A round-up of some of Saturday`s pre-season friendly action involving Football Conference teams.
New-look and expensively put together Blue Square Bet Premier side Crawley Town produced a committed and competitive performance to hold npower Championship new boys Millwall to a 1-1 draw at the Broadfield Stadium in front of a crowd of 1,030 on Saturday.
Crawley opened the scoring after just 6 minutes. Steve Masterton sent over a deep free kick from the right and skipper Adam Quinn forced his way through a possee of players to fire home.
The visitors finally grabbed the equaliser on 66 minutes. Shaun Batt played the ball to Lewis Grabban on the right. He chipped over and there was Gary Alexander to slam home at the second attempt from close range.
npower League One Charlton Athletic's opening friendly of the summer ended in defeat at Kingsmeadow against Blue Square Bet Premier side AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.
Two second half goals from Javon Molloy and Lee Minshull gave the Dons victory as the Addicks stretched their legs for the first time in match action ahead of the 2010/11 campaign.
Molloy turned home the opener on 50 minutes, reacting smartly to turn the ball home from close range after Rob Elliot saved well from Ismael Yakubu.
And the towering Minshull tapped home the second from close range after blistering work on the left from Andre Blackman.
Blue Square Bet Premier newcomers Newport County triumphed 3-1 in their first pre-season friendly at Principality Welsh Premier outfit Aberystwyth Town.
Chris Todd opened the scoring with a header from a free kick.
Chad Bond got on the end of a sweet Charlie Henry cross to make it 2-0 at the break, Graham Evans pulling back a penalty for the hosts on 79 minutes.
Sam Foley sealed County's win on 86 minutes with a fine finish at the near post from Tony Taggart's knock down.
Colchester got their pre-season off to a winning start this afternoon after beating Blue Square Bet South side Dover Athletic 2-0 in a pre-season friendly at Crabble.
The U's needed only 19 minutes to get off the mark.
Anthony Wordsworth headed in bravely from 15 yards, after Whites` keeper Ross Flitney had failed to connect with Lloyd James' lofted free kick into the area.
James, one of three triallists in the U's squad, curled an effort just over following a sweeping move and keeper Mark Cousins' only meaningful save in the whole game came when he held Sam Cutler's half-volley, midway through the first half.
Colchester doubled their lead with 20 minutes to go when Clive Platt headed in at the far post, after Dover defender Jordon Anderson had failed to clear Ian Henderson's cross.
Striker Will Buckley scored his first hat trick for Championship side Watford with Danny Graham and Stephen McGinn joining him on the scoresheet in a 5-0 stroll at Meadow Park against Blue Square Bet South new boys Boreham Wood.
Goals from triallist Scott McLaughlin and Lewis Alessandra earned Oldham Athletic a 2-0 victory at Holker Street against Blue Square Bet Premier side Barrow.
Blue Square Bet South Bromley enjoyed a morale-boosting 2-1 Hayes Lane win over Andy Hessenthaler`s Gillingham.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 66th as Nic McDonnell robbed Conner Essam on the edge of the box and rifled a fine low finish beyond Alan Julian and into the far corner to give Bromley a deserved lead.
The Whites doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute, a deep free kick from the right fell to Jon Scarborough who powered a right-foot volley into the roof of the net at the back post.
Five minutes later Gillingham reduced the deficit after good work down the left by Andy Barcham. The pacy winger cut in to the byline before picking out the imposing figure of forward Fola Onibuje who headed firmly into the roof of the net.
Blue Square Bet South new boys Farnborough lost to Championship side Reading 1-0 in their first pre-season friendly on a baking hot afternoon at Rushmoor Stadium.
Boro held their own for 70 minutes until a bizarre goal from Noel Hunt led the Royals to winning their first pre-season friendly of the season.
One of Farnborough`s new league rivals, Welling United, kicked-off their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 win away at Kent Leaguers Herne Bay.
Goals from James Lawson and Luis Cumbers put the Wings in front before Ben Brown pulled one back before the break. Tommy Whitnell rounded off the afternoon with Welling's third.
Another of the Blue Square Bet South new boys, Dartford, kicked off their pre-season with a 3-1 victory over npower League One side Dagenham and Redbridge.
Goals for the Darts were scored by triallist Tom Bonner, Elliot Bradbrook and new signing from Chelmsford City Ollie Berquez.
Burton Albion gained a 2-1 victory over Blue Square Bet North side Ilkeston Town at the New Manor Ground.
Triallists Axel Bossekota and Jack Dyer gave the Brewers a first half advantage before the Robins pulled one back in the second half through Grant Ryan.
Not too far away, Blue Square Bet Premier side Mansfield Town's pre-season fixture schedule started in strong fashion, with an encouraging display against Championship outfit Sheffield United, which ended in a 1-0 victory.
Louis Briscoe's excellent finish in the second half separated the two sides, and it was no less than the Stags deserved.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Altrincham's first friendly of the season ended prematurely in unfortunate circumstances when a player from hosts, Evo-Stik League Division One North Woodley Sports, suffered a fractured leg with less than an hour played.
At the time the score was 1-1, with Woodley having taken the lead against the run of play with a penalty awarded against Alty triallist, Danny Adams, for handball.
Adams was playing his first game for Alty after a ten-year absence during which he has been playing League football.
That goal arrived in the 29th minute but Chris Denham equalised 10 minutes later
Blue Square Bet South side Staines Town kicked-off their pre-season campaign at home to Chris Sutton's Lincoln City in a match played out in near 90 degree heat.
The players did their utmost to be competitive in such energy sapping conditions and, despite taking a first half lead through Scott Taylor, the extra fitness of the professional outfit just proved a little too much for the Swans as they just fell away in the second period.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Kidderminster Harriers had close to 2,000 fans watching as a strong West Bromwich Albion side recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory at Aggborough.
A first half Ishmael Miller effort for the Premiership returnees was added to in the second period by Roman Bednar and Abdoulaye Meite.
An improved performance from Blue Square Bet North side AFC Telford United saw the team ease their way to a 5-1 victory over Evo-Stick Division One South neighbours Market Drayton Town.
New signing Steve Abbot opened the scoring for Telford.
Alex Meechan burst clear of the Drayton defence only to see his effort come back off the post, but Abbot was on hand to tuck the ball home for his first goal in a Telford shirt.
Meechan nearly made it two moments later, Danny Edwards whipping the ball to the near post only for the former Forest Green man to deflect the ball narrowly wide.
But against the run of play the home side equalised after 20 minutes, Shane Killock's header didn't quite carry back to Ryan Young and the Market Drayton striker nipped in to level the scores at 1-1.
Shane Killock (pictured) put Telford back in the driving seat moments later with a bullet header from a corner, and United's lead was extended further before half time when Will Richards blasted home off the underside of the bar from close range.
United made wholesale changes in the second half, introducing nine replacements to the side which started the game, including several triallists.
But it was two familiar faces who combined early in the second half for United's fourth, great work from Andy Brown laying on the sort of chance Danny Carey-Bertram must dream about, the latter smashing home into an empty net from six yards.
Sean Evans completed the scoring for the Bucks midway through the second half, hitting a thirty five yard screamer into the top left hand corner of the Market Drayton goal.
