A youthful Saints XI ran out 4-1 winners over local side Winchester City on Saturday afternoon.
A lively performance from Jason Dodd's side, playing in the new away kit for the first time, saw the visitors' goals shared out equally in each half.
In the first 45 minutes Saints went 2-0 up thanks to a well taken left footed volley from Jordace Holder-Spooner on 29 to open the scoring. Four minutes before the interval, Holder-Spooner's goal was added to when he turned provider for Harlee Dean, one of four trialists on the day, to powerfully head home from a corner.
Immediately after the break Saints made a handful of substitutions, before eventually changing every outfield player.
Three of the four trialists were given 70 minute run outs, and two of those combined for the third goal on 59 which arrived from the penalty spot. Midfielder Scott Shutton played in forward Jermaine McGlashen, who was felled inside the box. Shutton stepped up to take the spot kick and dispatched it low into the bottom left hand corner.
Moments earlier, McGlashen was denied a goal for himself when his curled effort into the top corner was chalked off for an offside decision, but he had no complaints about who took the penalty.
Saints perhaps saved the best til last though, as half time substitute Lloyd Isgrove intercepted a weak clearance before going on a mazy run through City's defence, and unleashing a strong low strike into the bottom corner with ten minutes remaining.
With time running out, the hosts managed to pull a goal back when trialist goalkeeper Matteo Carvarsan, who had had a solid game between the posts making a notable double save in the second period, screwed his clearance straight into the path of an on rushing player in a red shirt to tap home.
Afterwards Dodd was full of praise for the application of his young team on completion of their first game.
"The lads went out and did really well," he enthused. "We started with a strong side and then had some young pros and some trialists in there who all did well. We've been running and building up our fitness all week, doing a lot of ball work, so we've been working them hard and so today it was a case of saying go out there and play how you normally play.
"The first twenty minutes were spent getting into the game, then we got going and we were fine. We created chances and we tried to entertain all the Saints fans too, there was a lot of banter on the sidelines with the players, but whilst it's fantastic for them to come and see us at a local club, we've got to come and win, there's no point in just turning up.
"It was perfect for us. The lads each got 40-60 minutes in which is what we were aiming to do. It was a good afternoon and there were plenty of Saints fans here, so it was an enjoyable day.
"We scored some great goals and had one disallowed from young Jermaine but it's great to get the lads used to putting the ball in the back of the net, it's what football is about, so if we can get a little understanding that we're building up this pre season, then it will only stand us in good stead.
"All the trialists only came in on Thursday so we've had two sessions with them and they've done well," Dodd added. "Hopefully we'll get another look at them in the coming games to see what they're about and then we'll see if any decisions need to be made."
Saints XI: Matteo Carvarsan*, Sam Argent (Lee Nicholas 46), Aarran Racine (Ben Martin 60), Ryan Tafazolli (Frazer Clark 60), Ben Reeves (Conor O'Sullivan 60), Anthony Pulis (Lloyd Isgrove 46), Harlee Dean* (Corby Moore 70), Scott Shutton* (Joe Curtis 70), Jordace Holder-Spooner (Andy Robinson 46), Jermaine McGlashen* (Lloyd Foot 70), Ryan Doble (Tony Garrod 46).
* trialists.
