Game 3: Salisbury City 2.0 Bemerton Heath Harlequins (Friendly) 20.07.10

This date was originally pencilled in for the visit of Aldershot to the Ray Mac but they withdrew following Salisbury's two league demotion to the Southern League Premier. In their place a motivated Bemerton Heath side who finished 3rd in the Wessex Premier last season.

It hasn't been a typical pre-season for Salisbury. Once the FA upheld the Conference Board decision to relegate the club for a breach of the controversial Appendix E regulation a number of the squad have moved on to other teams with Crawley and Bath City the main recipients.

The moves haven't been limited to the playing staff - manager Tommy Widdrington moving onto Southend as their new assistant manager while the always popular Nick Holmes left the club last week following a period of gardening leave.

In their place, Darrell Clarke and Mikey Harris have been tasked as caretakers with a number of trialists joining the club in the hope of gaining a contract. The main talking point with Andy and I before the game was the appearance of ex Southampton striker Kayne McLaggon on the teamsheet.

The first half was a fairly even contest, perhaps reflecting the level of the players Salisbury have been able to retain but also testament to the effort of the Bemerton team to track their opponents moves. Most of the Salisbury forward play was channelled through Chris Flood and Bradley Gray but there weren't many clear cut chances for either team. The best two opportunities fell to McLaggon who had a spectacular shot tipped over the bar and was inches away from tapping a Flood cross in at the far post.

The second half started in a similar fashion. Any shots on target were well covered by the goalkeepers although Bemerton started to tire and most of the play was towards the soon to be renamed Inexcess stand.

The opening goal came in the 63rd minute when McLaggon turned and fired a great volley across the keeper and in. Moments later it was almost 2.0 when Bradley Gray hit a long range chip over the Bemerton keeper that came off the right hand post, bounced along the goalmouth to hit the left hand post before being cleared.

Another good chance fell to substitute Ben Joyce two minutes later. He ran in at the backpost to connect with a deep cross but his diving header slammed against the right hand post and went wide.

Bemerton's best move of the game came in the 81st minute. A flowing counterattack saw the ball moved through the centre of the pitch and then cut back from the left hand side of the box to a Bemerton player in the centre. He rushed his shot and in trying to place it only succeeded in hitting it well wide of the right hand post.

Salisbury made the game safe in the 83rd minute when McLaggon made a dash into the penalty area and was brought down by a defender. The referee awarded a penalty which McLaggon stepped up to take. He hit the ball down the middle as the keeper dived to his right to give Salisbury a 2.0 win.