Report: Magpies 3-1 Rayners Lane

Report: Magpies 3-1 Rayners Lane

July 20, 2024

The Magpies made it back-to-back pre-season wins with a 3-1 victory over Rayners Lane thanks to goals from Shaquille Gwengwe, Luke Pardoe and Sean Wright.

Following the opening friendly of the new campaign at Hamworthy United last weekend, boss Tom Killick again fielded two different sides in each half giving minutes to the majority of the squad as well as a number of trialists.

New signings Tom Bragg and Matt Buse made their Avenue debuts from the start, with Harry Redknapp Jr also featuring having made his loan spell from AFC Bournemouth permanent over the close season.

The hosts started brightly and it only took 8 minutes to break the deadlock, with last season's top goalscorer Gwengwe picking up from where he left off in April, with a fine finish after controlling Will Spetch's long pass, beating a defender and coolly slotting past the keeper.

A neat one-two between Jordan Ngalo and Corby Moore on the edge of the area saw the captain's shot goalward blocked by a covering defender before debutant Buse saw his strike from a narrow angle saved.

Jack Dickson, lining up at left-back in the first 45, then nearly went one better only for his strike to beat the goalkeeper and cannon off the post.

The visitors then had two good chances to level the scores, firstly with a dangerous free-kick awarded right on the edge of the area which was well saved by the Magpies trialist keeper, before an opportunity in the 6-yard box was spurned moments later.

A host of substitutions took place at the break, plus a change in system, with summer signings Harry Hutchinson, Kyran Samadi and Wayne Robinson all making their first appearances at The Avenue.

And it was the lively Samadi who nearly doubled the lead early on, first seeing a shot blocked before a pull back from the returning Wes Fogden - back at the club after 15 years away - was sent narrowly wide by the winger.

Just three minutes later however the advantage was doubled, with sub Luke Pardoe breaking in from the left wing, latching onto Samadi's through ball and firing home into the bottom left corner.

New frontman Robinson then saw his close range shot saved by the keeper before Sean Wright added a third on 67 minutes, his second goal in as many games, with a fine first-time volley from Moore's corner.

With 10 minutes to play the Isthmian League South Central visitors did pull one goal back through a lofted strike by sub Rio Connell.

The hosts did nearly make it four in the final minutes, only for Pardoe's finish to be ruled out and pulled back for a foul on the winger.

Next up for Tom Killick's side is a visit to the New Forest on Tuesday night against Bashley.

Magpies First Half XI: Trialist #1; Redknapp, Bragg, Spetch, Dickson; Trialist #4; Moore, Ngalo; Buse; Trialist #9, Gwengwe.

Magpies Second Half XI: Forster; Turner, Bragg (Wright), Hutchinson; Dickson (Malpas), Moore (Trialist #12), Ngalo (Toms), Pardoe; Samadi, Fogden; Robinson. Unused sub: Roberts.

Referee: Mark Derrien

Attendance: 261