Hamilton Accies featured three trialists as they began their pre-season with a comfortable 3-0 win over Northern Irish side Larne FC at New Douglas Park on Thursday afternoon.
Steve Lawson took the captain’s armband for a game where Accies coach John Rankin elected to field an entirely different XI for each half.
Scott Martin netted a well-crafted opener, before second-half strikes from Andy Ryan and Adam McGowan wrapped up a well-deserved win.
Hamilton are one of only two sides in the Championship not to have made a signing this summer, but look to be running the rule over a number of trialists, with three involved in yesterday afternoon’s friendly.
Here, Lanarkshire Live can exclusively reveal the trialists who featured in the game.
Jonny Ngandu
Trialist 1 was midfielder Jonny Ngandu.
The 20-year-old was most recently with Championship side Coventry City where he captained the side in the Professional Development League 2 play-off final cup in his last game for the Sky Blues in May.
Ngandu rose through the academy ranks at City and made his first team debut at the age of 16 when he came off the bench against Cheltenham Town in a 2-0 defeat in the EFL Trophy.
He was once branded as a ‘rising star’ at Coventry, and spent some time in Iceland on loan at Keflavik in 2020.
Okera Simmonds
Trialist 2 was striker Okera Simmonds.
The 22-year-old, who came through Liverpool’s youth academy, was last with National League North side Chester FC.
Following his release this summer, he’s reportedly interested Chesterfield and fellow Championship side Ayr United, whose manager Lee Bullen had him on trial at Sheffield Wednesday in 2020.
Michael Doyle
Trialist 3 was Michael Doyle.
The 30-year-old defender was perhaps one of the more recognisable trialist names, having spent last season with Queen’s Park as they won promotion to the Championship via the play-offs.
Doyle, who’s made over 400 appearances through the League’s in Scottish football with Alloa, Morton, Queen of the South and Falkirk played the second-half at right-back.
He was also at Hamilton Accies previously as a youth, from 2003 to 2005.
Barry Cuddihy, 25, is another new face at the club, having been photographed in training, but the Clyde defender wasn't involved in Thursday's game.
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