ANDY BOOTH marked his return to action with a goal as Town impressed in defeat against a star-studded Middlesbrough side in the North-East.
Booth scored with a header from a Tony Carss corner to give Peter Jackson's side the lead against a Boro team including Gaizka Mendieta, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka, Ugo Ehiogu and Gareth Southgate.
Boro equalised through Mendieta and grabbed a late winner from Szilard Nemeth, but Jackson - who used all 22 of his squad in Saturday's training-ground friendly - was satisfied with what he saw from his League I charges against the Carling Cup holders.
"It was a very good performance from the lads, especially in the first half when I think we impressed a few people," said Jackson today.
"Boro fielded a very strong side against us, but I was able to give a run-out to the whole squad and it was a nice, sharp workday for us.
"Our performance in the second half wasn't quite up to the standard of the first and we ended up conceding a winner to them late on, but overall I was very satisfied with the match and we want to keep things going along nicely in these three friendlies we've got this week against Ossett Town tonight, Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday and Harrogate Town next Saturday."
Midfielder Jonathan Worthington suffered a shin injury on Saturday but was expected to be fit for inclusion tonight, when Steven Haslam (Sheffield Wednesday) and Apoe Sodje (formerly QPR) will start one-week trials.
"Steven Haslam was one of 13 players released by Wednesday last season and he is well known to Taff (coach Terry Yorath) from his time at Hillsborough," explained Jackson.
"We will have a look at him tonight if a toe infection he's got has cleared up, and we'll also have a check on Efe Sodje's brother, who is a 22-year-old striker, and see how he gets on."
While Jackson continues to look at possible new signings, one of the players he brought in last season to help Town push for promotion has got fixed up with a new club.
Veteran striker Iffy Onuora has joined Walsall as player-coach and will be back at the McAlpine when the Midlands club visit on October 2.
Onuora, of course, returned to Town on transfer-deadline day from Tranmere Rovers and scored a vital early goal in the play-off semi-final first leg against Lincoln City at Sincil Bank.
Defender Paul Scott is on trial with League II side Kidderminster while Ian Hughes has been injured while on trial with Conference club Accrington.
