Round-up of pre-season friendlies

Canvey Island 1 Chelmsford City 2Glenn Pennyfather's 'Claret Express' worked-up a head of steam for the onset of the Blue Square South campaign, making short work of the City team boss' former club Canvey Island in their most impressive close-season workout yet.

Pre-season friendlies

Felixstowe and Walton 2 Bury Town 4

Bury Town took the lead after only seven minutes when Andrew Wood headed home from George McCullam`s corner. Wood had a chance to double the lead after 17 minutes, but shot at the keeper following a good move with Scott Chaplin.

Bury went two up on the half hour with a fine solo effort by Scott Chaplin. Seven minutes later it was three when Craig Nurse fired into the far corner for another fine individual goal.

Felixstowe had a mini revival at the end of the half with player manager Glen Driver scoring in the 43rd minute and Marcus Garnham being forced into a fine save.

Andrew Wood got his second on 72 minutes after he had made space for himself in the box. Michael Steward had a good effort tipped over the bar before Felixtowe reduced the arrears with twelve minutes remaining with a long range shot from Matt McKenzie that deceived Gammon

Felixstowe continued to push forward and had another long range effort come back off the bar.

Stowmarket 7 Coplestonians 1

STOWMARKET'S fourth pre-season fixture saw the Greens Meadows side entertain Coplestonians, having not scored a goal in the last three encounters.

The Old Gold & Blacks had the ideal start taking the lead in the opening two minutes, Tom Deller's corner kick being met by Dean Pleasance who thundered home a header.

But the visitor's, straight from the kick off, waltzed through the home defence and thumped home an equaliser, back came the home side, and minutes later went back in front, with another headed goal, this time from James Graham.

From then on, bar the odd attack, Chris Stacey in the home goal was never seriously troubled, while the home side scored three more goals in the first period, Pleasance scored his second goal of the afternoon, while another superb cross from Deller saw Graham head the ball across the goal from a difficult angle, for Austen King to head home Stowmarket's fourth. Right on the stroke of half time, the Coplestonians hard pressed defence gave away a penalty, and Pleasance stepped up to complete his first half

hat trick with a powerfully taken spot kick. Deller and Lorimer added two more to make it 7-1.

Needham Market 2 Romford 0

NEEDHAM'S new signing Angelo Harrup started his first game for the club against late arriving Ryman League North side Romford.

The best chance fell to Danny Phillips when he fired across goal in the 28th minute when through on goal, before he made amends seven minutes later when he finished off a fine move involving Thrower and Smith.

The second half took the same shape as the first with Needham on top but Romford's keeper not being drawn into action until the 53rd minute when following a move involving Phillips and Thrower, Smith's close range header was blocked by the keepers legs and James Evans followed up to fire home.

Debenham 3 Woodbridge Ath 3

TWO goals from Craig Payne were the highlight of the Hornets first pre-season friendly.

It took almost 40 minutes for the Hornets to get into their stride, Mark Powling got forward to force Woodbridge keeper Shane Brown into a good save. Brown was beaten as the interval approached, Loert Duro fired in a cross and Stuart Jopling had the luxury of two attempts before finding the net.

Athletic's Jay Churchyard became the pivotal figure in the second period trying his luck from outside the area and was rewarded with the good fortune of a deflection that took the shot past the outstretched hand of Matthew Rowland-Hinton.

Rowland-Hinton produced a fantastic stop to keep Debenham level and having been under the cosh the Hornets went back in front. The goal owed everything to the goal scoring appreciation and anticipation of Payne, reacting quickest to Reece Turner's flick from a left wing cross. If Debenham thought they now had a winning position then two goals in as many minutes from Nathan Smith and Karl Goodwin stunned the Hornets to put the visitors ahead.

It took another sublime piece of finishing by Payne five minutes from time to rescue a draw.