United rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over Dorchester Town.
TUFC head coach Gary Owers made numerous changes to the starting line-up with Josh Gowling, Kyle Cameron, and Samir Nabi missing out through injury. In came trialists Robbie Leitch and Hyuga Tanner while James Roberts played from the start.
After a quiet first half the match sprang into life in the 40th minute when James Roberts was fouled inside the penalty box. Up he stepped to put United into the lead.
Soon after the half-time break United had their second. Jon-Paul Pittman got on the scoresheet with an assist from Jean-Yves Koue Niate.
United were rarely threatened and could of had further goals in the second half.
“I was quite pleased,” said Owers post match. “We finished pre-season on a positive note – kept a clean sheet – won a game and it’s just about next week now and focusing on our first league game of the season.
“I mixed the team up a little bit. There were plenty of changes and I thought we were always comfortable playing on their new pitch which probably slowed the flow of the game down a little bit because it was dry. The ball held up on the new pitch which had a lot of rubber crumb down.”
The addition of trialists Hyuga Tanner and Robbie Leitch plus another run out for James Roberts gave the Gaffer another look at players that could be added to the squad.
“James Roberts did ok and Robbie Leitch in midfield was probably the pick of them. He looked a good footballer.”
Owers will be hoping that injuries to Kyle Cameron, Samir Nabi, and Josh Gowling will clear up for United’s first match of the new season in seven days time. Goalkeeper Alex Bass is still his biggest injury worry heading into the game against Chelmsford City.
“Alex is going to be touch and go. Hopefully Kyle and Sami will be fine. Josh has got a sore knee, he reported a sore knee after the game in midweek”
PSF #tufc Squad Vs Dorchester Town: MacDonald (GK), Wynter, Davis, Sokolik, Banton, Bawling, Hyuga Tanner, Niate, Roberts, Pittman, Robbie Leitch, SUBS: Burton (GK), Essuman, Keating, Hall, Williams, Koszela, Dickson, Reid
56′ #tufc Subs OFF: Davis, Tanner, Banton, Roberts, Pittman ON: Hall, Keating, Koszela, Reid, Williams
75′ #tufc Sub OFF: Robbie Leitch ON: Ryan Dickson
84′ #tufc Sub: OFF Shaun MacDonald (GK) ON George Burton (GK)