Trialists’ hopes dashed by the weather
Five are denied big chance to impress as rain washes out final friendly game,
CHELTENHAM Town’s hopes of running the rule over five triallists were scuppered when their final pre-season friendly was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch at Bromsgrove Sporting.
The Robins had planned to include the five against the Southern League Premier Division Central club on Tuesday night, but the match was called off at 2.30pm after a heavy downpour in Worcestershire.
Midfielder Jake Gray and forward Jonte Smith , who both appeared as substitutes against Burnley Under-23s on Saturday, were due to be joined by Port Vale midfielder Ben Whitfield, former Birmingham City forward Kyle Mcfarlane and ex-yeovil Town defender Adel Gafaiti.
Rhys Lovett, Conor Thomas and Alex Addai were also expected to feature along with youth team duo Grant Horton and Tom Chamberlain, who have not travelled with the Academy for their pre-season trip to the Netherlands.
Whitfield, 23, has a year left to run on his contract at Vale, but was transferlisted at the end of last term.
He has previously been on the books of AFC Bournemouth, appearing on loan for Kidderminster Harriers and Yeovil.
Mcfarlane has spent time on loan at Nuneaton and Barrow during his time at Birmingham, where he had been since the age of nine.
Centre-back Gafaiti, 25, spent one season at Yeovil, appearing twice against Cheltenham as the Glovers suffered relegation from League Two in 2018/19.
Born in France, his English career started with Norwich City after spells in the youth set-ups at Nancy and Rangers and a loan spell at Oldham Athletic.
Gray appeared on loan for the Robins from Crystal Palace during the 2014/15 campaign, making four appearances.
He also appeared for Hartlepool United on loan from Palace before spells at Luton Town and Yeovil Town.
The 23-year-old left Yeovil following their relegation from the Football League last season and is a free agent.
Forward Smith, a Bermuda international, finished last season at Oxford United in League One.
The 6ft 1in 25-year-old also appeared in the third tier for Crawley Town in 2012/13.
Smith, who scored 56 goals in 121 games for non-league Lewes before joining Oxford in February of this year, spent time at Gloucester City in 2015, when the Tigers’ temporary home ground was Whaddon Road.
He has been representing his county in the Concacaf Gold Cup this summer, having scored once during Bermuda’s successful qualification campaign.