Printer-friendly pageThursday, July 27, 2006
Saints overcame Cheltenham Town by 3-1 in their latest pre-season friendly with a largely experimental line-up that included a mystery trialist.
All that is known of him is that he is an Eastern European left midfielder and George Burley was obviously at pains to keep his identity a secret.
Saints fell behind on 25 minutes from a free-kick but equalized just before half-time through, you guessed it, the mystery trialist who rifled a shot into the top corner.
No sooner had he announced his presence when he was subbed at half-time along with his fellow trialist, Licka, who also appeared against Bristol City.
On 50 minutes, Surman swung in a cross that Blackstock headed home. Dexter then hit the post a couple of minutes later. On 71 minutes, Surman again put in a quality delivery, this time for Kenwyne Jones to score with a close range header.
Pele played a full 90 minutes but the bad news was that Michael Svensson hobbled off in the first half holding the same knee that has ruined his career for the past two years.
Miller, Ostlund, Svensson (Critchell 30), Pele, Cranie, Prutton, Wright (Sarmiento 57), Licka (Lallana 45), Trialist (Surman 45), Blackstock (Dutton-Black 75), McGoldrick (Jones 45)
