Ahead of last weekend’s final pre-season match with Sheffield club Handsworth Parramore, Town possibly, only temporarily, have lost their impressive ex-Rotherham United centre-back Harrison Beeden, writes DAVE PARKER

Since his release in June the 19 year-old has been working with the community team at Chesterfield FC. Following a game last Wednesday against a community team from Doncaster Rovers, the club’s newly appointed first team manager John Pemberton has pulled him into what he calls their first team bubble for trials.

Town won their game with Handsworth 2-1 to remain unbeaten in pre-season and their goals came in the first half via Jack Boyle after Joe Wilkinson, taking over from Beeden, played him in, while striker Joe Jagger hammered home the second. Just before the break Boyle was denied a second from a free kick just outside the box, keeper Glen Townsend parrying the thunderbolt against his near post and away to safety.

Handsworth did pull one back via Ehsan Mohammed from a corner but couldn’t penetrate the home defence after that for an equaliser despite some good work from Rikki Paylor.

Eli Hey missed the game as a precaution with a leg knock but Powell says he will be in contention for Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup preliminary round trip to Runcorn Town (3.0). The last time Town played Runcorn was in 2012 when they were in the Northern Counties East Division One and they came away from the extra-preliminary round tie as 4-1 losers. Manager Mick Couzens’ short tenure ended shortly after the visit to the Viridor Community Stadium.

Current Runcorn Town manager Paul McManus steered his NW Counties Division One side to a late 2-1 win over Thackley last week to earn the right to entertain Town, now two divisions higher than them.

Town’s manager has increased his coaching staff by taking on a goalkeeping coach in the shape of Lewis Clemmett.