BorehamWood 2 – 4 Chelsea XI
Friday 15th July 2022
LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park – Pre-Season Friendly
WOOD DEFEATED BY CHELSEA XI
Another important 90 minutes went into the tank this evening, but second half goals from Jez Davies and Mason Burstow succumbed the Wood to a 4-2 defeat at home to a Chelsea XI that included N’Golo Kanté, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Matt Miazga and Baba Rahman, after Leo Castledine’s strike cancelled out Tyrone Marsh’s first half penalty.
Marsh rolled in the spot kick to put the Wood ahead against the run of play after new signing George Williams was tripped in the box, but Castledine was gifted an equaliser five minutes before the break after the Wood failed to deal with Silko Thomas’ initial cross, allowing Castledine to strike his effort with the goal gaping after Dylan Williams picked up the loose ball.
Substitute Jez Davies turned the game on its head when his effort took a wicked deflection to leave Nathan Ashmore stranded and give Chelsea an early second half lead, before doubling his tally after Lewis Hall’s free kick forced an excellent save from the Wood stopper, inadvertently putting it on a plate for the youngster to tap home. Burstow put the cherry on the cake when he stroked home following a rapid counter attack with nine minutes to go, although Jacob Mendy Mendy netted right at the death to halve the deficit.
It was the visitors who began in the ascendancy with a large emphasis on holding possession. Chelsea controlled much of the early stages with the Wood barely able to keep hold of the ball during the opening ten minutes, in fact it took just a minute for Chelsea to produce their first opening as Loftus-Cheek led a counter attack before sliding Dujon Sterling in on goal, but he was caught offside.
There was plenty of neat interplay and intricate football from the Blues who showed their quality on the ball in midfield, and the Wood had to produce some top defending to prevent Chelsea from taking an early lead. Two blocks in quick succession saw them first deny Kanté from distance before Ben Elliott received the ball in the box moments later, with his strike being blocked from close range.
Despite Chelsea’s dominance early on it was an error at the other end of the pitch which would prove costly, and saw the Wood take the lead with their first real attack of the game. The ball was played to Marsh who immediately laid it off to Williams, who cut it back before being tripped by Miazga leaving the referee to point to the spot. Marsh stepped up and made no mistake, sending Eddie Beach the wrong way as he rolled in the opener.
It almost got even better just moments later for the hosts, as they immediately went close to finding a second goal. Danny Elliott was waiting in the box to get on the end of a pull-back but he miskicked his effort, before Williams skied the rebound.
Williams would go even closer shortly after as he stepped up to a free kick from long range, but he sent his effort inches past the post and would soon pay the price.
With five minutes left of the first half, Loftus-Cheek played the ball round the corner to an onrushing Thomas who ran onto it before playing in a low centre that went all the way across goal, but Castledine was given a second bite of the cherry when Williams kept the attack alive, striking with the goal gaping and sending Femi Ilesamni scrambling to clear it off the line. It trickled in though, sending the sides into the break level.
HT: Boreham Wood 1-1 Chelsea XI
Chelsea went up a gear in a quieter second half, as action dried up and clear cut chances became less frequent.
Davies found himself free on the edge of the box just before the hour mark with his strike taking a wicked deflection to leave Ashmore stranded before rolling in, and from here the Blues never looked back. A dangerous free kick saw Hall bend a superb strike around the wall that forced Ashmore into an excellent outstretched save, but Davies was ready to pounce on the loose ball and make it three just 15 minutes later.
The Wood looked to pull a goal back with Mendy Mendy going ever so close with ten minutes to go. Danny Newton’s cross went all the way through to the former Wealdstone man when Lee Ndlovu was unable to get his head on it, with the left wing-back whacking his effort off the woodwork.
The 25-year old was evidently disappointed as he held his head in his shirt, but this meant he missed Chelsea break with speed and extend their lead. Burstow was played in behind before putting his strike beyond Ashmore as it nestled in the bottom corner to add a fourth.
The hosts were defeated, although there was just enough time for Mendy Mendy to secure a deserved goal with the last kick of the game, sending a first time effort into the far corner seconds before the referee brought a close to proceedings.
FT: Boreham Wood 2-4 Chelsea XI
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Kelly-Evans, Ilesamni, Ricketts, Stephens, Egan, Marsh, Elliott, Stevens, Mendy Mendy, Williams
Second Half XI: Ashmore, Ilesamni, Evans, Stephens, Rees, Egan, Ndlovu, Newton, Fyfield, Lewis, Mendy Mendy
Chelsea XI: Beach, Sterling, Lawrence, Miazga, Rahman, Elliott, Kanté, Castledine, Wareham, Williams, Loftus-Cheek
Subs Not Used: Tlemcani, Davies, Thomas, Hughes, Gilchrist, Hall, Simons, Webster, Rankine, Torraj, Burstow
Star Man: George Williams
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