Town 0-0 Royale Union Saint-Gilloise - Half-Time Saturday, 30th Jul 2016 15:56 Town’s pre-season friendly against Belgian second tier side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise remains 0-0 at half-time, Daryl Murphy having come closest to opening the scoring when he hit the bar. Trialist Roland Lamah made his second start for the Blues, having previously impressed in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at Charlton Athletic. Also starting was summer addition Adam Webster at centre-half alongside Christophe Berra, while Daryl Murphy was partnered by Freddie Sears up front. David McGoldrick was on the bench, while Brett Pitman (toe) and Luke Hyam (knee) missed out but are expected to be fit for next week. Dean Gerken was again not included, due to his hamstring injury. Town, wearing all white, dominated the early stages against the Belgian second tier side - who had brought a 50-strong but noisy following - and Sears forced visiting keeper Anthony Sadin into a save in the fifth minute, the Royale Union captain blocking from the striker at a tight angle on the left following a corner, however, the linesman’s flag had been raised. Two minutes later a subsequent corner, also on the left, led to another chance. Trialist Lamah cleverly played in Berra on the left of the box but Murphy couldn’t reach the Scotland international’s cross. As the game moved past the 10-minute mark Lamah unleashed a powerful strike from distance which flew just over Sadin’s bar. The visitors’ first chance came in the 14th minute when a cross from the right reached Nicolas Rajsel deep on the left but skipper Luke Chambers got across to block. Kevin Bru curled a 19th-minute freekick just past Sadin’s left post with the Blues continuing to have most of the game but so far without providing a test for Royale Union keeper Sadin. The Blues twice went close to going in front in the 23rd minute when Murphy flicked a near-post header from Sears’s left-wing cross against the bar. The loose bouncing ball fell to Bishop on the edge of the six-yard box but Royale Union keeper Sadin somehow kept out his header at point-blank. The Belgians’ rare forays forward had largely been snuffed out by the Town defence with Bartosz Bialkowski untroubled. On the half hour Charles Morren struck a low shot from 20 yards but well wide of Bialkowski’s post. Three minutes later, Murphy saw a shot blocked, then Bru looped a dipping effort from distance which went over. On 36 Jonas Knudsen crossed from the left and Murphy headed straight at the Belgian keeper. Two minutes later, the Blues went closer, Chambers flicking on a Berra header from a Bru corner but Tracy Mpati Bibuangu cleared off the line. Lamah shot wide from 25 years in the 42nd minute with the Blues continuing to have chances but so far without taking any of them. And that was the way the game remained at the break. It had been a largely one-sided half in which the Blues had created a number of opportunities but without finding the net. Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Bru, Bishop, Lamah, Sears, Murphy. Subs: Crowe, T Smith, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Douglas, Digby, Malarczyk, McDonnell, Stewart, Dozzell, McLoughlin, McGoldrick. RUSG: Sadin (c), Morren, Mpati Bibuangu, Cabeke, Vandiepenbeeck, Wallaert, Aguemon, Martens, Mombongo Dues, Rajsel, Massengo. Subs: Salah, Fixelles, Kaminiaris, Neels, Zitte, Palmeri, Saussez.
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