BOREHAM WOOD VS HAYES & YEADING – MATCH PREVIEW

This coming Saturday Wood are again at home when the visitors make the short hop from Middlesex. 

With games coming thick and fast in the League before the Cup competitions provide suitable distraction, the focus will be to build on our unbeaten run.

There is a stark contrast between the two sides. Wood enter the season with a settled squad and a settled management team. Ian Allinson has added some astute signing’s to the dressing room. Our visitors however have opted for a blank canvas. Recruiting Phil Babb as First Team manager has certainly provided much optimism. Babb is a household name in this country with an illustrious career in top flight football. 128 starts for Liverpool along with careers at Sunderland and Coventry interspersed with regular International starts for the Republic Of Ireland make for an impressive CV.

This is Babb’s first managerial role and he has assembled a squad of youth and experience. Just two remain from last season’s campaign when the recently merged club finished down in 17^th position in the League.

Our form against them last season was admirable, winning twice in the League whilst the U’s also provided the opposition in our stand out game of the season in the F A Cup 4^th Qualifying Round.

It was a surreal occasion. Firstly the game was played on a Sunday owing to Hayes & Yeading ground sharing at Woking FC. This also meant that both sides had the luxury of watching the draw live on TV for the First Round Proper before the game in the Clubs bar!

This resulted in a mad dash to the ground by officials of Brentford FC who were keen to take advantage of the short trip to Woking to check out the opposition. We found ourselves two goals down inside five minutes, both wonder strikes, yet managed to pull one back before the interval.

It was doubtful that Uwe Rosslers aides had even considered a trip to Meadow Park was on the cards until twelve minutes before the end of the game when Benn Nunn and Omer Riza hit two goals in a minute to turn stomachs inside out and epitomise the thrills of the FA Cup.

Back to the present and the visitors have given both Bromley and Maidenhead United tough games, although the current top two ran out victorious at the final whistle.

It promises to be a highly entertaining affair given our fine start to the season, with Matthew Ball looking superb and good value for his three goals in his first two starts.

So get down to Meadow Park to cheer on Ian’s charges. The quality of football will certainly not disappoint!

Boreham Wood v Hayes & Yeading United. Saturday August 24^th. Kick Off 3pm.