USUALLY results in friendlies are irrelevant with teams eager to just get minutes into their players legs and try out different things before the season commences. However, this weekend threw up some really competitive matches.

Eccleshill were in dreamland briefly when they took an early lead against esteemed non-league opposition. Aran Basi smashing in a free kick after a couple of minutes against Northern Premier League Premier Division side FC United of Manchester.

The Eccy skipper would be at fault for the equaliser though, as his slack pass back to his keeper was latched onto by Regan Linney. Although, the hosts did manage to hold on until the break.

Both teams rang the changes at half time. The Northern Counties East League Premier Division team came a cropper when they conceded a penalty only two minutes into the second half. Charlie Ennis slotting away nicely.

It was competitive right up until the final 10 minutes when United came into their own. Michael Potts' 25-yard screamer followed by trialist Matt van Wyk's 90th-minute finish meant the visitors left Kingsway with a 4-1 win.

Elsewhere, Silsden started their pre-season with a bang, coming back from two goals down at Prestwick Heys to collect a 4-3 victory, thanks to a Antony Brown hat-trick.

Brown cancelled out Hey's opener in the 20th-minute when he struck superbly beyond the keeper. This only spurred North West Counties First Division North team on further though, as they took the advantage going into the 45th-minute.

A thrilling stoppage time saw each side trade blows and add to their tally. Firstly, Prestwich curled in from a tough angle before Brown scored his second on the stroke of half time.

Five minutes after the break the lethal forward added his and his team's third of the afternoon. The Sils were not done though and Lewis Morgan's delicious long range effort proved the difference.

Adam Muller's strike could not prevent Thackley from losing to lower league opposition as they went down 2-1 against Nostell Miners Welfare at ‎Dennyfield.