A round-up of some of Tuesday night`s pre-season friendly action involving Football Conference clubs....
Ambitious Blue Square Bet Premier club Crawley Town – one of the favourites for the title – gained an excellent pre-season friendly win on Tuesday night against npower Championship side Crystal Palace at the Broadfield Stadium.
A fine strike just after the quarter hour-mark from one of several new signings on show, ex-Salisbury City man Matty Tubbs (pictured), was the deciding goal.
Josh Fuller opened the scoring in the first half as Crawley`s new league rivals Grimsby Town recorded a comfortable 3-0 win in their second pre-season outing at Evo-Stik Premier DivisionFrickley Athletic.
Fuller's strike was followed by two second half own goals as the Mariners coasted to victory. The visitors passed the ball around well on the night with Bradley Wood standing out as the star performer before limping off in the last ten minutes.
There was also a promising cameo from new signing Alan Connell, who showed some nice touches and was unlucky not to add to the Mariners' tally.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Hayes & Yeading United won 2-0 at Zamaretto League Division One Central outfit Beaconsfield SYCOB, with both goals coming in the opening 45 minutes, one of them from now fit-again striker Staforde Palmer.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Kidderminster Harriers went down to a 3-2 defeat by Blue Square Bet North Solihull Moors at Damson Park.
Julian English opened the scoring for Moors before a free kick from Ryan Beswick doubled the lead before half time.
Harriers bounced back after the break with goals from James McPike and Kristian Dennis before Ross Dempster wrapped up a victory for the home side from the penalty spot.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Kettering Town were beaten 1-0 at home by county neighbours Northampton Town.
The Cobblers scored the only goal of the night midway through the first half when new signing Marcus Hall’s low cross was finished off by Kevin Thornton.
Blue Square Bet South side Welling United lost 1-0 to League One visitors Charlton Athletic at Park View Road.
In front of a crowd of 2,080, the only goal of the game was scored by Addicks` striker Akpo Sodje on 37 minutes.
Blue Square Bet Premier side Rushden & Diamonds ran out 2-0 victors against ambitious Zamaretto Premier hosts Brackley Town at St James`s Park.
Diamonds` goals came from new signing Ryan Charles and Sam Smith.
Blue Square Bet South newcomers Dartford went down 2-1 at Princes Park to a strong Gillingham side.
The Gills took only 3 minutes to open the scoring when Danny Spiller headed home Curtis Weston’s cross and the League Two visitors doubled their lead, courtesy of Chris Palmer’s second half fluke.
But Dartford deservedly scored late on when Tom Bonner steered home a Ryan Hayes free-kick.
There was a bit of a surprise for Blue Square Bet North side Ilkeston Town, who were hammered 4-1 by Aspire Midland Alliance outfit Coalville Town.
Matt Gardner struck twice in the first half, one a penalty, as Coalville took a 2-0 lead into the interval.
Martin Thompson and Lee Miveld headed further goals as Coalville moved 4-0 ahead before Darren Caskey scored a consolation for the Robins.
Blue Square Bet North side Harrogate Town's programme of pre-season games started with a promising 4-2 win against a young Scunthorpe United outfit at the CNG Stadium.
New signings Craig Dootson, Dominic Roma, Richard Pell, Steve Bowey, Graeme Armstrong, Aiden Savory, Wayne Phillips and Liam Hardy all featured for Town during the 90 minutes together with Adam Nowakowski, Matt Bloomer, Martin Foster, Liam Shepherd, Simon Harrison, Luke Durham, Jon Maloney and a number of triallists.
Nowakowski put them a goal up after just 3 minutes with a fine header from a free kick.
Striker Savory doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute with another header, courtesy of a fine cross in from Foster on the right wing.
But before then there were great scoring chances for central midfielder Bowey, who shaved the right post, centre forward Graeme Armstrong who just failed to get on the end of a ball begging to be tapped in from close range, and newly-signed Gateshead winger Phillips with a free kick 20 yards out.
Scunthorpe barely got a look-in during the first half, but steadily worked their way into the game in the second, as Weaver opted to shuffle his pack and make wholesale changes.
The changes quickly reaped goals for Town, former Garforth Town man Duncan Williams netting the third of the evening in the 55th minute, having picked Sam Comer's pocket, he embarked on a super mazy run before unleashing an unstoppable shot.
Comer enjoyed a bit of payback in the 70th minute, firing home a perfectly-weighted free kick from just outside the box, but Town increased their lead 14 minutes later through a stunning individual goal from Stephen Ivanov.
His left-footed 30-yard drive into the top corner was possibly the goal of the night, although Scunthorpe had the final say when Jamie Wooton outfoxed the defence and sub 'keeper Jordan Myers in the 87th minute.
Blue Square Bet South side Bromley continued their winning run as they beat League One new boys Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2.
Goals from Paul Vines, Harrison Dunk and Barry Stevens secured a well earned victory to keep the new season prospects positive for the Hayes Lane outfit.
Tony Hopper left the pitch to a guard of honour from his Workington team-mates during an emotional farewell when he called time on his ninteen-year playing career with a 13-minute cameo in the 1-0 loss to Carlisle United.
The all-action midfielder took over the captain’s armband and was straight into proceedings bringing down Tom Taiwo.
Hopper’s beaming smile was clear for all to see as he left the Borough Park pitch for the final time.
Carlisle triallist Nick Wood netted the only goal of the game on 87 minutes.
