TOWN manager Andy Ritchie hailed last night’s 3-0 friendly win at AFC Emley but warned: “There’s a long way to go until we’re ready.”
New signing Danny Cadamarteri (penalty), Luke Beckett and Matt Young got the goals, all in the second half, in front of a bumper 1,985 Welfare Ground crowd.
The opening public warm-up match followed a private practice game against Stoke on Tuesday and preceded Saturday’s trip to Bridlington Town.
“We were a bit sluggish in the first half, perhaps understandably since we had a tough training session on Monday then the practice match on Tuesday,” said Ritchie.
“I was pleased with the contributions of both new signings.
“Danny looked lively and set up Luke Beckett’s goal nicely, while Malvin Kamara showed flashes of his pace.
“I don’t think we utilised it initially, but when we started to deliver the ball more quickly, the goals came.”
While Kamara showed no sign of the Achilles tendon niggle which had troubled him in training, the Clarke brothers Nathan (the first 45 minutes) and Tom (the last 14) both enjoyed first run-outs after knee operations.
But striker Andy Booth suffered a cut to the back of the head which needed a couple of stitches.
