THIS time Efe Sodje got to lift the cup while both Town and Wakefield and Emley could reflect on a productive first pre-season workout.

A crowd of 1,589 turned up to see Town win the splendid Mick Green Memorial Trophy with goals from David Mirfin and Andy Holdsworth, just six weeks after hoisting promotion silverware in Cardiff.

At the Millennium Stadium, Sodje was injured and en route to hospital when Andy Booth and manager Peter Jackson celebrated promotion amid a burst of fireworks.

So last night he was delighted to receive the prize from Emley president Peter Maude and mark yet another new beginning for Town.

That fresh start included a full 90 minutes for striker Junior Mendes, who showed flashes of the pace and skill which made him such a threat with Mansfield last season, and a second-half show for fellow new signing Chris Brandon, who looked nippy and keen.

Just as encouraging for Jackson and the fans, however, was the sight of Nathan Clarke playing a full match as one of three central defenders, and goalkeeper Ian Gray completing his first game in eight months following the left-hand injury which threatened his career.

Gray, in fairness, had little to do as Town dominated possession on a fine surface excellently prepared by former McAlpine groundsman Raymond Chappell.

So it was a major disappointment that they conceded an equaliser to Steve Kenworthy on 41 minutes, the ex-Town man stealing in to net from close range after Town made a hash of defending a dangerous long throw from Rob Pell, who provided some muscle for Paul David's UniBond League Premier Division side.

At that stage, Town had been fully in control, setting out their intentions with a shot against the bar from Jon Worthington after just 29 seconds and taking the lead on 29 minutes, when Mirfin powered in at the back post to head Rob Edwards' free-kick past Town old boy Paul Cuss.

With substitutes warming up on the cricket pitch and fans spilling down the top touchline - there were as many outside the Welfare Ground at kick-off as there were inside - it was Lee Fowler who pulled the strings for Town playing down the slope in the first half, Nat Brown and Edward providing the wing-back support.

Danny Schofield drilled one shot into the chest of Cuss and Mendes fired a volley narrowly wide as Town forced a string of corners.

Mendes will have been upset not to score a debut goal on 54 minutes when snatching at a great chance from a long throw from Clarke, but Emley rallied with Robbie Painter and Matthew Bland doing well in midfield and Pell rattling a fierce drive wide.

By then, Chris Kamara (the ex-Grismby winger who shares the same name as his famous father) had been replaced by Nicky Clee and Emley were having to deal with the increased threat of Holdsworth, Anthony Lloyd and Tony Carss, while Brandon was always in the action.

Holdsworth's winner, 12 minutes from time, was fired in after Cuss had saved bravely at the feet of Carss on a break into the box.

Wakefield & Emley - Cuss, Robinson, Fearon, Hirst, O'Reilly (Tunnacliffe 65), Kamara (Clee 51), Bland (Hitchen 87), Painter, Clarke (Joice 71), Kenworthy (Ryan 60), Pell. Subs not used: Wright, Kettlewell.

Town - Gray, Brown (Holdsworth HT), Edwards (Lloyd 60), Clarke, Mirfin, Sodje, Fowler, Worthington (Carss HT), Abbott (McAliskey 60), Mendes, Schofield (Brandon HT). Sub not used: Senior.