EFL and Non League: Friendlies Review – 3rd July 2022

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…

Dereham (Eng) 0-4 Norwich (Eng)

Ahead of Norwich’s 2022/23 Championship campaign, City opened their pre-season fixtures at Aldiss Park tonight and put four past a resilient Dereham Town side.

Dean Smith played a game of two halves, giving minutes to 22 different first team and academy players.

Dereham Town XI: Bilham, Haylett, Martin, Castellan, Fox, Frary, Logan, Johnson, Bemrose, Mensah-Sakey

Norwich City XI: Gunn (McGovern 45), Mumba (Sorenson 45), Warner (Tomkinson 45), Gibson (Zimmermann 45), McCallum (Riley 45), Gibbs (Earley 45), McClean (Lees-Melous), Cantwell (Clarke 45), Springett (Dowell 45), Omotoye (Rowe 45), Hugill (Dickson-Peters 45)

Goals: Hugill (7, 45), Dickson-Peters (48), Dowell (88 (P))

Half time: 0-2

Full time and we begin pre-season with a 4-0 win! 💪 #NCFC pic.twitter.com/AEBPZ4tRmx

— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) July 1, 2022

Burnley (Eng) 1-0 Rochdale (Eng)

With four weeks exactly to go until the start of Burnley’s 2022/23 Championship season, the Clarets beat Rochdale 1-0 in their first pre-season workout.

Summer signing Scott Twine’s goal on the 13th minute proved the difference at Gawthorpe on what was his inaugural run out in Claret & Blue colours.

Boss Vincent Kompany opted to play the opening 45 minutes with a first-team 11, while U23s players contested the remainder of the game at the training ground.

Burnley First Half: Norris, Lowton, McNally (Thomas ’34), Long, Taylor, Cork, Brownhill, McNeil, Gudmundsson, Twine, Barnes

Burnley Second Half: Waller, Dodgson, Thomas (Sassi ’81) Bedeau, Armstrong, Helm, Phillips, Tucker, Thompson, McGlynn, Costelloe

Rochdale First half XI | O’Donnell, Keohane, Graham, Ebanks-Landell, John, White, Diagouraga, Brierley, Trialist A, Odoh, Rodney.

Rochdale Second half XI | Trialist B, Jesus, Watts, Taylor, McNulty, Trialist C, Trialist D, Kelly, Ball, Trialist A (Yaduat 70′), Charman.

Scott Twine is off the mark after he scored in our pre-season friendly against Rochdale 💥 pic.twitter.com/uW48m9kepm

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) July 2, 2022

Melksham (Eng) 1-6 Bristol Rovers (Eng)

Bishop Auckland (Eng) 0-5 Middlesbrough (Eng)

Boro kicked off pre-season with a 5-0 win at Bishop Auckland in a game that saw Chris Wilder’s men pick up their first minutes of the summer.

Riley McGree and Tommy Smith netted before the break, as Chris Wilder used 21 different players at Heritage Park.

Anfernee Dijksteel and Josh Coburn scored in the second period for Boro, with Bishop Auckland defender Anthony Callaghan also scoring an own goal.

Middlesbrough first half: Roberts; McNair, Lenihan, Bilongo; Smith, Crooks, Howson, McGree, Giles; Finch, Watmore.

Middlesbrough second half: Roberts; Dijksteel, Fry, Bola; Jones, Hackney, Gibson, Tavernier, Coulson; Kavanagh, Coburn.

Chorley (Eng) 1-3 Bolton (Eng)

Wanderers came out on top against National League North neighbours Chorley in their second pre-season friendly with goals from Dion Charles, Jón Daði Böðvarsson, and Elias Kachunga securing the win at Victory Park.

Chorley Urwin; Henley (Price-Jordan, 72′), Blakeman (Trialist, 72′), Trialist (Barnes, 72′), Leather (c) (Isherwood, 46′), Whitehouse (Scarborough, 72′), Tomlinson (Trialist, 46′), Calveley (Okome, 46′), Shenton (Trialist, 46′), Spencer-McDermott (Hall, 46′), Sampson (Trialist, 46′). Subs: Barry, Birchall, Price, Moran, McHale.

Bolton Trafford (Dixon, 46′); Jones (c) (Williams, 46′), John (Santos, 46′), Johnston (Toure, 44′), Böðvarsson (Sadlier, 46′), Charles (Bakayoko, 46′), Morley (Aimson, 46′), Afolayan (Lee, 46′), Bradley (Dempsey, 46′), Thomason (Kachunga, 46′), Senior (Conway, 46′).

Bolton goals: Charles (2), Böðvarsson (42), Kachunga (78)

Chorley goal: Hall (89)

Attendance: 3,087

Nuneaton (Eng) 0-4 Stockport (Eng)

County’s pre-season officially got underway with a big 0-4 win at Nuneaton Borough, with The Hatters returning to Liberty Way for the first time since our memorable National League North title win back in 2019.

First-half goals from Mark Kitching, Connor Jennings, Will Collar and Ethan Pye sealed a commanding win for Dave Challinor’s side, as preparations for our EFL return this season continued to take shape in Warwickshire.

Stockport First-half XI: Hinchliffe; Minihan, Palmer, Pye; Newby, Sarcevic, Collar, Kitching; Whitfield; Jennings, Quigley.

Stockport Second-half XI: Hinchliffe; Keane, Horsfall, Johnson; Southam-Hales, Lemonheigh Evans, Croasdale, Hippolyte, Rydel; Wootton, Madden.

Oxford City (Eng) 2-5 Oxford Utd (Eng)

Oxford United kicked off their pre-season with an impressive 5-2 win at Oxford City this afternoon.

Two first half goals from Cameron Brannagan plus strikes from James Henry, Sam Long and Marcus Browne were enough for the U’s, despite neighbours City scoring early goals in both halves of an entertaining 90 minutes.

Oxford City – first half (3-5-2): Dudzinski, Nenonen-Millar, Carroll, Trialist, Trialist, Ashby, McEachran, D Stokoe, Trialist, Trialist, Muchechetere.

Oxford City – second half (3-5-2): Grantham, Burley, Trialist, Rowan, Trialist, Fleet, Ewers-Humphrey, L Stokoe, Trialist, Iaciofano, Trialist.

Booked: None.

Oxford United – first half (4-3-3): Eastwood, Long, Moore, Golding, Seddon, Henry, Johnson, Brannagan, Goodrham, Baldock, Davis.

Oxford United – second half (4-3-3): Stevens, Forde, Mousinho, Brown, Owens (O’Donkor 80), Smyth, Bodin, McGuane, Davis (Sade 69), Taylor, Browne.

Unused subs: Davis-Stephenson, Tiamuna.

Booked: None.

Referee: Tom Kelly.

Attendance: 1,118.

Arsenal (Eng) 5-1 Ipswich (Eng)

Ipswich Town faced Arsenal in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly this afternoon.

The match took place at the Gunners’ training ground, London Colney, with Mikel Arteta’s men running out 5-1 winners in Hertfordshire.

Both sides played first-half XIs and second-half XIs.

Arsenal first half: Leno, Bellerin, White, Mari, Cedric, Partey, Maitland-Niles, Lokonga, Pepe, Nketiah, Nelson.

Arsenal second half: Okonkwo, Walters, Kirk, Awe, Sousa, Smith, Oulad-M’Hand, Patino, Hutchinson, Balogun, Flores.

Town first half: Walton, Donacien, Ball, Ndaba, Vincent-Young, Harper, Morsy, Penney, Chaplin, Hughes (Armin), Ladapo.

Town second half: Hladky, Woolfenden, Burgess, Leigh, Burns, El Mizouni, Evans, Humphreys (Armin), Edwards, Aluko, Pigott.

Bradford PA (Eng) 0-2 Bradford City (Eng)

The Bantams got their 2022/23 pre-season campaign underway by retaining the Tom Banks Memorial Trophy – with a 2-0 victory at Bradford (Park Avenue).

CITY (first half): Harry Lewis (GK), Oscar Threlkeld, Matty Foulds, Yann Songo’o, Matty Platt, Richie Smallwood (C), Lee Angol, Harry Chapman, Andy Cook, Kian Scales, Alex Gilliead.

CITY (second half): Colin Doyle (GK), Kian Harratt, Ryan East, Jamie Walker, Romoney Crichlow, Emmanuel Osadebe, Fiacre Kelleher, Abo Eisa, Reece Staunton, Jake Young. Subs (not used): Heath Richardson (GK), Bobby Pointon, Charlie Wood.

GOALS: Chapman (34’), Harratt (64’).

Leamington (Eng) 1-3 Coventry (Eng)

The Sky Blues picked up a win in their first pre-season fixture against Leamington.

Dan Turner had given the Brakes the lead, but a brace from Matty Godden and a goal for Fabio Tavares helped Mark Robins side come from behind to come away with the win.

Coventry First half XI: Simon Moore; Jack Burroughs, Michael Rose, Josh Reid; Marco Rus, Gus Hamer, Jamie Allen, Jake Bidwell; Kasey Palmer; Martyn Waghorn, Tyler Walker.

Coventry Second half XI: Ben Wilson; Fankaty Dabo, Ryan Howley, Dom Hyam, Todd Kane; Ricardo Dinanga, Ben Sheaf, Liam Kelly; Callum O’Hare, Fabio Tavares, Matty Godden.

Subs (not used): Cian Tyler (GK), Aiden Finnegan, Will Bapaga.

Nantwich (Eng) 0-3 Crewe (Eng)

Crewe Alexandra retained the Barry Daly Memorial Trophy with a 3-0 victory over neighbours Nantwich Town. An unfortunate own goal from Dabbers defender Scott Butler in the early minutes set the Railwaymen on their way at the newly named Swansway Stadium.

Trialist winger, Adam Wilson tapped home a second five minutes before half time and Bassala Sambou added a third after converting home his own rebound after his penalty was saved by substitute goalkeeper Reece Quinn in the second period.

Crewe first half – Richards, Mellor, Billington, Griffiths, Sass-Davies, McDonald, Long, Uwakwe, Baker-Richardson, Sang, Wilson

Second half – Booth, K. McDonald, C. Finney, O’Riordan, Ainley, Holicek, Lunt, Offord, Sambou, Agyei, Sang

Southport (Eng) 0-2 Blackpool (Eng)

First half goals from CJ Hamilton and Beryly Lubala was the difference, with Michael Appleton’s tenure getting off to a pleasing start in the Merseyside sunshine.

Blackpool First-Half Team: Maxwell, Connolly, Casey, Keogh, Garbutt, Carey, Anderson, Apter, Lubala, Hamilton, Yates

Blackpool Second-Half Team: Grimshaw, Tharme, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, James, Dougall, Virtue, Dale, Bowler, Madine, Lavery

⚽️ The goals from our pre-season victory at Southport.

🍊 #UTMP pic.twitter.com/llXzIKbmM8

— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) July 3, 2022

Hitchin (Eng) 0-3 Luton (Eng)

The Hatters opened up their pre-season programme with a 3-0 victory at Southern League neighbours Hitchin Town in front of a bumper crowd of 2,213.

Manager Nathan Jones used 22 players, including three of the four new signings with Alfie Doughty, Matt Macey and Cauley Woodrow, who was on target within eight minutes of his return in a Luton shirt after 11 years away.

Dan Potts and Cameron Jerome had already given Town a 2-0 half-time before the whole team was changed at the break.

Luton First Half XI: Isted, Fernandes, Osho, Potts, Thorpe, Lansbury, Clark, Mendes Gomes, Doughty, Jerome, Muskwe.

Luton Second Half XI: Macey, Burke, Lockyer, Williams, Bree, Pereira, Pettit, Onyedinma, Woodrow, Adebayo, Cornick.

Goals: Potts 26, Jerome 39, Woodrow 47

OTHER SCORES:
Darwen (Eng) 0-6 Blackburn Rovers U23s (Eng)
Watford (Eng) 1-3 Cambridge Utd (Eng)
Wolves (Eng) 4-1 Forest Green (Eng)
Alfreton (Eng) 0-0 Sheffield Wed (Eng)
Jersey Bulls (Eng) 0-4 Stevenage (Eng)
Sunderland (Eng) 2-0 Gateshead (Eng)
Havant & W (Eng) 0-3 Portsmouth (Eng)
Hibernian (Sco) 4-2 Burton (Eng)
Parkgate (Eng) 2-4 Rotherham (Eng)
Haringey (Eng) 1-2 Leyton Orient (Eng)
Penrith (Eng) 1-5 Carlisle (Eng)
Tiverton (Eng) 2-1 Exeter (Eng)
Undy (Wal) 0-7 Newport (Wal)
Bedfont Sports (Eng) 2-2 Potters Bar (Eng)
Bedford (Eng) 0-2 AFC Wimbledon (Eng)
Crystal Palace (Eng) 1-1 Accrington (Eng)
Clitheroe (Eng) 0-3 Accrington (Eng)
Reading (Eng) 2-0 Colchester (Eng)
Middlesbrough U23s (Eng) 3-2 Scunthorpe (Eng)
Abbey Rangers (Eng) 0-3 Eastleigh (Eng)
Ascot (Eng) 0-3 Slough (Eng)
Atherton (Eng) 2-1 Annan (Sco)
Badshot (Eng) 0-4 Aldershot (Eng)
Deal (Eng) 2-6 Charlton U23 (Eng)
Eastbourne Boro (Eng) 0-1 Crawley (Eng)
Evesham (Eng) 0-4 Cheltenham (Eng)
Folkestone (Eng) 0-2 Gillingham (Eng)
Frome (Eng) 2-3 Salisbury (Eng)
Gainsborough (Eng) 0-4 Lincoln (Eng)
Kempston (Eng) 3-3 AFC Rushden & Diamonds (Eng)
Melksham (Eng) 2-3 Swindon (Eng)
New Mills (Eng) 0-3 Curzon Ashton (Eng)
Plymouth Parkway (Eng) 2-2 Plymouth (Eng)
Bamber Bridge (Eng) 0-3 Bamber Bridge Preston (Eng)
Roffey (Eng) 0-5 Dorking (Eng)
Stratford (Eng) 5-2 Coventry Sphinx (Eng)
Sutton Coldfield (Eng) 0-4 Barwell (Eng)
Sutton Common Rovers (Eng) 1-5 Tonbridge (Eng)
Longridge Town (Eng) 1-3 Macclesfield Eng)
Leicester Road (Eng) 0-4 Tamworth (Eng)
Raynes Park Vale (Eng) 2-2 Queens Park Rangers U23 (Eng)
Ware Sports (Eng) 3-1 Wormley Rovers (Eng)
Newcastle Town (Eng) 1-3 Salford City (Eng)
Hashtag Utd FC Reserves (Eng) 1-2 Stretford Paddock (Eng)
Barkingside FC (Eng) 1-5 Southend Manor (Eng)
Lancing (Eng) 2-3 Newhaven (Eng)
Magna ’73 (Eng) 4-6 Rugby Borough (Eng)
Redditch United (Eng) 6-1 Cradley Town (Eng)
Bishop Cleeve (Eng) 3-2 Lye (Eng)
Phoenix Sports (Eng) 2-2 Snodland Town (Eng)
Kiveton MW (Eng) 0-3 Hallam (Eng)
Denaby Main (Eng) 0-0 Swallownest (Eng)
Cornard United (Eng) 5-2 FC Clacton (Eng)
Cove (Eng) 0-9 Farnborough (Eng)
Cheadle Town FC (Eng) 2-1 Winsford United (Eng)
Ingles FC (Eng) 1-2 Thurnby Rangers (Eng)
White Ensign (Eng) 1-3 Shenfield (Eng)
Stafford Town (Eng) 2-0 Stafford Rangers (Eng)
Chatham Town (Eng) 2-3 Lordswood (Eng)
Eccleshall (Eng) 0-2 Hanley (Eng)
Petersfield Town (Eng) 0-4 Gosport (Eng)
Clipstone (Eng) 1-6 Sherwood Colliery (Eng)
Leek Town (Eng) 0-2 Stoke City U23 (Eng)
Ilkley Town (Eng) 1-0 Thackley (Eng)
Isle of Man 2-1 Nostell (Eng)
Llandudno (Wal) 3-4 Northwich Victoria (Eng)
Southam Utd (Eng) 1-3 Nuneaton Griff (Eng)
Abbey Hulton (Eng) 2-1 Congleton (Eng)
Kimberley MW (Eng) 4-1 FC Sez (Eng)
Skegness Town (Eng) 1-0 Yorkshire Amateur (Eng)
Brandon United (Eng) 1-1 Sunderland RCA (Eng)
Sutton Coldfield (Eng) 0-4 Barwell (Eng)
Heaton Stannington (Eng) 2-0 Newcastle Benfield (Eng)
Boldon CA (Eng) 8-0 Billingham Town (Eng)
Wadebridge (Eng) 0-1 Mousehole (Eng)
Tavistock (Eng) 5-0 Falmouth Town (Eng)
Ashby Ivanhoe (Eng) 1-0 Selston (Eng)
Cleethorpes Town (Eng) 2-0 Whitby Town (Eng)
Hereford Lads Club (Eng) 0-4 Stourport Swifts (Eng)
Stockport Town (Eng) 0-4 Bury AFC (Eng)
Tunbridge Wells (Eng) 2-0 Seaford Town (Eng)
Hednesford Town (Eng) 3-5 Birmingham City (Eng)
Stratford Town (Eng) 5-2 Coventry Sphinx (Eng)
Banbury (Eng) 3-0 Easington Sports (Eng)
Carlisle City (Eng) 5-3 Birtley Town (Eng)
Selby Town (Eng) 1-0 North Ferriby (Eng)
Eastwood CFC (Eng) 4-2 Loughborough Dynamo (Eng)
Vauxhall Motors (Eng) 5-2 Widnes (Eng)
Retford (Eng) 3-0 Harworth (Eng)
Rochester City (Eng) 0-9 Rochester United (Eng)
Alnwick Town (Eng) 1-1 Ryton & Crawcrook (Eng)