GOOD TO BE BACK; Denton delivers on his Wakefield return as Town seal friendly win.

Byline: DOUG THOMSON

WAKEFIELD 0 TOWN 1

TOM DENTON enjoyed his return to College Grove as Town eased to victory over a spirited young Wakefield side.

Ronnie Glavin, manager of the UniBond League team, promised his players would be fit and well organised for this friendly and they often made life uncomfortable for their visitors - in some cases literally.

But the 23 Town players involved against the old Emley withstood some uncompromising challenges and the attacks mounted by a home outfit who included Huddersfield-based duo Wayne Shooter and Craig Thomson.

Of course Wakefield know all about the danger of Denton, having sold him to Town for an undisclosed six-figure fee 11 months ago and taken him back on loan for the closing stages of last season.

He netted 12 times in 13 appearances in his most recent spell, and the 19-year-old, part of a completely new second-half XI, needed only eight minutes to register the only goal of a game watched by 684 at the former Wakefield rugby union ground.

With Lionel Ainsworth looking lively down the right, Town won a corner which Robbie Williams delivered and Jim Goodwin helped on for Denton to shoot home from 12 yards out.

Keeper Jan Kolna had just been tested by busy academy player Aidan Chippendale while Ian Craney had three efforts on or close to the target as Town tried to increase their lead.

And as debutant defender Peter Clarke pulled the strings for a side taken by assistant manager Terry McDermott (Lee Clark was at Gateshead), the best Wakefield could offer in response an 82nd-minute header by impressive centre-back Wes Milnes which went just wide.

The clearest-cut chances of the first half fell to Anthony Pilkington and new recruit Theo Robinson, who had efforts in the 39th and 40th minutes blocked.

Earlier on first-year professional Jimmy Spencer saw his drive from Robinson's pass deflected while Robinson flashed a header wide after a cross by another first-year pro, left-back Liam Ridehalgh.

Wakefield's best first-half effort came from Chris Howarth, who held off Andy Butler's challenge but shot into the side-netting while Shooter lifted his 27th-minute attempt from the edge of the penalty area too high.

First-half team: Smithies, T Clarke, Ridehalgh, Berrett, Franks, Butler, McLean, Watson, Spencer, Robinson, Pilkington.

Second-half team: L Atkinson, Harban, Williams, Goodwin, P Clarke, Bower (Pearson, 74mins), Ainsworth, Collins, Denton, Chippendale, Craney.

CAPTION(S):

* JUMP TO IT: Town scorer Tom Denton tests the Wakefield defence. Pictures by Andy Catchpool. (AC110709Atown-03) BIG CHANCE: ex-Barnsley man Harban, right. (AC110709Atown-12) ON THE BALL: striker Lee Novak in action on his Town debut against former club Gateshead at the International Stadium on Saturday.