With the FA Cup match against local rivals St Albans fast approaching, we take a look at a memorable former meeting between the two.
Ian Allinson, now manager of St Albans, said before the game: “You don’t get much football played in derby games.” However, there was plenty of entertainment on show between the two sides.
Three goals were shared between the two sides with now football league duo Lee Angol and Junior Morais sharing the spoils.
Current Wood manager Luke Garrard made the bench on the day, with Ricky Shakes the only current Boreham Wood player in the squad.
Below, we take a look at the match report from the day.
The Saints enjoyed the opening stages scarcely allowing Wood to settle. A hesitant clearance by Josh Hill set up Sean Shields for a vicious thirty-yard drive that whipped up off the surface, needing all of James Russell’s attention to keep it out of the net. James Kaloczi then headed at Russell from a corner.
Wood’s first effort came when Ricky Shakes played a central ball for Lee Angol, who kept his feet inside the area to tee up Austin Lipman. His superbly executed shot on the turn drew a fine save out of Joe Welch. Wood began to find momentum with efforts from Graeme Montgomery and Angol blocked before a Lipman cross resulted in a scrambled clearance and a head injury to Ben Martin.
The lengthy delay was well worth the wait as the bandaged Martin went on to epitomise the fight in the visitors with a heroic defensive display that served to frustrate Woods attack all evening.
Welch then produced the save of the game after 29 minutes. A Montgomery corner was headed back into danger by Scott Thomas finding Lipman whose explosive shot looked to be goal bound until Welch dived to save superbly.
Wood were under pressure from the long throws of Lee Chappell and needed to be at their defensive best, as was James Comley whose blocking tackle to deny Shakes spurred on the visitors.
Comley then saw his deflected shot saved by Russell at the other end before the breakthrough came in exotic fashion in first half stoppage time. A period of pressure from Wood led to a cross from the right which was met by Angol who sent his cushioned header beyond Welch, only for defender Darren Locke to rise salmon like to tip the effort over the bar with a save that Gordon Banks would have applauded!
Angol coolly dispatched the resultant penalty leaving the visitors a goal down and a man light for the second half, another commendable “return” for the young striker who has now contributed eleven goals in thirteen starts.
However, the Saints rose to the occasion equalising in devastating counter attacking fashion. A three pass move from the back, involving a slide rule pass from Comley allowed Shields to take one touch round the committed Russell before finding his angle to send the visiting supporters wild.
Both sides had a real go at each other thereafter, with Wood finding a new lease of life through the introduction of Morias. His first attempt at goal was blocked by the peerless Martin, before Angol teed up his old Wycombe Wanderers colleague for a power drive that was just held by Welch.
Wood enjoyed a purple period with Morias a real threat in what was a frantic clash between the neighbours. With 78 minutes played Jordan Brown played a ball for Montgomery who found Morias thirty yards from goal on the left. There looked to be little on but the diminutive striker unleashed a shot that Welch had no answer to and it was the turn of the home fans to celebrate.
Back came the ten men who threatened to equalise with veteran substitute Lee Clarke heading just wide as the visitors forced the game. Dave Keenleyside almost caught out Russell when his floated cross went dangerously close.
Angol could have added a late third goal. He looked set to bury Montgomery’s cross late on, but Morias was hungry for more and intercepted to blast out of the ground.
It mattered not as the final whistle sounded which led Ian Allinson to summarise: “Credit to St Albans, they had a real go at us. We were not as slick as we have been, but that was down to the occasion.
“It was a great derby that was played by both sides in the correct manner. The work rate from the players was magnificent after such a hard battle at Havant two days earlier. You can measure that effort by Ricky Shakes who succumbed to cramp, a player that just keeps going and going.”
Team: Russell, Morgan, Brown, Cox, Hill, Reynolds, Thomas, Shakes (Noto 88), Angol, Lipman (Morias 61), Montgomery
Subs not used: Moli, Garrard, Courtnage.
Goals:
Boreham Wood: Angol 45 +2, Morias 78.
St Albans City: Shields 51.
Man Of The Match: Scott Thomas.
