COMFORTABLE NIGHT FOR WOOD
Enfield Town vs. Boreham Wood
Tuesday 27th July 2021, 7.45pm
Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Pre Season Friendly
It was a comfortable night for Luke Garrard’s men at the Queen Elizabeth II stadium against Isthmian League Premier Division side Enfield Town in which Boreham Wood dominated their hosts, pretty much from start to finish.
It was the hosts who had the first chance after two minutes when Sam Youngs headed narrowly wide. A minute later Jacob Mendy Mendy found Kabs Tshimanga who turned and struck a well placed effort past Nathan McDonald in the Town goal to give Wood the lead. Tyrone Marsh nearly extended Wood’s lead two minutes later but his effort went just wide.
Enfield showed some attacking intent soon after when Nathan Ashmore was forced into a save from Ebrima Sawaneh. On the nineth minute, Dave Stephens fouled former BW PASE forward Mo Faal in the penalty area and Matt Norton had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for an Enfield penalty. Faal made no mistake from twelve yards as he coolly sent Ashmore the wrong way to equalise for the home side. Three minutes later, a well struck Gus Mafuta free kick struck the Enfield post as Boreham Wood upped the ante again. On seventeen minutes Tshimanga’s header was blocked on the line. Wood were not to be denied and three minutes later Connor Smith restored the away side’s lead by finishing well beyond McDonald. Two minutes later a Connor Smith free kick was volleyed home by Gus Mafuta to double Boreham Wood’s advantage. Just before half time, Mendy Mendy shot way over when well placed.
The visitors started the second half in the same vein as the first and constantly threatened the Town goal. Marsh’s had two chances with his head. The first was blocked on the line and the second went just wide of the Enfield Town goal. On sixty-three minutes Wood increased their lead when a Frankie Raymond cross was expertly headed in by Jamal Fyfield. Unusually for a pre-season friendly at this level, there was a sending off. On seventy-four minutes when Frankie Raymond saw an early bath for a late challenge on an Enfield player. In truth, it was no worse than the foul three minutes earlier by Enfield’s Percy Kiangebeni on Trialist B which only saw a yellow card. A flurry of late substitutions spoilt the flow of the game but Luke Garrard’s men had already done enough to win the game comfortably
It was a straightforward first pre-season win for Boreham Wood. Just like on Saturday, they started well and the best football was played in the first half. It was nice to get some goals. This will surely bread confidence as the team continues its pre-season journey in preparation for the big kick off on 21st August against Weymouth.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Ilesamni, Stephens, Fyfield, Mendy Mendy, K Smith, Mafuta, Raymond, Rees, Tshimanga, Marsh
Subs: Rees, Jallow, Evans, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Connor Smith, McKenna
Enfield Town: McDonald, Urquhart, Chappell, Thomas, Bray, Gyebi, Trialist A, Kiangebeni, Faal, Youngs, Sawaneh
Subs: Trialist B, Walsh, Trialist C, Mubiayi, Nzembela, Maja, Joseph, Dancho
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
