Club football is in full swing and we have a pre-season friendlies review covering our Premier League, 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 fulfil 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 Premier League, EFL and non league friendlies review…
Macclesfield (Eng) 2-2 Morecambe (Eng)
Morecambe recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 in an entertaining encounter at the leasing.com Stadium in the Shrimps’ second pre-season fixture of the summer.
Macclesfield: Pitaluga, Hanson (Trialist 46’), Lee (Grimshaw 66’, Trialist 89’), Fensome (Trialist 46’), Trialist, Mendy, Kengni (Freedman 66’), Danns (Greaves 66’), Curran (Bower 46’), Duffy (Pemberton 66’), Berry (Djalo 66’)
Subs not used: Mason, McColl
Goals: Kengni 4’, Curran 12’
Bookings: None
Red cards: None
Morecambe: Smith (Ripley 46’), McLaughlin (Love 46’), Melbourne, Cooney (Watts 46’, Obika 71’), Rawson (O’Connor 86’), Gibson, Connolly (Delaney 36’), McLoughlin (Taylor 46’), Stockton (Fane 80’), Gnahoua, McDonald (Hunter 46’)
Subs not used: De Silva Mendes
Goals: Stockton 47’, Hunter 71’
Bookings: None
Red cards: None
Referee: Tom Kirk
Assistants: Rob Goodwin-Davey and Max Band
Blackpool (Eng) 0-4 Leeds (Eng)
(Koch 10’, Firpo 22’, Rodrigo 30’, Joseph 85’)
Leeds: Meslier (GK) (Klaesson 45’), Firpo (Davies 45’), Koch (Mullen 45’), Roca (Bate 61’), Rodrigo (C) (Miller 45’), Struijk (Moore 61’), Harrison (Forshaw 61’), Gelhardt (Joseph 61’), Drameh (Shackleton 61), Greenwood (McGurk 61’), Gray (Allen 72’).
Blackpool first half XI: Maxwell (GK), Bowler, Dougall, Madine, Carey, Virtue, Keogh, Garbutt, Thorniley, Apter, Holmes.
Blackpool second half XI: Grimshaw (GK), Connolly, Dale, Anderson, Lavery, Ekpiteta, Hamilton, Lubala, Tharme, Moore, Hughes.
Servette (Sui) 0-2 West Ham (Eng)
West Ham United made a winning start to their 2022/23 pre-season schedule with a 2-0 victory over Swiss Super League club Servette in Geneva on Friday evening.
Academy of Football youngsters Aji Alese and Divin Mubama scored the goals in either half as the Hammers ended their five-day Alpine training camp with a welcome victory.
West Ham United: Fabiański (Trott 46), Ashby, Dawson (Diop 46), Alese, Cresswell © (Zouma 46), Coventry, Lanzini (Ekwah 46), Fornals (Chesters 60), Benrahma (Okoflex 60), Masuaku (Longelo 46), Antonio (Mubama 46)
Subs not used: Randolph (GK), Hegyi (GK), Ogbonna, Potts
Goals: Alese 27, Mubama 52
Servette: Frick ©, Diallo, Pflucke, Cognat, Antunes, Severin, Rodelin, Behrami, Doulin, Bedia, Vouilloz
Subs used: Omeragic (GK), Rouiller, Cespedes, Stevanovic, Oberlin, Valls, Magnin, Bauer, Monteiro, Ndema, Dias Patricio
Attendance: 4,188
York (Eng) 2-3 Middlesbrough (Eng)
York: Ross (Whitley 45′), Kouogun (Kerr 45′), Sanders, Crookes, Mafuta (Duku 45′), Dyson (Dale 84′), Burgess (Greaves 45′), Hancox (Kouhyar 45′), Whittle (Hurst 45′), Boden (John-Lewis 45′), James (Trialist A 45′)
Subs: Whitley, Kerr, Greaves, Duku, Kouhyar, Trialist A, Hurst, John-Lewis, Dale (all used)
Boro starting XI: Roberts, Dijksteel, Lenihan, Bilongo, Smith, Hackney, Crooks McGree, Giles, Finch, Coburn
Boro second half XI: Daniels, McNair, Fry, Bola, Jones, Howson, Gibson, Tavernier, Coulson, Watmore, Kavanagh
Bradford City 0-2 Derby County
All of the damage was done in the first half as goals from Craig Forsyth and new signing Tom Barkhuizen secured the victory.
Bradford City: Harry Lewis, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Reece Staunton, Yann Songo’o, Matty Platt, Richie Smallwood (C), Harry Chapman, Ryan East, Lee Angol, Jamie Walker, Jake Young.
Substitutes: Colin Doyle, Heath Richardson, Oscar Thelkeld, Matty Foulds, Alex Gilliead, Emmanuel Osadebe, Kian Harratt, Kian Scales, Fiacre Kelleher, Charlie Wood, Andy Cook, Bobby Pointon, Romoney Crichlow, Abo Eisa, Timi Odusina.
Derby County First-Half Team: Joe Wildsmith, Eiran Cashin, Tom Barkhuizen, Max Bird, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Louie Sibley, Craig Forsyth, Curtis Davies (C), Liam Thompson, Jason Knight, Kwaku Odoruh.
Derby County Second-Half Team: Joe Wildsmith (Harrison Foulkes 72’), Haydon Roberts (Will Grewall-Pollard 77’), Jake Rooney, Richard Stearman, Darren Robinson, Ryan Glover, Osazee Aghatise, Kevin McDonald, Carlos Richards, Jack Stretton, Bartosz Cybulski.
Attendance: 4,218 (1,336 Derby County supporters)
Harrogate (Eng) 0-2 Sheffield Wed (Eng)
Michael Smith opened his Owls account from the penalty spot as Wednesday continued pre-season with a 2-0 win at Harrogate Town.
Smith added to Josh Windass’ stunning opener as a one-sided first half saw the Owls take the plaudits.
Town First Half: Jameson, Welch-Hayes, Mattock, Headley, Pattison, Austerfield, Dooley, Ferguson, Daly, Armstrong, Trialist
Town Second Half: Oxley, Burrell, Thomson, Richards, Muldoon, Horbury, Ilesanmi, Trialist, Trialist, Triaist, Trialist
SWFC First half: Stockdale, Hunt (J), Iorfa, Famewo, Galvin, Glover, James, Bannan, Adeniran, Windass, Smith
SWFC Second half: Stockdale (Charles 76), Palmer, Ihekwe, Heneghan, Brown, Johnson, Hunt (A), Dele-Bashiru, Byers, Paterson (Davidson 80), Sow
Nott’m Forest (Eng) 1-3 Coventry (Eng)
Forest first half XI: Dean Henderson; Joe Worrall, Steve Cook, Moussa Niakhaté; Giulian Biancone, Ryan Yates, Jack Colback, Nicholas Ioannou; Joe Lolley (Oli Hammond 37′); Lyle Taylor, Taiwo Awoniyi
Forest second half XI: Jordan Smith; Fin Back, Loic Mbe Soh, Jonathan Panzo, Aaron Donnelly; Cafu, Braian Ojeda; Xande Silva, Oli Hammond, Alex Mighten; Nuno da Costa
Sky Blues Xl: Ben Wilson, Todd Kane, Michael Rose, Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean, Jake Bidwell, Liam Kelly (C), Gustavo Hamer, Kasey Palmer, Callum O’Hare, Matty Godden.
Subs: Cian Tyler, Tom Billson, Jack Burroughs, Josh Reid, Ryan Howley, Ricardo Dinanga, Marco Rus.
Second Half:
Sky Blues Xl: Simon Moore, Fankaty Dabo, Ryan Howley, Dom Hyam (67’ Reid), Jake Bidwell (67’ Burroughs), Jamie Allen, Ben Sheaf, Fabio Tavares, Martyn Waghorn, Viktor Gyokeres, Tyler Walker.
Subs: Cian Tyler, Tom Billson, Jack Burroughs, Josh Reid, Ricardo Dinanga, Marco Rus.
Crystal Palace (Eng) 5-4 Millwall (Eng)
Crystal Palace secured their first victory in pre-season in a nine-goal thriller at the Academy. Goals from Eze, Ayew, O’Brien, Benteke and Rak-Sakyi saw the Eagles edge out their south London rivals.
Palace: Guaita, Clyne, Guéhi, Andersen, Mitchell, Eze, Schlupp, Hughes, Zaha, Mateta, Ayew.
Subs: Matthews, O’Brien, Ferguson, Phillips, Adaramola, Rodney, Plange, Ebiowei, Milivojevic, Rak-Sakyi, Benteke, Edouard.
Millwall First-Half XI: Bialkowski, Cooper, Evans, Afobe, Malone, Burey, Leonard, Bennett, A. Mitchell, Muller, Honeyman.
Millwall Second-Half XI: Long, McNamara, Wallace, Hutchinson, B. Mitchell, Bradshaw, Flemming, Cresswell, Saville, Olaofe, Topalloj.
Subs: Sandford, Allen, Boateng, Walker.
Newcastle (Eng) 5-1 Gateshead (Eng)
Newcastle United (first half): Martin Dúbravka, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, Kell Watts, Paul Dummett, Jonjo Shelvey, Elliot Anderson, Joe Willock, Matt Ritchie, Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson
Newcastle United (second half): Karl Darlow, Emil Krafth, Kell Watts, Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Matty Longstaff, Joelinton, Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almirón, Allan Saint-Maximin, Jacob Murphy
Subs not used: Remi Savage, Jay Turner-Cooke
Leicester (Eng) 1-2 Notts County (Eng)
#Notts First 60 XI: Slocombe; Cameron, Rawlinson, Bajrami; McGregor (U19), Nemane; Francis, Palmer, O’Brien, Rodrigues, Mitchell
#Notts Last 30 XI: Brooks; Chicksen, Baldwin, Brindley; Munakandafa, Adebayo-Rowling; Morton (T), McGregor (U19), Roberts, Austin, Edwards (U19)
LCFC First half (4-3-3): Iversen; Ricardo, Fofana, Wilson-Brown, Flynn; Choudhury, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall; Wright, Daka, Barnes.
LCFC Second half: Stolarczyk, Wormleighton, Appiah (trialist), Hill (trialist), Hughes, Leshabela, Madivadua, Cover, Fitzhugh, Maswanhise, Iheanacho.
Walsall (Eng) 0-4 Aston Villa (Eng)
Leon Bailey, Cameron Archer, Ollie Watkins and Douglas Luiz all netted in a routine victory for Steven Gerrard’s side as they gear up for their upcoming tour of Australia.
Walsall (4-2-3-1): Evans (Przybek, 46); Bennett (Maher, 71), Daniels (Clarke, 63), Richards-Everton (Monthe, 46), Allen (Green, 78); Comley (White, 46), Kinsella (Livermore, 63); Riley, Hutchinson, James-Taylor (Williams, 46); Abraham (Mukuna, 78)
Not used: Perry, Gibson
Villa first half (4-2-3-1): Sinisalo; Kesler-Hayden, Diego Carlos, Mings, Revan; Azaz, Nakamba; Traore, El Ghazi, Bailey; Archer
Villa second half (4-3-1-2): Sinisalo; Young, Chambers, Feeney, Chrisene; Luiz, O’Reilly, Sanson; Buendia; Watkins, Ings
Goals: Bailey (7), Archer (38), Watkins (54), Luiz (70)
Attendance: 9,409 (4,027 Villa fans)
Referee: Tom Nield
Crawley (Eng) 3-3 QPR (Eng)
The Reds pulled back a three-goal deficit to claim a draw against Championship side QPR this afternoon. Goals from James Tilley, Tom Nichols and Manny Adebowale completed a second-half comeback after the R’s took a three-goal lead early in the second period.
Crawley: Glenn Morris, Tony Craig, Dion Conroy, Ludwig Francillette, Trialist, James Balagizi, Jack Payne, James Tilley, Travis Johnson , Dominic Telford, Tom Nichols
Subs: Harry Ransom, Ashley Nadesan, Trialist x4, Aramide Oteh, Corey Addai, Ronan Silva, Owen Gallacher, Manny Adebowale
QPR first half: Walsh, Adomah, Dickie, Clarke-Salter, Paal, Thomas, Johansen, Field, Chair, Roberts, Dykes.
QPR second half: Mahoney, Kakay, Masterson, Dunne, Hamalainen, Dozzell, Owens, Kelman, Bonne, Shodipo. Gubbins. Subs not used: Drewe, Duke-McKennna.
OTHER RESULTS:
Wolves (Eng) 3-0 Burnley (Eng)
Hamworthy Recreation (Eng) 3-4 Poole (Eng)
Kidsgrove (Eng) 3-0 Port Vale (Eng)
Bridlington (Eng) 2-2 Scarborough (Eng)
Leyton Orient (Eng) 0-3 Peterborough (Eng)
Bravo (Slo) 1-2 Luton (Eng)
Casa Pia (Por) 1-2 Sheffield Utd (Eng)
Bracknell (Eng) 2-0 Wycombe (Eng)
Buckland (Eng) 0-1 Torquay (Eng)
Aveley (Eng) 0-1 Dag & Red (Eng)
Bishops (Eng) 0-3 Gloucester (Eng)
Buxton (Eng) 1-0 Matlock (Eng)
Stotfold (Eng) 1-2 Bedford (Eng)
Taunton (Eng) 1-2 Exeter (Eng)
Holyport (Eng) 0-7 Maidenhead (Eng)
North Leigh (Eng) 1-3 Oxford Utd (Eng)
Cardiff (Wal) 3-2 Cambridge Utd (Eng)
Dover (Eng) 2-0 Gillingham (Eng)
Regensburg (Ger) 2-2 Norwich (Eng)
Slough (Eng) 1-2 Wealdstone (Eng)
Cleethorpes (Eng) 0-2 Grimsby (Eng)
Newport (Wal) 3-0 Hungerford (Eng)
United Services Portsmouth (Eng) 3-3 Lymington (Eng)
Binfield (Eng) 1-4 Maidenhead (Eng)
Tiverton (Eng) 1-1 Barry (Wal)
Accrington (Eng) 1-0 Blackburn (Eng)
Ashton Utd (Eng) 2-0 Curzon Ashton (Eng)
Aylesbury FC (Eng) 0-2 Berkhamsted (Eng)
Bamber Bridge (Eng) 0-0 Oldham (Eng)
Barnsley (Eng) 0-0 Crewe (Eng)
Bath (Eng) 0-0 Cheltenham (Eng)
Bewdley (Eng) 3-0 Evesham (Eng)
Billingham Synthonia (Eng) 0-6 Hartlepool (Eng)
Boreham Wood (Eng) 0-2 Brentford (Eng)
Bovingdon (Eng) 0-8 Dunstable (Eng)
Canvey (Eng) 0-1 Concord (Eng)
Chester (Eng) 0-1 Rochdale (Eng)
Dartford (Eng) 1-6 Charlton (Eng)
Dorchester (Eng) 0-3 Sholing (Eng)
Dorking (Eng) 5-2 Farnborough (Eng)
Eastbourne Boro (Eng) 1-0 AFC Wimbledon (Eng)
Gosport (Eng) 1-6 Eastleigh (Eng)
Haringey (Eng) 2-1 Chelmsford (Eng)
Hartley Wintney (Eng) 3-2 Leatherhead (Eng)
Havant & W (Eng) 1-2 Sutton (Eng)
Hednesford (Eng) 1-0 Hereford (Eng)
Hemel Hempstead (Eng) 0-2 Barnet (Eng)
Hythe & Dibden (Eng) 0-2 Hamworthy (Eng)
Kempston (Eng) 0-1 Hendon (Eng)
Kings Langley (Eng) 0-4 Southend (Eng)
Macclesfield (Eng) 2-2 Morecambe (Eng)
Margate (Eng) 4-2 Glebe (Eng)
Merthyr Town (Wal) 1-1 Carlton Town (Eng)
Needham Market (Eng) 4-0 St. Neots (Eng)
Newcastle Town (Eng) 0-2 Stafford (Eng)
Newmarket (Eng) 1-4 Braintree (Eng)
Nuneaton (Eng) 0-2 Doncaster (Eng)
Portsmouth (Eng) 2-0 Qatar SC (Qat)
Salisbury (Eng) 2-3 Brentford U23 (Eng)
Sheppey United (Eng) 1-5 Maidstone (Eng)
Stamford (Eng) 5-3 AFC Rushden & Diamonds (Eng)
Stevenage (Eng) 2-0 West Brom (Eng)
St. Ives (Eng) 1-3 King’s Lynn (Eng)
Swindon Supermarine (Eng) 2-0 Swindon (Eng)
Tamworth (Eng) 1-0 Kettering (Eng)
Walton & Hersham (Eng) 3-4 Met. Police (Eng)
Warrington (Eng) 0-1 Tranmere (Eng)
Westfields (Eng) 0-3 Alvechurch (Eng)
Workington (Eng) 0-3 Carlisle (Eng)
Worksop (Eng) 2-1 Farsley (Eng)
Newport (Wal) 3-0 Hungerford (Eng)
Banbury (Eng) 1-2 Oxford Utd (Eng)
Reading (Eng) 0-2 Benfica (Por)
Accrington (Eng) 0-2 Blackburn (Eng)
Cork City (Irl) 0-2 Stoke (Eng)
Corsham (Eng) 1-1 Winchester (Eng)
Brighton (Eng) 0-0 Royale Union SG (Bel)
Abandoned (floodlight) – Sunderland (Eng) 1-0 Rangers (Sco)
Albion Sports 5-3 Farsley Celtic U23s
Odd Down 1-0 Mangotsfield
Skegness Town AFC 4-1 Harrowby United
FC Isle of Man 0-1 Widnes
Pilkington 3-3 Conway Borough
Northwich Victoria 1-1 Matlock Town
AFC Sudbury 1-0 Harlow Town
Rossendale FC 3-5 Barnoldswick Town
Bristol Telephones 5-0 Stockwood Green
Stansfeld 2-4 Crowborough Athletic
Pinchbeck 2-3 Lincoln United
Hereford Pegasus 2-1 Pershore Town
Swaffham Town FC 1-2 Blofield United
Merthyr Town 1-1 Carlton Town
Atherstone Town 4-1 Hinckley AFC
RB Kensington 3-4 North Greenford United
Wythenshawe 2-2 Altrincham
Harpenden Town 3-3 Sawbridgeworth Town
Frome Town 2-2 Southampton
Bere Alston 0-2 Bodmin Town
Stafford Town 0-1 Lye Town
Haringey 2-1 Chelmsford
Whitby 4-0 Handsworth
Waltham Abbey 1-1 QPR XI
Sutton Coldfield 2-1 Paget Rangers
Hayes & Yeading 1-1 Hampton & Richmond
Bowers & Pitsea 0-4 Hashtag United
Portland 1-2 Weymouth
Yaxley 0-4 Peterborough United
Bridon Ropes 1-2 Cray Valley PM
Heath Hayes 0-5 Chasetown
Bovey Tracey 2-3 Clevedon Town
Long Eaton United 3-2 Kimberley MWFC
Hereford Lads Club 1-1 Cadbury Heath
Real Bedford 0-4 Leighton
Thame United 1-0 Ardley United
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 0-2 Berkhamsted
Tavistock 2-4 Mousehole
Penrith 0-8 Barrow
Cray Wanderers 1-1 Tonbridge Angels
Harborough Town 2-1 Coventry Sphinx
Harworth Colliery 2-4 Rossington Main
Fisher 2-2 Brightlingsea
Torrington 1-1 Newquay
Lowestoft 2-0 Kirkley and Pakefield
Dorchester 0-3 Sholing
Shepshed Dynamo 1-2 Belper United
Alresford 4-0 Hackney Wick
Fairford 0-2 Didcot
Whitehawk 2-0 Dulwich Hamlet
Selsey 1-1 Worthing
Shaftesbury 2-1 New Milton Town
Bradford PA 1-2 Silsden
Longridge Town 1-3 Blackpool
North Ferriby FC 1-5 Hull City U23s
Steeton 3-1 Heyside
Racing Club Warwick 0-4 Glossop North End
Yorkshire Amateur 3-2 Thackley
Tunbridge Wells 3-0 Kent Football United
FC United of Manchester 0-0 Bootle
Springfield 1-2 Redbridge
Guiseley 3-1 Bury AFC
MK Irish 0-1 Biggleswade
Hanley Town 1 (Shotton) 1-1 Mickleover
Guisborough Town 1-2 Marske United
Leatherhead 2-3 Hartley Wintney
Worksop 2-1 Farsley Celtic
Tadcaster 1-4 Redcar
Borrowash 1-1 Heanor Town
Heath Hayes 0-5 Chasetown
Retford 2-1 Rainworth MWFC
Hall Road Rangers 1-6 Knaresborough
AFC Royal Holloway 3-2 Windsor
Consett 8-0 Birtley
Grimsby Borough 6-1 Hedon Rangers
Vauxhall 2-3 Marine
Boldmere St Michaels 0-2 Leamington
Windmill 1-2 Blazey
Beckenham 3-7 Welling
Ponteland United 3-3 Bedlington Terriers
Newcastle Benfield 4-2 Stirling University
London Colney 0-5 Harrow Borough
Anstey Nomads 3-1 Coalville
Willand Rovers 2-3 Oldland
Aveley 2-2 Hullbridge
Crowle 0-3 Goole
Helsby 3-5 Runcorn Town
Tadley 2-2 Berks County
Armthorpe Welfare 0-4 Belper Town
Alfreton 0-1 Solihull
Beverley Town 7-1 Immingham Town
Worcester City 3-0 Halesowen
Tooting & Mitcham 3-10 AFC Wimbledon U23
AFC Bridgnorth 1-2 Tividale
Baffins Milton Rovers 1-1 Fleetlands
Lingfield 1-3 Chessington & Hook
West Didsbury & Chorlton 2-0 Altrincham
Newport (iow) 1-2 Little Common
Cockfosters 0-1 Enfield Town
Erith & Belvedere 1-1 Merstham

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