MATCH REPORT: BILLERICAY TOWN (A)

Billericay Town 1 Boreham Wood 2 

New Lodge 

20th July 2024, 3pm  

Pre-Season Friendly  

Man of the Match:  Johnny Goddard  

It was a hard-fought win for Ross Jenkins men against a resolute Billericay Town side in Boreham Wood’s third pre-season match on a hot afternoon in Essex. An early goal from Mo Sagaf gave Boreham Wood the lead. The hosts equalised early in the second half through Frankie Merrifield before Charles Clayden got a win for Boreham Wood. 

First Half 

Boreham Wood started on the front foot against their Isthmian Premier League opponents and Chris Bush headed over from a corner on the fifth minute. Three minutes later, the Wood went in front. A purposeful run from Femi Ilesamni and a pass picked out Mo Sagaf who cut inside before unleashing a shot beyond Sam Donkin in the Blues goal. After the goal, Wood continued to cause problems in and around the Billericay defence, but the Blues were able to prevent Boreham Wood from creating many chances. On the half hour mark, Boreham Wood could have added a second. A one two between Sagaf and Tyrone Marsh, ended with Sagaf fired narrowly wide. In the build up to half time, the hosts started to come into the game more but were unable to really threaten. However, it was a sign of things to come at the start of the second half. 

 Second Half  

Billericay came out for the second half in the ascendancy and equalised on fifty-four minutes when Merrifield’s bullet header from a corner, gave Nathan Ashmore no chance in the Wood goal. The match was then interrupted by a flurry of substitutions from both sides. The helped Boreham Wood who regained the initiative and the lead on sixty-eight minutes. Good play down the right from Johnny Goddard created a chance for Tom Whelan who’s mishit shot was turned in at the far post by a brave Charles Clayden who just got there ahead of keeper Donkin. This was enough to secure Boreham Wood’s first victory of the pre-season. 

Billericay Town made it a difficult afternoon for Boreham Wood and gave Ross Jenkins’ men the type of challenge that will do their pre-season preparations a lot of good. While they victory was welcome, the most important thing was for the players to get minutes in the tank, with the big kick off in the Vanarama National League South only three weeks away.

Full time: Billericay Town 1-2 Boreham Wood 

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Sousa (Coxe 63), Ilesamni, Bush, O’Connell, Hare (Clayden 63), Payne (Trialist A), Whelan (Trialist B), Sagaf (Agbontohoma 63), Goddard, Marsh (Appiah 63) 

Billericay Town: Donking, Wind, Johnson, Davis, Porter, Janneh, Paxman, Nzala, Cutbush, Asamoah, Babalola.