Club football is in full swing and with that in mind, we have a pre-season friendlies review covering our EFL and non league sides.
Players are starting to get back in shape for the beginning of the new campaign. Depending on the club, they head to places with better climatic conditions than at home to ease the players in, or to places with harsher climates so the players could hit the ground running when the season kicks in.
It also gives managers the opportunity to blend new players into the team, try out different tactics or help players adapt to a new manager and his techniques.
Commercial aspects for top flight sides can be the main reason for the tours. The team is in a place where they want to increase the fanbase, regardless of the climate and/or conditions and made to play high-profile friendlies which are of absolutely no use, as the only purpose they fulfill is filling the stadiums. Despite the torrential rain, bad condition of the pitch, efforts were made till the last minute to make sure the match happened.
The commercial aspect has now become the priority, which shouldn’t be the case. If you go to another country, Premier League / big six clubs should play the local teams for the simple reason that it helps everyone.
Right, time to take a look at the EFL and non league friendlies review…
York City 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
The National League side come from behind in their first pre-season game as Finlay Barnes scores on his debut against newly promoted Championship outfit Sheffield Wednesday.
Josh Windass gave the visitors from South Yorkshire a first-half lead, scoring inside 26 minute, but the Minstermen equalised with half an hour to go.
Mikey Morton’s side put up a good physical challenge which ultimately resulted in a 1-1 draw against the Owls.
Alfreton 1-5 Chesterfield
Two goals from Joe Quigley guided the Spireites to a 5-1 victory at Alfreton Town. Laurence Maguire, Armando Dobra and Will Grigg (pen) also found the net.
Maguire got on the end of an Ollie Banks corner with a downward far post header midway through the first half to open the scoring.
Dobra grabbed a second two minutes later with a fine strike from just outside the area.
Grigg scored from the spot just before the break after being tripped inside the area.
Quigley, among a host of substitutes introduced at the start of the second half, made it 4-0 soon after the re-start with a close-range finish.
Jake Day pulled a goal back for the hosts before Quigley rounded off the scoring just after the hour-mark following good work from Bailey Hobson, who was signed from Alfreton.
Bury 0-6 Bradford City
Mark Hughes’ side kick started their 2023/24 pre-season campaign in perfect fashion, with a 6-0 win over Bury in what was the first game played at Gigg Lane since 2019.
On the hosts’ return to their home, City took a commanding 4-0 lead into half time, with two second-half goals coming courtesy of an entirely different 11 rounding off the victory.
GOALS: Pattison (7’), Cook (12’), Osadebe (27’), Ridehalgh (28’), Derbyshire (53’), Walker (88’).
King’s Lynn 1-6 Norwich
Ashley Barnes produced a hat-trick as the Canaries were 6-1 winners away to King’s Lynn Town in their second pre-season fixture of the 2023/24 season.
Josh Sargent opened the scoring in a first half full of goals, before Barnes (2), Tony Springett and Sam McCallum all added themselves to the scoresheet. A Shane Duffy own goal meant the Canaries were 5-1 up at the break.
King’s Lynn Goals: Duffy OG (45)
Norwich Goals: Sargent (11), Barnes (22, 44, 51), Springett (27), McCallum (43)
Notts County 1-5 Stoke
Stoke City began their pre-season fixture schedule with a positive performance as a young Potters side impressed at Meadow Lane.
Tyrese Campbell scored a first-half hat-trick for Alex Neil’s side, who had earlier taken the lead through a Tom Sparrow strike.
D’Margio Wright-Phillips scored the only goal of the second-half, with Macaulay Langstaff netting for the Magpies just before the interval.
South Shields 3-4 Sunderland XI
Sunderland started their 2023 pre-season with an entertaining 4-3 victory at South Shields which saw a record crowd of around 4,000.
Hemir led the line and opened his account after the hosts edged in front, with Jack Clarke on the scoresheet twice in the second half after Paul Blackett struck for a second time.
Dillon Morse made it 3-3 heading into the final stages, but highly rated 16-year-old Chris Rigg ensured a winning start with an unstoppable finish from inside the box.
Gateshead 2-3 Sunderland XI
Sunderland AFC’s second game of the day ended in a 3-2 win against Gateshead.
Conor Pani saw his deflected effort break the deadlock at the Gateshead International Stadium, with an impressive effort from Adam Campbell doubling the advantage three minutes later.
Dan Neil reduced the deficit before the break and Niall Huggins levelled, as two well-worked team goals restored parity ahead of the final stages.
OTHER SCORES:
Eastleigh 0-2 Bristol Rovers
Maldon & Tiptree 0-4 Colchester
Fleetwood 1-2 Dundee
Lincoln 1-1 Stockport
Reading 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
Guimaraes 0-1 Middlesbrough
Alton FC 1-2 Aldershot Town U23s (7.45pm)
Annan Athletic 1-2 Carlisle United (7.45pm)
Armthorpe Welfare 2-3 Ossett United (7.30pm)
Atherstone Town 0-1 Barwell
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 3-5 Aylesbury United (7.45pm)
Billericay Town 0-0 Leyton Orient (7.45pm)
Bishops Cleeve 3-3 Swindon Town XI
Brimscombe & Thrupp 3-3 Hallen AFC (7.45pm)
Bromley 2-0 Hastings United (7:45pm)
Clanfield 85 2-0 Longlevens (7:45pm)
Erith & Belvedere 2-1 Punjab United (7.15pm)
Exmouth Town 1-2 Truro City (7.45pm)
Fawley AFC 1-3 Hythe & Dibden (7.45pm)
Hebburn Town 3-1 Whitley Bay (7.30pm)
Ipswich Town 2-1 Maidenhead United (7.45pm) (At Needham Market FC)
Kidsgrove Athletic 0-0 Stoke City U/21 (7pm)
Kings Park Rangers 3-2 Halstead Town (7pm)
Lutterworth Town 1-2 Holwell Sports (7.45pm)
Mildenhall Town 3-2 March Town United (7.45pm)
Nailsea & Tickenham 0-1 Cribbs
Parkgate 0-2 Rotherham United (7pm)
Peckham Town 1-1 Stonewall (7pm)
Selby Town 0-3 Garforth Town (7.30pm)
South Normanton Athletic 0-2 Selston (7.30pm)
Southport 0-3 Blackpool (7.45pm)
Street 1-4 Paulton Rovers
Tilbury 1-1 Redbridge (7.45pm)
Tiverton Town 0-1 Exeter City (7pm)
Tonbridge Angels 0-1 Ebbsfleet (7.45pm)
Wadebridge Town 1-3 Tavistock AFC
Walsham 2-3 Stowmarket Town (7.45pm)
Whitby Town 8-0 Whitby Fishermans Society (7.30pm)
Winterton Rangers 3-1 Gainsborough Trinity (7.45pm)
Worsbrough Bridge 4-1 FC Normannla & Fc Bargau XI (7.45pm)
Whyteleafe 4-3 Balham (Eng)
Abbey Hulton United 0-3 Congleton Town (3pm)
AFC Liverpool 1-1 South Liverpool (1pm) (at St John Bosco 4G)
AFC Whyteleafe 4-3 Balham (3pm)
Airbus UK Broughton 1-1 Widnes (2.30pm)
Albion Sports 4-1 Wakefield AFC (4pm)
Alsager Town 0-6 Witton Albion (3pm)
Appleby Frodingham 0-6 Barton Town (3pm)
Ashton Town 6-2 AFC Crewe (3pm)
Aston Clinton 8-1 Abingdon United (2pm)
Barnoldswick Town 1-4 Clitheroe (3pm)
Barnton 0-0 1874 Northwich (3pm)
Basford United 0-1 Carlton Town (3pm)
Bentley 1-2 Clay Cross Town (3pm)
Beverley Town 0-5 Bridlington Town (1pm at Beverley Leisure Centre)
Birtley Town 7-2 Ashington (3pm)
Bottesford Town 1-1 Louth Town (3pm)
Bradford PA 3-1 Thackley (1pm)
Bratton 3-3 Shrewton United (1pm) @ Stanley Park, Chippenham
Brigg Town 2-2 Scunthorpe United (3pm)
Brighouse Town 2-1 Emley (3pm)
Brocton 7-0 AFC Bridgnorth (3pm)
Broadfields United 3-4 Leverstock Green (11am)
Brook House 4-4 Park View
Buckland Athletic 0-4 Yeovil Town (3pm)
Burscough 2-3 Buckley Town (3pm)
Beaconsfield Town 0-2 Slough
Bowers & Pitsea 1-1 Phoenix
Cammell Laird 0-2 Ruthin Town (ABANDONED)
Cirencester Town 0-0 Salisbury (3pm)
Cleethorpes Town 1-2 Grimsby Town (2pm)
Cockfosters 0-2 Welwyn Garden City (1pm)
Coleshill Town 3-2 Chasetown (3pm)
Colliers Wood United 5-0 Alfold
Conwy Borough 1-1 Northwich Victoria (2pm)
Coppull United 0-4 Winsford United (3.00pm)
Coventry Copsewood 1-2 Bedworth United (1pm)
Cray Wanderers 2-1 Welling United (3:00pm) (At Bromley FC)
Chatham 3-1 Ashford United
Dartford 1-2 Charlton Athletic (3pm)
Daventry Town 2-1 Brackley Town
Droylsden 1-1 Stretford Paddock (3pm)
Dorking 2-2 Walton & Hersham
Dover Athletic 0-4 Gillingham (1pm)
Dulwich Hamlet 1-2 Altona 1893 (Germany) (3.00pm)
Easington Sports 2-4 Milton Keynes Irish (3pm)
Eastbourne Borough 1-0 Aldershot Town
Eastwood CFC 1-2 Ilkeston Town (3pm)
Eccleshill United 2-1 Fields (3pm)
Egerton 1-2 Cheadle Heath Nomads (4pm)
Euxton Villa 1-1 Colne (ABANDONED)
Evesham United 2-4 Cheltenham Town
Fairford Town 2-4 Didcot Town (3pm)
FC Romania 4-3 Enfield Borough
FC United of Manchester 0-2 Barrow AFC (3pm)
Fishburn Park 2-3 Pickering Town (3pm)
Fisher 2-1 Basildon United (3pm)
Frenford 2-4 Hadley (3pm)
Garstang 3-4 City of Liverpool (3pm)
Glasshoughton Welfare 0-5 Campion (2pm)
Glebe 1-3 Cray Valley (Paper Mills) (3:00pm)
Glossop NE 0-2 Sheffield (3pm)
Golcar United 2-1 Nostell MW (3pm)
Goole AFC 0-3 Liversedge (3pm)
Grantham Town 3-4 Notts County XI (3pm)
Halesowen 0-5 Crewe
Handsworth 6-1 Dinnington Town (3pm)
Hanley Town 0-2 Chester (3pm)
Harpenden Town 1-5 Hendon
Harold Hill 2-4 Romford
Harrogate Railway Athletic 0-3 Knaresborough Town (3pm)
Harworth Colliery 2-5 Retford FC (3pm)
Havant & Waterlooville 5-1 Moneyfield (3pm)
Hay St. Mary’s 0-6 Lydney Town
Hayle AFC 0-3 Mousehole (3pm)
Hereford 2-0 West Bromwick Albion U/21 (3pm)
Hereford Lads Club §-2 Blaenavon Blues (1pm)
Hemel Hempstead 0-1 Barnet
Holyport 3-3 Hanworth Villa (1.30pm)
Horndean 0-4 Bognor Regis
Horsham YMCA 1-3 Beckenham Town (3pm)
Hullbridge Sports 3-0 Witham Town
Hyde United 0-0 Oldham Athletic (3pm)
Hythe Town 3-0 Lordswood (3pm)
Ipswich Wanderers 1-4 Braintree Town (3pm)
Kendal Town 7-9 Whitehaven
Kintbury Rangers 0-1 Wantage Town (1pm)
Larkfield & New Hythe 1-0 Kennington (3:00pm)
Lancaster City 1-0 Altrincham (3pm)
Leamington 2-2 Coventry City XI (3pm)
Leicester Nirvana 1-1 Rugby Town (3pm)
Lewisham Borough 2-1 Merstham
Loughborough University 0-6 Harborough Town (3pm)
Lower Breck 4-1 New Mills
Macclesfield 0-1 TNS (3pm)
Malvern Town 0-1 Gloucester
Maidstone United 1-0 Sheppey United (3pm)
Malmesbury Victoria 2-0 Bradford Town
Matlock Town 0-2 Derby County (3pm)
Margate 3-3 Deal Town
May & Baker v Stanway Rovers
Melksham Town 0-5 Swindon Town
Met Police 2-0 Yateley United
Millbrook 2-2 Brockenhurst (3pm)
Nelson 1-2 Padiham (2pm)
Newark Town 0-5 Loughborough Dynamo (3pm)
Newquay 2-4 Bournemouth FC (3pm)
Newton Aycliffe 0-6 Darlington (3pm)
Newton Abbot Spurs 1-3 Ardley United (2pm)
Nuneaton Borough 1-1 Oxford City (3pm)
Ollerton Town 4-2 Arnold Town (3pm)
Petersfield Town 2-7 Gosport Borough (3pm)
Prescot Cables 0-1 Holywell Town (ABANDONED)
Prestatyn Town 1-0 Ashton Athletic (2pm)
Prestwich Heys 1-1 Atherton LR (3.00pm)
Racing Club Warwick 1-3 AFC Telford United (3pm)
Radcliffe 0-3 Salford City (3pm)
Ramsgate 2-0 Faversham Town (3:00pm)
Raynes Park Vale 2-0 Farnham Town (3pm) (at River Lane 3G, Leatherhead Youth)
Real Bedford 1-0 Rushden & Diamonds (3pm)
Redditch United 4-1 Lye Town (1pm)
Ringmer 3-2 Hailsham Town (2pm)
Rocester 0-6 Eccleshall (3pm)
Romsey Town 2-1 Hamworthy United
Rossington Main 1-3 Doncaster Rovers (3:00pm)
Rusthall 0-0 Croydon (3:00pm)
Rushall 6-0 Stourbridge
Saltash United 1-0 AFC St Austell (4pm)
Seaham Red Star 1-1 Dunston UTS (1.30pm)
Sevenoaks Town 2-0 VCD Athletic (1.30pm)
Sheffield City 1-2 Doncaster City (3pm)
Shildon 5-2 Billingham Synthonia (3pm)
Shirebrook Town 1-0 Newark & Sherwood United (3pm)
Shrivenham 1-2 Park United (3pm)
Skegness Town 1-3 Belper Town (3pm)
Solihull Moors 0-1 Birmingham
South Park (Reigate) 3-0 Broadbridge Heath (3.00pm)
Southall 1-0 Hayes & Yeading
Spennymoor Town 1-1 Fleetwood Town U21’s (at Scotswood Sports Centre, Newcastle Blue Star FC)
Stafford Town 0-1 Stafford Rangers (3pm)
Staverton Rangers 2-5 Melksham Town Development (2pm)
Steeton 0-3 Frickley Athletic (3pm)
Stockport Town 2-2 Squires Gate (3pm)
Stotfold 0-3 Chesham United (1pm)
Stratford Town 1-1 Woking (3pm)
Teignmouth 2-1 Brixham AFC (2pm)
Trafford 2-2 Curzon Ashton (3pm)
Trowbridge Town 0-2 Devizes Town 4pm @ Green Lane, Devizes
Vauxhall Motors 0-0 Tranmere Rovers (2pm)
Ware 3-0 Chelmsford City
Warrington Town 2-1 City of Liverpool
West Didsbury & Chorlton 0-1 Warrington Rylands
Whitchurch Alport 1-3 Kidsgrove Athletic (3pm)
Wimborne Town 2-3 Weymouth (3pm)
Windsor & Eton 2-3 Egham Town (1pm) at Brunel University 4G pitch, UB8 3PH
Wingate & Finchley 0-3 Bishop’s Stortford Town (12pm) at Barnet Lane
Winsford Town 1-1 Middlewich Town (2.30pm at Barton Stadium, Winsford United FC)
Woodstock Town 0-6 Wallingford & Crowmarsh (2:30pm)
Workington 0-4 Dumbarton (3pm)
Worksop Town 3-1 Hallam (3pm)
Wythenshawe (Amateurs) 7-2 Maine Road
Wythenshawe Town 1-2 Newcastle Town (2pm)
Undy 0-4 Newport County
Bury 0-3 Preston
Bracknell 2-3 Wealdstone
AFC Fylde 0-2 Barnsley (ABANDONED)
Aveley 0-3 Dag & Red
Bamber Bridge 0-1 Bolton
Long Eaton 3-0 Sporting Khalsa
St. Neots 0-2 Stevenage
Stamford 1-7 Peterborough
Tamworth 3-0 St. Ives
Whitstable Town 0-5 Lewes
Accrington 0-0 Blackburn (G1)
Accrington 2-2 Blackburn (G2)
Barking 1-3 Hornchurch
Basford United 0-1 Carlton Town
Brighouse Town 2-1 Emley AFC
Dorchester Town 0-1 Weston-super-Mare
Grays Athletic 4-4 Waltham Abbey
Haringey Borough 1-0 Harrow Borough
Quorn 3-3 Coalville Town
Lakenheath 2-4 Felixstowe & Walton Utd
Abbey Rangers 1-3 Marlow
Stalham Town 1-6 Great Yarmouth Town
AFC Coventry Rangers 5-4 Chelmsley Town
Yate Town 2-2 Mangotsfield United
Hereford Pegasus 3-4 OJM Black Country Rangers
AFC Colsterworth S&S 5-0 Gedling Southbank
Hartlepool Pools Youth 2-0 Darlington United
Have we missed out on any? Let us know via our socials with a comment.
