stik Premier neighbours Stocksbridge Park Steels.
Although Stocksbridge played some attractive football they could only manage one consolation goal when new signing Jack Muldoon was brought down in the penalty area by Mark Beevers and Alvyn Riley converted from the spot.
Blue Square Bet South side Welling United lost 1-0 to League One visitors Charlton Athletic at Park View Road.
In front of a crowd of 2,080, the only goal of the game was scored by Adthingys` striker Akpo Sodje on 37 minutes.
Three goals in the last 13 minutes ultimately condemned Zamaretto Premier side Didcot Town to a comprehensive 6-2 defeat by Conference champions Oxford United.
In a thoroughly entertaining game Oxford's superior skills and fitness ultimately told as both sides fielded almost completely different teams after the break. In a good first half showing Didcot had held their own at 1-1 after Michael Bartley cancelled-out Matt Green's opener.
The Railwaymen`s performance was understandably less convincing after the break with a number of triallists used and while Riccardo Cannon did notch a second it was Oxford who dominated, scoring five more goals and only two stunning saves by Didcot's Tom Bucknor kept the scoreline down to six.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Rushden & Diamonds ran out 2-0 victors against ambitious Zamaretto Premier hosts Brackley Town at St James`s Park.
Diamonds` goals came from new signing Ryan Charles and Sam Smith.
Blue Square Bet South nwecomers Dartford went down 2-1 at Princes Park to a strong Gillingham side.
The Gills took only 3 minutes to open the scoring when Danny Spiller headed home Curtis Weston’s cross and the League Two visitors doubled their lead, courtesy of Chris Palmer’s second half fluke.
But plucky Dartford deservedly scored late on when Tom Bonner steered home a Ryan Hayes free-kick.
KoolSport Northern Counties East League side Staveley Miners Welfare had their opening pre-season game with newly-promoted neighbours Rainworth Miners Welfare abandoned after an injury to new signing Josh Wright in the 82nd minute.
The player laid injured and unable to be moved until the ambulance arrived.
In the first half Rainworth had took a 2-0 lead with a Craig Mitchell brace but Staveley came back and a Ryan Damms goal brought the game back into sight before the game was concluded early.
The good news is that Wright`s injury is ankle ligaments and not a break and he will be out of action for possibly five-six weeks.
There was a bit of a surprise for Blue Square Bet North side Ilkeston Town, who were hammered 4-1 by Aspire Midland Alliance outfit Coalville Town.
Matt Gardner struck twice in the first half, one a penalty, as Coalville took a 2-0 lead into the interval.
Martin Thompson and Lee Miveld headed further goals as Coalville moved 4-0 ahead before Darren Caskey scored a consolation for the Robins.
Blue Square Bet North side Harrogate Town's programme of pre-season games started with a promising 4-2 win against a young Sthingyhorpe United outfit at the CNG Stadium.
New signings Craig Dootson, Dominic Roma, Richard Pell, Steve Bowey, Graeme Armstrong, Aiden Savory, Wayne Phillips and Liam Hardy all featured for Town during the 90 minutes together with Adam Nowakowski, Matt Bloomer, Martin Foster, Liam Shepherd, Simon Harrison, Luke Durham, Jon Maloney and a number of triallists.
Nowakowski put them a goal up after just 3 minutes with a fine header from a free kick.
Striker Savory doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute with another header, courtesy of a fine cross in from Foster on the right wing.
But before then there were great scoring chances for central midfielder Bowey, who shaved the right post, centre forward Graeme Armstrong who just failed to get on the end of a ball begging to be tapped in from close range, and newly-signed Gateshead winger Phillips with a free kick 20 yards out.
Sthingyhorpe barely got a look-in during the first half, but steadily worked their way into the game in the second, as Weaver opted to shuffle his pack and make wholesale changes.
The changes quickly reaped goals for Town, former Garforth Town man Duncan Williams netting the third of the evening in the 55th minute, having picked Sam Comer's pocket, he embarked on a super mazy run before unleashing an unstoppable shot.
Comer enjoyed a bit of payback in the 70th minute, firing home a perfectly-weighted free kick from just outside the box, but Town increased their lead 14 minutes later through a stunning individual goal from Stephen Ivanov.
His left-footed 30-yard drive into the top corner was possibly the goal of the night, although Sthingyhorpe had the final say when Jamie Wooton outfoxed the defence and sub 'keeper Jordan Myers in the 87th minute.
Blue Square Bet South side Bromley continued their winning run as they beat League One new boys Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2.
Goals from Paul Vines, Harrison Dunk and Barry Stevens secured a well earned victory to keep the new season prospects positive for the Hayes Lane outfit.
League Two side Wycombe Wanderers eased to a 3-0 victory over Zamaretto Premier outfit Chesham United at the Meadow.
After bagging a brace in Saturday's practice match with Yeovil Town, Jon-Paul Pittman doubled the Blues' tally on 42 minutes from close range after Ben Strevens' first goal for the club had put the Blues ahead from a Stuart Green corner.
One of the club's new recruits Keiran Murtagh sealed a productive night for the Chairboys on 85 minutes with a stunning chip.
Tony Hopper left the pitch to a guard of honour from his Workington team-mates during an emotional farewell when he called time on his ninteen-year playing career with a 13-minute cameo in the 1-0 loss to Carlisle United.
The all-action midfielder took over the captain’s armband and was straight into proceedings bringing down Tom Taiwo.
Hopper’s beaming smile was clear for all to see as he left the Borough Park pitch for the final time.
Carlisle triallist Nick Wood netted the only goal of the game on 87 minutes.
A bumper 1,012 crowd welcomed football back to The Walks as Hereward Teamwear United Counties League Premier Division newcomers King`s Lynn Town took on a Norwich City XI in their second pre-season game.
The visitors included fringe first-team players Jens Berthel Askou, Matty Gill and Owain Tudur Jones in a line-up of youth and academy players but it was Lynn who ran out winners with a polished performance.
The home side took the lead on 37 minutes when Jack Defty scored from the spot having been fouled by MacKenzie.
Lynn when further ahead on 54 minutes when Jamie Thurlbourne's dipping corner was bundled home by another new signing, Brady Stone.
Zamaretto Division One Central side Slough Town hit six goals against former manager Derek Sweetman’s Holyport at Summerleaze Village.
Slough started brightly and took the lead early on when the returning Steve Sinclair volleyed in from the edge of the area.
Sean Sonner made it two with a close range strike from Simon Martin's superb knock-down.
In the second-half they added a bizarre third goal when a Hollyport clearance went straight up in the air and with the home keeper and Craig O’Connor jumping for the ball, neither got a touch with the ball looping high into the net.
Swift then made it four from the penalty spot and then soon after Simon Martin headed in at the far post to increase the advantage.
Substitute Tony Mendy then wrapped-up the scoring with a neat finish from close range to seal the victory.
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