Pre-Season Friendly Round-Up

Review of the opening pre-season games for clubs in the Pitching In Southern Football League.

Premier Division South new boys AFC Totton saw off Wessex League Premier Division neighbours Baffins Milton Rovers 4-0 at Miller Park.

New striker Alfie Stanley bagged a first half brace, with Charlie Davis and a Scott Rendell penalty making it 4-o at the break.

The usual plethora of changes in the second half disrupted the flow of the game, which ended 4-0.

The Stags new league rivals Salisbury ran out comfortable 8-0 winners at another Wessex Premier outfit, Shaftesbury.

Devon Arnold bagged four of the goals, Charlie Gunson, Tom Leggett, Sam Ashton and a triallist added the others for the Whites.

Premier Division Central club Stratford Town found themselves 3-0 down at half-time at the Arden Garages Stadium against Northern Premier League Division One Midlands newcomers Coventry Sphinx.

The Bards managed to pull two back in the second half but it was the team promoted from the United Counties League Premier Division South who held on to win 3-2.

Stratford’s league rivals Barwell won 3-1 at the UK Flooring Direct Stadium against UCL Premier Division North side Leicester Nirvana.

Another Premier Division Central outfit, Alvechurch, won 3-0 against Midland League Premier Division Lye Town.

Two triallists were on the mark, along with Max Ngbeken.

Nuneaton Borough shared a 1-1 draw with League One Burton Albion at Liberty Way.

Boro took the lead after just 7 minutes through Jaden Charles.

The Brewers were level 15 minutes later when Joe Powell struck a low effort from 25 yards out which left Dan Jezeph rooted to the spot.

Another Premier Division Central club who have been busy in the transfer market this summer, Redditch United, ran out 5-1 winners at the Trico Stadium against Midland League Division One side Cradley Town.

Jamie Insall, Reece Flanagan, Danny King, Jez Abbey and Kyle Belmonte were all on target for the Reds.

Newly-promoted Division One South club Cribbs shared a 0-0 draw with Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Bridgwater United.

Cribbs` new league rivals Bristol Manor Farm won 2-1 at Uhlsport Hellenic League Premier Division side Hereford Lads Club.

Ben Bament and Aron Robbins were the Manor Farm scorers.

Tavistock AFC were 3-1 winners against South West Peninsula League Premier Division West side Wendron United.

Alex Battle bagged a brace with the returning Dan Koita adding the other.

Division One Central club Biggleswade FC were 4-0 winners at Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Potton United.

Tom Coles netted a hat-trick, with a triallist scoring the other for the Greens.

Another Division One Central side, Hadley, went down to a 3-1 defeat at Combined Counties League Premier Division Broadfields United.

And Cirencester Town, who have remained in Division One Central, despite appealing to return to the Division One South, won 4-2 at Hellenic Leaguers Cheltenham Saracens.

Luca Robinson, Aiden Bennett, Joe Turley and Nick Peare were the Citizens on target.

Friday evening saw another Division One South side Melksham Town attract a tremendous crowd of 2,014 for the visit of a strong squad from League One Bristol Rovers.

Rovers ran out comfortable 9-0 winners with goals from Scott Sinclair (2) Luke Thomas (2), Luke McCormick (2), Ryan Loft, Jevani Brown and a triallist.