Brereton Social — Stafford Rangers

REPORT

Having made wholesale changes to his squad over the summer, Graham Deakin had the opportunity to see how his new charges fared in the first friendly ahead of what is building to be an exciting year ahead in the NPL West.

Chimenes and Thompson make themselves useful

Alongside the new signings were some returning faces from last season, with Joe Thompson, Jack Birch & Matt Hearsey starting, and Andy Burns captained the side, with Boro rotating their substitutes throughout.

Brereton looked to make an early impact on the game, however it was the away side who quickly gained control and dictated the tempo, both flanks looking dangerous throughout with Hearsey & the returning Joe Dunne linking well on the left, and Beto Gomes and Kyle Sambor a constant threat throughout.

Matt Hearsey back at it

The opening goal came after a couple of close calls, with Birch and Sambor both having opportunities, however it would be Wealth Da Silva who got on the scoresheet first, following some excellent closing down by Sambor, who pinched the ball from the defender on the edge of the box, before rolling to Da Silva to put home at the second bite of the cherry.

Wealth da Silva opened the scoring

Rangers made changes at half time, introducing goalkeeper Russell Saunders for the largely untested Leon Phillips, as well as bringing on Ash Fallon & Max Chimenes, and it would be Chimenes who would bring the curtain down on the afternoon, when he latched onto Sambors through ball and was brought down in the area as he rounded the goalkeeper, giving the away side a late penalty to wrap things up.

It would be Chimenes who stepped up to take the kick, and he coolly slotted home, taking the keeper the wrong way to end the game, Brereton Social 0-2 Stafford Rangers.

Chimenes puts away the penalty