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Boreham Wood secured their first win of pre-season as goals from Ricky Shakes (48) and Frank Keita (81) secured a 2-0 victory over Haringey Borough. 

It was the Wood’s first match of pre-season following their return from a training camp in Devon and they showed no sign of any off-season fatigue. 

Ricky Shakes nodded the away side in-front shortly into the second half before Frank Keita doubled their lead with another header just nine minutes from time. 

Boreham Wood fielded a much-changed 11 from the final day of the 2016/17 campaign, with new signing’s Tom Champion, Kieran Murtagh, Paul Benson and Bradley Ash all making their debuts.

There was also a surprise for the Wood Army supporters in the shape of Shaun Jeffers on the subsitutes bench.

However, it was a more familiar face who nearly broke the deadlock as Angelo Balanta met a lofted free-kick from Kieran Murtagh. The ball rose above the Haringey back four and Balanta got a toe to it, but Austin Byfield nicked it from beneath him.

The Wood continued to grow into the game with Tom Champion dictating much of the early play from the back.

Bruno Andrade’s curling corner was then met by the head of Paul Benson but the forward couldn’t angle it goalwards.

Benson went close again for the Wood just minutes later, the striker latched onto Balanta’s through ball, but couldn’t quite round the ‘keeper.

The best chance of the first half fell to the influential number 10; Balanta cut inside from the left and thrashed a shot from 20-yards, but it struck the post and bounced wide.

Bradley Ash had pace to burn and all but covered the Haringey half in its entirety before he flicked the ball inside for Benson; however, his low cross was blocked and thrashed clear.

Haringey had been penned back for much of the first half but nearly took the lead when Dean Fenton drove down the right-wing and crossed low for Chris Benjamin, but Dave Stephens recovered well to block.

The home side won a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the Wood area, Michael O’Donoghue curled it with the inside of his left boot but his effort sailed both high and wide.

The Wood made four second half changes with Quba Gordon, Jeffers, Brad Sach and Kane Smith all entereing the field in exchange for Champion, Benson, Ash and Balanta.

The away side took the lead within minutes of the second half whistle; Shakes found himself unmarked after a late run into the area and cracked a header into the top right hand corner.

The goal awoke Haringey as they almost equalised moments later, Fenton sliced a left footed shot wide from inside the area.

Having enter the field at the beginning of the second half, Smith showed exactly why he was so profilc for Hitchin last season, he beat three players before crossing a ball low into the box, but the home side blasted clear.

It was Garrard’s final substitution who doubled the Wood’s lead, Keita rose heighest and nodded Jeffers’ cross past Byfield to secure a first win of pre-season.

Boreham Wood XI: Smith, Shakes, Woodards, Ricketts, Champion (Gordon), Stephens, Andrade, Murtagh (Keita), Benson (Jeffers), Balanta (Smith), Ash (Sach)

Subs not used: Burbridge (GK)

Goals: Shakes 48’, Keita 81’

 

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