MATCH REPORT: BISHOP’S STORTFORD (A)

Bishop’s Stortford 1-1 Boreham Wood
R&D Advisors UK Stadium
15^th July at 3pm, Pre-Season Friendly

It was honours even in this hard fought Hertfordshire derby with Tyrone Marsh giving Boreham Wood the lead just before half time and Bishop’s Stortford’s Trialist heading in an equaliser on seventy-four minutes. After three home matches against Premier League and Championship teams, this clash again the National League North outfit, gave Luke Garrard’s men a different kind of match to help with their preparations for the forthcoming Vanarama National League season.

Following a quite opening, Stortford’s Joe Morrell tested Nathan Ashmore with a free kick from distance on five minutes, but Wood’s number one was able to comfortably tip the shot over despite the howling wind. Three minutes later, Chris Bush picked out Tyrone Marsh who was denied by defender Tosin Olufemi just as he was about to pull the trigger. Chris Bush’s shot was blocked by Ben Marlow soon afterwards. On twelve minutes, Bush’s wind assisted cross almost deceived Stortford keeper Jack Giddens before falling onto the roof of the net.

On twenty-two minutes, Marsh’s curling free kick, crashed off the Stortford crossbar and away to safety. Nine minutes later, Timmy Abraham was denied by keeper Giddens from a tight angle. Just before the break, Boreham Wood finally got their reward for a dominant first half performance. An excellent run by Erico Sousa down the left and a great ball in, enabled a simple tap in for Marsh with the goalkeeper committed.

HALF TIME: Bishop’s Stortford 0-1 Boreham Wood

With a succession of substitutions in the second half, the game was never going to have the same flow as the first period and Boreham Wood weren’t as effective after the break. Former St Albans midfielder, Darren Foxley forced a good save from Ashmore on sixty-two minutes. Twelve minutes later, the hosts equalised when Trialist headed home after an initial header from Ryan Henshaw wasn’t cleared properly by the Boreham Wood defence.

Three minutes later Stortford nearly went in front when Morrell played in Foxley but he was denied by Ashmore. The dangerous Morrell had a shot cleared off the line soon afterwards. On eighty-six minutes, Wood’s new signing Kwesi Appiah nearly won the game for Luke Garrard’s men but dragged his shot just wide.

FULL TIME: Bishop’s Stortford 1-1 Boreham Wood

Like all pre-season matches, the result isn’t that important as the main things is, to get minutes into the players and work on certain formations and ways of playing. With that in mind, Luke Garrard would have taken a lot away from this game against a stubborn Bishop’s Stortford side and with the big kick off only three weeks ago, this is important. With four pre-season games left to play, Boreham Wood’s preparations for the season are in full swing.

Credit: Brett Lewis

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