Championship Pre-Season Round-Up

Last updated : 17 July 2009 By Paul Neat

Rushden & Diamonds (p) 1-1 Blackpool

O’Connor 57, Burgess 80

Ben Burgess

The Seasider’s suffered an embarrassing defeat to Rushden & Diamonds on Wednesday night after a penalty shootout was needed to separate the two teams. In fact it was the Conference side who took the lead too with Aaron O’Connor netting just shy of the hour mark. Ben Burgess looked to have saved Blackpool’s blushes with an equaliser on 80 minutes but Blackpool were unable to find a winner. A 4-2 shootout win meant that Blackpool would have to rely on Barnstaple beating Rushden on Friday if Ian Holloway’s side are to progress to the next round of the South West Challenge Cup.

Next Up:  Rochdale @ Spotlands 25th July 2009 KO 15:00


Nuneaton Town 0-1 Coventry City

Morrison 33

A strong Coventry City side marginally beat non-league Nuneaton Town at Liberty Way on Wednesday night. The only goal of the game came towards the end of the first-half with Clinton Morrison having the simple task of guiding in a David Bell corner from close range.

Next Up: Hinckley United @ De Montfort Park 18th July 2009 KO 15:00


Brentford 1-3 Ipswich Town

(Strevens 20) (Martin 8, Wickham 42, Rhodes 90)

Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town recorded a less than comfortable 3-1 win over League One outfit Brentford on Wednesday evening. Debutant Lee Martin netted his first goal in Ipswich colours only to see Strevens equalise 12 minutes later. Wickham put the Tractor Boys back in front with a 16-yard strike just before half-time before Rhodes put the Suffolk side out of sight in the closing moments.

Lee Martin

Next Up: Waterford United @ Waterford Regional Sports Centre 17th July 2009 KO 20:00


Torquay United 3-3 Plymouth Argyle

(Sills 32, Seip og 54, Benyon pen 90) (Fallon 45, Sawyer 81, Summerfield pen 89)

A thrilling game on the south coast saw Plymouth Argyle draw 3-3 with newly promoted Torquay United. The League Two side who took the lead just shy of the half hour mark through Sills before  lofty striker Rory Fallon brought the side’s level heading into the break. A Seip own goal 9 minutes into the second-half saw Torquay regain the lead before two goals in 9 minutes saw Argyle take the lead for the first time. Summerfield’s pen looked to be enough for the Pilgrims but Benyon converted a pen of his own just a minute later to salvage a draw

Next Up: Skelmersdale United @ The Skelmersdale & Ormskirk College Stadium July 18th 2009 KO 15:00

Didcot Town 1-5 Reading

(Bartley 71) (Sigurdsson 23, Bignall 27, Henry 52, Harper 65, Church 80 pen)

Brendan Rogers’ first game in charge of the Royals resulted in a 5-1 demolition over Didcot Town. Sigurdsson and Bignall bagged a goal apiece to send the Championship side in at the break with a healthy 2-0 lead. Henry and Harper also netted on 52 and 65 minutes respectively before Bartley pulled one back for Didcot. Church stepped up to convert a spot-kick with ten minutes remaining to restore Reading’s four goal advantage.

Brendan Rogers

Next Up: Kettering Town @ Rockingham Road 18th July 2009 KO 15:00


NK Nafta 0-3 West Bromwich Albion

Moore 9, Greening 49, Olsson 73

The last game on Wednesday involving Championship clubs saw West Brom in action against Slovenian side NK Nafta. Striker Luke Moore netted a 9th minute strike to give the midlands club a slender lead at the interval. Fulham target Jonathan Greening extended the Baggies lead with a 25-yard strike 4 minutes after the restart before Jonas Olsson headed in the third to seal the win on 73 minutes.

Next Up: NK Varteks @ Varteks Stadium, Varazdin (Croatia) 18th July 2009 KO 19:00


Brigg Town 0-12 Scunthorpe United

Hooper (3), McCann, May (4+1 pen), O’Connor, Winn, Picton

Grant McCann

The Iron continued in their rich vein of goal scoring form by hammering Brigg Town 12-0 on Thursday. A first-half close-range hat-trick from Hooper had United three up before McCann added a fourth. May then netted 5 including one from the spot before O’Connor, Winn and Picton grabbed a goal each to complete the rout.

Next Up: Grimsby Town @ Blundell Park 20th July 2009 KO 19:00