The Cooks started their 2023/4 campaign by coming back from two goals down to earn a draw against Sileby Rangers.
Saturday 1st July 2023
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
SILEBY RANGERS (1) 2 COGENHOE UNITED (0) 2
(At Redwell Leisure Centre, Wellingborough)
Att; 49
A much different looking Cooks squad travelled over to Wellingborough to get their pre-season campaign underway as they faced old friends Sileby Rangers on the 3G pitch at the Redwell Leisure Centre. Dylan Carlin, Keiron Mobbs, Harley Mallard, Alex Parkes, Dalton Leon, Bailey Weatherly and Luca Purse all featured in the game along with new signings Ben Dimond and James Rossek, while fellow new signing Dylan Wilson wasn’t available today. The rest of the squad was made up of trialists for this match. A few of last season’s squad still remain at the club but holiday season is in full swing and they will return to action soon. Sileby included former Cooks Dan Mortimer, Kobi Bivens, Ross Garlick and Jake Nagy in their squad, while Jory Mann was a surprise addition having apparently left Rushden & Higham United.
The game was fairly even with Weatherly having a couple good efforts from the edge of the box, the first going wide and the second stinging the gloves of keeper Dean Love, while one of trialists volleyed over from the corner of the box. A blocked effort would have troubled Love had it got through, but it was the ‘home’ side who took the lead eight minutes before the break with a free header at the back post.
There were a number of changes at the break as Bivens had an early chance, but Sileby doubled their lead after 61 minutes when the unfortunate Mallard blocked a driven cross and the ball wrong-footed his keeper to find the back of the net. Great play from the trialist left-back picked out a fellow trialist inside the box on the left and the lively striker cut inside before hitting a powerful shot that Love got his hands to but couldn’t keep out of the net. 1-2 with 69 minutes gone. Ten minutes later it was 2-2 as another trialist forward deftly lobbed the Sileby keeper from the edge of the box after some great battling from his strike partner who added an assist to his earlier goal. Mann, despite being offside, was allowed to get to a cross at the far post, but he hit the underside of the bar from almost point-blank range, then Sileby wasted a great chance right at the death and it finished 2-2.
Some good football from both sides as they shook the summer cobwebs off and I’m sure both gaffers will have seen plenty of things to work on as well as plenty of promise from the lads out there today. Biff is talking to several players still and we may well see some more new faces when we host Irchester United next Saturday at Compton Park with another 2pm kick-off.
Referee; Mark Wetherall.
