Garforth 1 Pickering Town 2

Great performance despite the result

The Miners suffered their third consecutive pre-season friendly defeat, but with better finishing and fewer errors at the back, could well have notched up a first win in ten meetings against the newly-promoted Pikes.

Striker Curtly Martin-Wyatt, who signed for the club just before the game (more on this later), almost got Town off the mark on 12 mins, seeing his strike from Aodhan Brownlee's corner deflected wide. Shortly after that, wing-back Daniel Omosebi's 20-yard drive went just wide of the post. Martin-Wyatt had a penalty turned down on 18 mins when he looked to have been pushed in the area, but referee Pete Walker was having none of it and waved played on. Moments later Alex Low volleyed just over the bar from the edge of a crowded box.

Town had made the better start, but it was Paul Marshall's men who opened the scoring on 20 mins when George Bissett got clear of the Town defence and slotted under Toby Wells and into the net. The goal seemed to take the wind out of our sails, and we had Wells to thank for keeping the half time score down. The newly-signed keeper, playing against his old club, did well to deny Pickering's number 4 (no Pikes teamsheet supplied) on 26 mins, before saving from their number 17 when he too raced clear when played through the middle. It was 2-0 however on 39 mins when the North Yorkshire side pounced on a misplaced pass to work the ball to Nick Thompson who sidefooted low into the net beyond Wells' reach. Their number 6 will have been disappointed not to have made it three when he couldn't find the target with a free header from number 8's free-kick.

Manager Rob Hunter made a number of changes to his side at half time, and the creative juices started to flow once more.

The Pikes keeper did enough to swot the ball away from the head of newly-signed Devonte Monte on 55 mins before the striker saw an effort blocked by the keeper ten minutes later after a good break down the left. A shot from substitute Mitch Hamilton was blocked by the Pikes number 3 on 75 mins and a flowing move between Niah Payne and Shaquille Clark-Adams sadly went unrewarded when the latter shot straight at the Pikes stopper. A goal was the least Town deserved and one finally arrived seven minutes from time. And it was Morton who got himself on the scoresheet for a second game in a row after Billy Lumsden did well to play him in and hook the ball over the keeper. The last chance fell to Sanchez Payne on 90 mins who fired just wide from 20 yards out.

Another good work out for The Miners, who are next in action here on Friday evening against Glasshoughton (kick-off 7:30pm).

Town team: Wells, Beaston, Holmes, Benjamin, Low, Andrew, Brownlee, Middleton, Morton, Martin-Wyatt, Omosebi. Subs used: Clark-Adams, Howard, S. Payne, N. Payne, Lumsden, Albert, Hamilton, Silva, Fishley. Subs unused: Hooper (GK).