Championship Pre-season summary

A Neil Mellor hat trick got goal happy Preston got off to a flyer with an 11-0 victory during their Austrian tour against unknown outfit FC Erdal Hallein 1904 (maybe Aidy Boothroyd was right to avoid facing local opposition in the Alps!!!).

Charlton were the free scorers too as the Addicks notched up 6 v Ebbsfleet (with Andy Gray helping himself to a brace) whilst an inexperienced Athletic ran in another 9 at Braintree.

Not to be outdone, mind you, were Reading who saw 9 different scorers get on the scoresheet during their 9-0 mauling of Didcot Town - thanks in part to household names Lita, Doyle, Kitson, Long and Convey - and Doncaster stuck 9 past Rossington Main from the Nothern Counties East League Division 1.

They`ll be some serious red carpet treatment for Saints academy scholar Oscar Goburn as he was instrumental during Southampton`s 5-0 win over local side Winchester City and looks like 1 to watch out for come August.

It`ll be worth keeping a close eye on 'El Toro` Gorka Pintado down at Swansea (what is it about those Swans and Spanish imports) where a quick fire hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Swedish side Ostersund seemed to make his €200K transfer fee look a bargain.

And it was a clearly a case of 'Robbie Who?` for Bluebirds fans as a hat-trick from Paul Parry saw Cardiff comfortably to a 5-0 win over Carmarthen Town.

Portsmouth target Danny Haynes netted for Ipswich in their 2-0 win over League 2 side Brentford but it was the goal from Dutch centre back Pim Balkestein on his Tractor Boys debut that was the talk of the Town.

Nathan Ellington and Jordan Stewart tasted defeat in their first run out for Derby as County went down 2-0 to little known Dutch side Top Oss and there was defeat to for Wolves as Mick McCarthy`s men fell to a Wrexham wonder goal in the Welsh hills.

Elsewhere, Burnley`s US tour hit a low point as they lost 2-1 to U23 side Cary RailHawks, former Blade Rob Kozluk spared Barnsley blushes as the Tykes came from 2 down to draw level with Glossop North End, Steve Brooker strike got Bristol City off the hook in the 1-1 draw with Forest Green Rovers and Crystal Palace drew 1-1 with Blue Square North side Bromley.

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