WOOD MAKE DO WITH DRAW DESPITE DOMINANCE
Boreham Wood 0-2 Chelmsford City
Saturday 24th July 2021, 3.00pm
EMB Inspire Stadium, Pre Season Friendly
In Boreham Wood’s first away game in the pre-season they had to make do with a 1-1 draw against National League South side Chelmsford City despite dominating most of the match.
The match got off to the best possible start after two minutes when Kabs Tshimanga slotted home when one on one with the Chelmsford goalkeeper Jacob Marsden for his first goal of the pre-season. Wood then proceeded to create numerous chances in the first half where they should have extended their lead. The impressive Jacob Mendy Mendy cause havoc for the Clarets defence all afternoon and showed why the club paid a record fee to sign him. The former Wealdstone play went on a run down the left after seven minutes and played in an excellent cross that Connor Smith failed to convert. The home side had goalkeeper Marsden to thank for keeping the score down in the first half when he saved well from Tyrone Marsh and Mendy Mendy and Tshimanga. Simeon Jackson created Chelmsford’s first real chance after thirty-eight minutes, but his effort went over the bar.
At half time Luke Garrard made six changes and the amended line up was slow to get going after the interval. However, on fifty-five minutes Trialist C should have doubled Wood’s lead but just failed to connect. Soon afterwards, a Marsh free kick tested the fingertips of keeper Marsden. The Claret’s showed a sign of what was to come on sixty-three minutes when Callum Jones was clean through buy snatched at his shot work the goal at his mercy. Six minutes later Chelmsford got their equaliser when a ball in from the left was well finished by Freddie Hockey. From this period to the end Boreham Wood resumed their dominance though created few chances against a resolute Clarets defence. With two minutes on the clock the visitors should have won it when a Marsh cross only needed a tap in from Trialist C but somehow his poorly struck shot was scrabbled off the line.
It was an impressive performance for the most part by Boreham Wood. They weren’t as clinical as they should have been in front of goal and perhaps a lot of the squad were feeling the effects of three games in just seven days. However, they will take a lot of positives going into Tuesday’s nights game at Enfield Town.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Ilesamni, Evans, Stephens, Tshimanga, Marsh, Raymond, Mendy Mendy, C Smith, K Smith
Subs: Trialist A. Trialist B, Mafuta, Fyfield, Green, Trialist C, Trialist D, Jallow, McKenna
Chelmsford City: Marsden, James, Dickens, Oluwo, Dada, Sheringham, Jackson, Norton, Harrison, Winfield, Trialist A
Subs: Jones, Hockey, Gregory, Deslanded, Morritt, Farmer, Payne, Trialist B, Trialist C, Trialist D
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
