An excellent late winner from Trialist D secured an excellent win for Boreham Wood against Watford in an entertaining game at Meadow Park. Tom White gave Wood a first half lead before Mamadou Doumbia equalised early in the second half before Trialist D’s winner. 

Boreham Wood welcome four new signings to the club including goalkeeper Luca Gunter; defenders Oliver Bainbridge and Tylor Golden, as well as wide man Tarryn Allarakhia. All four were involved as Luke Garrard decided to play two different teams in both halves against the Hornets. 

It was typical start to an early pre-season game with both sides getting a feel for the ball. Boreham Wood then started to dominate proceedings with the match being played mostly in the Watford half, as  Abdul Abdulmalik was causing Watford right-back Jeremy Petris all sorts of problems down the left and on 9 minutes his cross was tipped over the bar by Watford ‘keeper Daniel Bachmann. Six minutes later, Aaron Henry’s well struck free kick was tuned over by Bachmann, but he wouldn’t keep Wood out for long as they took a deserved lead when he made a mess of a clearance before the ball fell to Tom White who was able to finish into an unguarded net.

Following a short hydration break, Watford showed a bit more fighting spirit as they started to control possession for a period. Othmane Maamma fed Mamadou Doumbia who tried hs luck from just outside the area but Luca Gunter in the Wood goal was equal to it. Four minutes later, a good one two between Trialist A and Lewis Richardson ended with Bachmann saving well from the former. Just before the interval, an Abdulmalik cross was just out of Richardson’s reach as he tried to double Wood’s lead.

HT: Boreham Wood 1-0 Watford

With a completely new team, Boreham Wood started the second half in the same vein as they ended the first. Less than a minute after the restart, Wood should have added a second as a Matt Rush cross found Regan Booty who forced a Bachmann into an excellent save before Trialist C put the follow up wide with the goal gaping.  Eight minutes later, they were made to pay for that miss when Watford equalised. Gunter produced an excellent save from a shot from a Watford forward before Doumbia tapped the rebound into an empty net. Chris Bush was then dispossessed minutes later by Michael Adu-Poku who forced Gunter into a good save.

Wood then tried to turn things around following Watford making a spree of substitutions and they got a deserved winner when Trialist D did his chances of earning a contract no harm at all with a fantastic strike from the edge of the penalty area. It is an outstanding curling shot with pace that gave Hornets sub ‘keeper Alfie Marriott no chance. Wood saw the game out comfortably by recording an excellent win and a good start to their pre season campaign.

With four weeks until the big kick off against Tamworth, Luke Garrard’s men are looking good. The new signings look like they are integrating well into the set up and will five more pre season games scheduled, Wood are on course to be more than ready.

FT: Boreham Wood 2-1 Watford

Boreham Wood XI – (First Half) Gunter, Clarke, Bainbridge, White, O’Connell, Richardson, Trialist A, Abdulmalik, Henry, Norris, Kensdale

Boreham Wood XI – (Second Half) Gunter (Trialist B 68), Bush, Brunt, Allarakhia, Trialist C, Reynolds, Golden, Trialist D,  Marshall-Miranda, Booty, Rush