A valuable run out for the start of pre-season allowed manager Tristan Lewis to run the rule over his new signings and several young trialists, but ultimately it was visitors, Bedfont & Feltham who scored twice late on to claim a 3-1 victory.
After initial sparring which saw Bedfont & Feltham almost take advantage of some hesitant defending before eventually being smothered out, United took control of possession and Luke Williams twice went close, first from a direct free kick which the keeper fielded comfortably and then from charging down the keeper's clearance, with the ball bouncing inches wide.
United continued to force the play with Williams being the main threat, with Harry Grant and Adam Everitt holding the midfield in a disciplined manner. On the left hand side, Max Worsfold was menacing but it was the visitors who ought to have scored twice, firing wide with their first attempt from right in front of goal and blazing over from the left channel with the second.
Williams got in behind the defence from Ashleigh Artwell's throughball as the half drew to a close, but his low shot was fielded by the visiting keeper.
At the start of the second half, United should have scored as Rhys Murrrell-Williamson capitalised on defensive hesitation and rounded the keeper. He was drawn out wide but found Jack Thomson-Wheeler with his cross but he couldn't quite control his volley which went just over.
On 55 minutes, Bedfont & Feltham took full advantage, taking the lead when a right footed cross was headed in despite the contact not being particularly true. The lead lasted seven minutes, as a free kick from Andrei Daruiala found its way to Ike Robertson who rammed the ball in through a crowded box from ten yards past an unsighted keeper.
United used this as a springboard to put on a spell of pressure. Thomson-Wheeler's clever forward pass was controlled by Ola Rabiu and his snapshot hit the post. Then, Murrell-Williamson weaved his way around the visiting left back before cutting inside and drilling a low shot which the keeper dived to his left to gather in.
Understandably for such an early pre-season game, play went into a lull for quite some time but out of nowhere, Bedfont & Feltham's substitute collected a pass from the left wing and larruped the ball in on the volley from 20 yards. They then doubled their advantage on 87 minutes from the penalty spot, following a rather rash challenge on the right hand edge of the box. This was to prove the final significant action, with the visitors claiming a 3-1 victory.
Report by Nick Bell.
