Friday`s Pre-Season Friendly Review...

By Steve Whitney

A round-up of Friday`s pre-season friendly games.

Championship side Leeds United managed to turn around a 3-0 deficit at Nethermoor against Vanarama National League neighbours Guiseley AFC to come away with a 4-3 win.

New signing Ash Palmer headed the hosts ahead after just 6 minutes.

The lead was doubled 6 minutes later when Jack Lawlor poked home.

And Guiseley made it 3-0 on 24 minutes, with Palmer netting his second of the evening.

But goals from Eoghan Stokes, Jordan Botaka, Kevin Phillips and Souleymane Doukara ensured Leeds turned the game round in their favour.

Guiseley`s league rivals Wrexham continued their build up to the new season with a 1-0 win at Cymru Alliance neighbours Gresford Athletic.

The match was heading to be a goalless affair, Wrexham dominating possession yet seemingly unable to create too many clear cut chances, while Jon Hill Dunt in the Athletic goal was far too sporadically called into any meaningful action.

And indeed it was an own goal that separated the sides in an instantly forgettable encounter - Jack Challinor being the unfortunate Athletic player who put through his own net in the dying embers of the game.

National League new boys Solihull Moors edged a 1-0 win at Kirkby Road against Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division side Barwell.

A 65th minute goal from Andy Brown, who glanced a header over Matt Preston from 10 yards, eventually proved enough against a decent Canaries` side.

Fancied Eastleigh won 4-2 against National League South new boys Poole Town at the Silverlake Stadium.

Scott Wilson have the hosts a 32nd minute lead that Mikael Mandron doubled almost immediately after Poole restarted the game.

The Dolphins reduced the deficit after 39 minutes with a terrific 30-yard effort from Abdulai Baggie.

Eastleigh made it 3-1 just 3 minutes after the break when striker James Constable converted an Andy Drury cross.

And 2 minutes later it was 4-1 with Constable`s second of the game after good work from Mandron.

Baggie pulled a second back for Poole just shy of the hour-mark with another excellent strike, but, despite a valiant effort, the visitors weren`t able to reduce the deficit further.

Eastleigh`s league rivals Gateshead beat another newcomer to the competition in National League North outfit Darlington 1883.

A goal either side of half-time sealed the Tynesiders` win at the International Stadium.

Gateshead took the lead on 39 minutes when Wes York turned and hit a right-foot shot into the top corner that Quakers` keeper Peter Jameson couldn’t get enough of a hand to.

And the hosts doubled their lead immediately after the break when Toby Ajala set up Danny Johnson to slot the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

National League North side Worcester City took on Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division Sutton Coldfield Town looking to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Redditch United in midweek.

The Royals` Ryan Edmunds hits the crossbar with an ambitious effort inside the first 2 minutes.

But veteran striker broke the deadlock when Lee Hughes scored from the spot on 82 minutes after Joe Bates was brought down in the area.

And Hughes makes it 2-0 in stoppage time with a thumping strike from eight yards out.

Worcester`s new league rivals Altrincham gave a good account of themselves against the Manchester United reserve side at the J Davidson Stadium.

Altrincham took a 25th-minute lead when United `keeper Dean Henderson dropped a cross and Damian Reeves scored off the underside of the bar.

United levelled 9 minutes later when Joe Riley fed Sadiq el-Fitouri up the right and his cross was converted by Tosin Kehinde from 15 yards.

United took a 75th minute lead when the ball broke free in the Alty box and Callum Gribbin side-footed home.

National League South side Weston-super-Mare made the short trip up the M5 to take on Evo-Stik League Southern Division One South & West outfit Mangotsfield United and recorded a 2-1 win.

Tristan Plummer gave the Seagulls an early 5th minute lead that McClennan eventually doubled in the 75th minute.

Ryan Bath pulled one back for the Mangos 4 minutes later, but they weren`t able to find a leveller.

Where next?

Crusaders Add Two to Squad Hungerford Town have signed Nick Bignall and Luke Williams ahead of their first season in the Vanarama National League South.
Keeper Earns Boreham Wood Deal Vanarama National League club Boreham Wood have announced the signing of highly-rated goalkeeper Grant Smith after a successful three-week trial.