Wanderers warmed up for the start of the season with an excellent friendly victory over Reading side Sourcenet.

With Allan Mellor injured and Mark Timms unavailable, guest player Adam Clark started in goal for Wokingham.  Chris Hillsdon, Andy Corless, Dan van der Laan O’Donnell and Chris Orbell made up Wanderers’ defence, with Ian Griffiths, Dave Griffiths, Darren Wakley and Jamie Ryall in midfield.  Anthony Prior joined Tom Soane up front.

On a hard pitch, Wanderers were able to play some good football right from the start of the match.  There was good link-up play between Hillsdon and Ian Griffiths on the right, and Orbell and Ryall on the left.

The Wokingham defence offered good protection to goalkeeper Clark, and reduced Sourcenet to a couple of long-range shots that failed to hit the target.

Midway through the first half, Wanderers took the lead.  A poor clearance from Sourcenet’s defence struck Prior and fell in front of Tom Soane, who instinctively lashed the ball into the net from the edge of the box.

As half-time approached Wanderers had chances to extend their advantage, Prior shooting narrowly over from eighteen yards, and then Dave Griffiths just failed to connect with a Prior corner.

Into the second-half, and Hillsdon made way for Edward Townsend.  Within two minutes of the re-start, Wanderers were celebrating a second goal.  After good work by Ian Griffiths and Wakley, a poor backpass allowed Tom Soane in to coolly slot the ball under the Sourcenet ‘keeper.

On the hour mark Wanderers introduced Clint Falcus and Richard Scott in place of Ryall and Wakley.  Scott didn’t take long to make his mark, collecting the ball on the edge of the box and holding off a defender before scoring with a low shot into the net.

Sourcenet continued to battle, and were awarded a penalty after a foul by Townsend just inside the area.  Clark did well to keep the ball out, however the rebound was headed over him to make the score 3-1.

With twenty five minutes remaining, Wakley, Ryall and Hillsdon were reintroduced for Prior, Dave Griffiths and Ian Griffiths.

Wakley had a goal disallowed for offside before a fourth Wanderers’ goal did arrive after a well-worked team move.  Orbell made progress down the left and exchanged passes with Soane, before lifting the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Five minutes before the end, a controversial penalty was awarded to Sourcenet following a challenge from Andy Corless.  Clark this time was given little chance as the kick was hit low to his left.

This was a good work-out for Wanderers, and a strong-sign that the Blues can take their form from last season into the new campaign.

SQUAD: Adam Clark, Chris Hillsdon, Dave Griffiths, Clint Falcus, Dan van der Laan O'Donnell, Jamie Ryall, Anthony Prior, Ian Griffiths, Chris Orbell, Lewis Trusty, Andy Corless, Tom Soane, Darren Wakley, Edward Townsend, Richard Scott.