A highly entertaining mid-season friendly on Tuesday night ended with honours even in front of a crowd of just over 600 at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium.

Trafford manager Tom Baker made eight changes to the side that had performed so heroically at Nantwich on Saturday with Harvey Bardsley, Dana Amaral and Cian Donohue the only players to retain their places.

And Baker’s Boys made a dream start when, after just five minutes Prosper Imar headed past Ellis Allen following a right wing corner.

Flixton were causing problems for the home defence with their pace on the wings and deservedly equalised in the 22nd minute when Trafford failed to clear a cross from the left and Halford pounced to ram the ball home from 15 yards.

Ellis Allen produced a magnificent double save to thwart Cian Donohue and the visitors forged ahead immediately after half-time when Harrison Bickerton had the misfortune to turn another cross from the left past goalkeeper Bardsley.

As the second half wore on Trafford assumed control with Bile Ahmed heading wide from close range in the 73rd minute.

Two minutes later they were level when Kyle Worsley broke clear from the half-way line and lifted the ball beautifully over the advancing Allen.

Trafford stormed forward in search of the winner but Flixton keeper Allen produced more heroics with brilliant saves from Mackena Bradshaw and Bile Ahmed and the final whistle signalled the end of an intriguing game between two fiercely competitive teams.

Trafford return to league action on Saturday when they travel to play Vauxhall Motors, kick off 3 p.m.

Trafford were defeated 2-1 by National League North side Radcliffe FC on Tuesday night but emerged from a close game with great credit.

As it turned out, the difference between the two sides was former Trafford striker Rio Clegg who scored two late, opportunistic goals, after it appeared for long spells that Karl Marginson’s team would cause a major upset.

The hosts moved the ball around confidently from the start against a side two steps higher up the non-league pyramid and in the 12th minute Ryley Smith’s long range effort took a slight deflection but was held by Mateusz Hewlet.

Josh Wood was a constant threat to the Radcliffe defence and was unfortunate when his low menacing pass across the face of the visitor’s goal evaded everyone.

Regan Riley fizzed a shot just past the far post and a half of little goalmouth action, but plenty of endeavour, ended with Rio Clegg shooting just wide from 25 yards.

Manager Marginson made eight changes to his line-up at half-time and his revamped side produced some scintillating football taking the lead in the 54th minute when Radcliffe failed to clear a Hilal Khan free kick and Mackenna Bradshaw rose to power home a header at the back post.

Trafford continued to play some superbly composed football and in the 63rd minute Kevin Spinelli cut in from the right but curled his shot just over.

With twenty minutes remaining Rio Clegg took centre stage to torment his former team-mates and turn the course of the game.

Sam Booth thwarted Clegg with a brilliant save at point blank range but just two minutes later was powerless to prevent the equaliser, Clegg brilliantly clipping the ball over Jack Higginbottom before poking the ball inside the near post.

Booth made another brilliant save to deny Jon Taylor but in the 81st minute Radcliffe left winger Isaac Modi outpaced Bradshaw and crossed hard and low to the back post where Clegg arrived to rifle the ball into the roof of the net.

Trafford were unable to force an equaliser but can take great heart from an excellent performance that should fill them with confidence ahead of Saturday FA Cup Extra Preliminary Tie against Barnoldswick Town at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium.

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The long awaited M41 Derby ended with Trafford victorious in front of a bumper crowd of just under 700.
The hosts dominated possession in the opening stages but Flixton always looked dangerous on the break with Wahad Damphat making some great runs down the right.

Trafford striker Kevin Spinelli blasted over from 15 yards in the 14th minute but the best chance fell to the visitors Will Jones who lifted the ball into Ollie Culkin’s hands with only the keeper to beat.
However, just sixty seconds later Yasser Salim opened the scoring when he outpaced the Trafford defence on the left and fired past the advancing Culkin.

Five minutes later Trafford were level when Spinelli fed Josh Woods who brilliantly skipped past Ellis Allen and ran the ball into the empty goal.

Karl Marginson’s team were now on top and forged ahead in the 36th minute when Cian Donohue was fouled on the edge of the Flixton penalty area and Hilal Khan stepped forward to curl the free kick into the bottom corner.

On the stroke of half-time Trafford carelessly gifted Flixton the equaliser when Jack Higginbottom and Ollie Culkin got into a mix up and Abdul Salim had the simplest of tap-ins.

Manager Marginson made seven changes to the Trafford line-up at the start of the second half and for long periods there was little or no goalmouth action.

The hosts gradually got on top though and on the hour a Matty Lusakueno pile-driver was superbly blocked by Allen.

Campbell Reid and Henry Brown both shot over as Flixton visibly tired and in the 75th minute Lusakueno made amends for his earlier miss when he stepped inside a Flixton defender and curled a stunning 20 yard drive into the top corner to make it 3-2.

Henry Brown waltzed past a visiting defender but fired over once more before the scoring was completed in the 82nd minute when Harrison Bickerton rounded off another incisive move with a low drive into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

A hard fought and thoroughly entertaining game came to a close with both teams emerging with great credit and re-igniting their intense but friendly rivalry in front of a large and appreciative crowd of 679.

Trafford staged a remarkable comeback to defeat non-league aristocrats FC United of Manchester 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at the Away Day Care Shawe View Stadium on Monday night.

The visitors were in total control for much of the first half and took the lead after just eight minutes when Andre Wisdom fed Jay Fitzmartin who coolly and clinically fired past the advancing Ollie Culkin.

Six minutes later Ron Sithole made it two when he gained control just outside the Trafford penalty area and lashed the ball into the bottom corner.

Fitzmartin then crashed his shot against the Trafford crossbar as the Red Rebels threatened to run riot and a fierce drive by skipper Charlie Ennis was blocked by the under fire home defence.

In the 27th minute and completely against the run of play, Karl Marginson’s side pulled a goal back when Jerome Wright made a great run down the left, crossed hard and low and Ryley Smith pounced to drill the ball home from 15 yards.

The second half was more even although Jan Palinkas almost made it 3-1 in the 66th minute when he swivelled and blasted a fine effort against the crossbar from 12 yards.

Both teams made numerous substitutions and in the 72nd minute Trafford’s Hilal Khan neatly headed the ball into the path of Henry Brown who struck a thunderous drive from 20 yards past Dan Atherton and into the top right hand corner for a wonderful equaliser.

The hosts now sensed an upset and upped the tempo of their game in the closing stages.

Ryley Smith ghosted past two defenders and saw his fine effort held by Atherton before, with just two minutes remaining, Kieran Molloy rode a challenge by United full back Adam Sudworth and shot under the advancing keeper.

The final whistle signalled a tremendous victory for Marginson’s Men who now entertain the resurrected Flixton Football Club on Saturday, kick off 3 p.m., before completing their preparations for the new season on Tuesday night when Radcliffe FC are the visitors.