Trinity turn over Clee as pre-season kicks off

CLEETHORPES Town began their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 defeat against Gainsborough Trinity at Bradley Community Stadium.

New signing Aaron Greenbeck gave the Owls the lead early on but three first half strikes gave Steve Housham's men a deserved win.

The friendly took place in conditions more akin to the middle of winter than pre-season as the evening rain lashed down.

The Owls broke the deadlock after just four minutes when a Daniel Barrett corner was met at the back post by new boy Aaron Greenbeck, who dispatched a bullet header into the back of the net.

It was a debut goal for central defender Greenbeck who signed from Market Rasen earlier this month.

Cleethorpes' dominance didn't last though, and Trinity were soon on level terms as a deflected shot found its way past Scott Drury in the home side's goal.

After 37 minutes, Blue Square North side Gainsborough found themselves ahead for the first time. A long pass forward was misjudged by Drury as the ball skidded across the sodden surface, leaving Trinity with a simple tap-in.

And just before half-time, the away side added a third. A vicious long-range effort was blocked before the rebound was thrashed past a despairing Drury into the bottom right hand corner.

Clee, led by Martyn Jacklin and the backroom staff in the absence of manager Andy Liddle, made eleven changes at half-time to give all available players a run out.

The home side continued to put up a good fight in the second half but couldn't find a way to maintain possession against an assured Trinity outfit.

Second-string goalkeeper Miles Fenty made two excellent second half stops to deny Gainsborough more goals as the match ended with Cleethorpes suffering a respectable 3-1 defeat.