WANDERERS XI extended their unbeaten start to pre-season with a 2-1 victory at Stafford Rangers on Tuesday night.
Youth team graduate Alex Samizadeh and George Newell, both of whom featured for the first team at the end of last season, were on the scoresheet against the Evo-Stik Premier Division new boys as David Lee's side followed up Saturday's 6-0 victory at Radcliffe Borough with another win.
Samizadeh opened the scoring for the Whites, poking the ball home after trialist Joseph Shirdel – the Afghanistan international – saw his effort deflected into Samizadeh's path.
The lead was doubled for the visitors when Samizadeh fed another trialist, Gerald Kilota, but he was brought down in the box.
Newell stepped up to score and mark his first outing of pre-season with a goal.
Just before half time, however, the lead was halved when a corner was only half-cleared and Stafford's Kris Taylor hammered home with his left-foot from long range – his effort crashing in off the underside of the Bolton bar.
Both sides had chance after the break, Wanderers needing a goal-line clearance to maintain their advantage.
But there were no further goals at Marston Road.
Lee felt it was a good workout for his side against a team that won the Evo-Stik First Division South last season.
He told the club: "We had a combined team of Under-18s and trialists so it was a tough physical game for us.
"Stafford are a physically mature side so they provided a real test for our young players, before offering another tough test in the second half after changing most of their side.
"We still worked very hard and were fully deserving of the win.
"It was a good workout for us and it was pleasing to pick up another positive result."
Wanderers XI: Jaaskelainen, Spooner, Ribeiro, Honeyball, Brockbank, Ca, Shirdel, Earing, Newell, Samizadeh, Kilota. Subs: Grivosti, Turner, Navarro, Grant, Politic, Marsh.
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