MATCH PREVIEW – BARNET (A) | Boreham Wood Football Club

Barnet v Boreham Wood
Saturday 18th December 2021, 3.00pm
The Hive, FA Trophy

THE CONTEXT

This Saturday, Wood face rivals Barnet for the second time this season in cup competition, this time vying for a place in the FA Trophy 4th Round.

The Bees are looking comfortable this season, currently sitting 13th with seven wins and eight defeats, and have lost just three times in their last 12 games going back to September.

Wood have continued their impressive form to keep pace with league leaders Chesterfield, and are unbeaten in their last nine in all competitions.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

“THE DESTROYER”
JAMIE TURLEY

Ex-Wood defender Jamie Turley joined Barnet in the summer following a three-year spell at Leyton Orient. Having come through the ranks at Wycombe Wanderers, Turley left the Chairboys without making a senior appearance and joined Salisbury City where he spent two seasons.

In June 2011, he signed for Forest Green Rovers, going on to play 98 times over a successful period at the New Lawn, before signing for fellow Conference Premier outfit Eastleigh. His form at the Silverlake Stadium earnt him a move to League Two with Newport County, but he was unable to reach the same heights and found himself back in the non-league after just a single season in South Wales on loan with Boreham Wood. He did find success during his loan spell in Hertfordshire, making 33 total appearances for the Wood whilst helping the club to the National League play-off final and a shot at reaching the Football League for the first time.

Devastating Turley was ruled out of the semi-final and final of that play-off campaign, fracturing his cheek bone in the home eliminator victory over AFC Fylde. Nonetheless Turley won plaudits for his performances in a Wood shirt and would return to League Two, being picked up by Notts County. Although he played 19 times in all competitions, he would soon find himself back in the non-league once again, only this time on a permanent basis. Leyton Orient would be his next destination, and despite spending his debut campaign as more of a bit-part player, making just ten appearances, the O’s won the National League title and subsequently achieved promotion to League Two. After three seasons at Brisbane Road in the summer of 2021, Turley left Orient and opted to sign for National League neigbours Barnet.

“THE PLAYMAKER”
WESLEY FONGUCK

After initially playing in the Crystal Palace Academy, Wesley Fonguck joined Combined Counties Football League side Croydon, for whom he made one league appearance before arriving at Barnet as a second-year scholar for the 2014/15 season. His senior debut came at the end of 2014 in an FA Trophy replay with Concord Rangers.

He joined Hendon on loan a year later where he made 13 appearances before making his Football League debut upon his return to the Hive as a substitute on the final day of the 2015/16 season, in a game against Crawley Town.

A brief loan stint with Hampton & Richmond Borough preceded his first Football League start in the penultimate game of the 2016/17 season against Grimsby Town. First team appearances were limited though, and he departed after turning down a new contract at the end of 2018/19, though he rejoined the Bees ahead of the following campaign and has since established himself as an ever-present in the Barnet midfield as a creative outlet, playing over 100 times for the Bees.

“THE FINISHER”
ROB HALL

A West Ham United Academy graduate, Rob Hall signed his first professional contract with the Hammers in October 2010 and enjoyed a loan spell with Oxford United, impressing when he scored six goals in ten appearances and was recalled to cover for injured players before eventually making his first team debut for West Ham.

He would be named Academy Player of the Year for the 2011/12 season before further loans away at Milton Keynes Dons and Birmingham City, standing out with seven assists in 13 games for the latter. He signed for Bolton Wanderers on a permanent basis in 2013 at the expiry of his Hammers contract, spending three years at the Macron Stadium.

He briefly returned to MK Dons on two separate consecutive loan spells away, however he was put out of action in April 2016 and returned to Bolton, before re-joining Oxford despite five years after his initial loan spell. He scored six goals in 26 appearances in his first season back as an Oxford United player and appeared at Wembley in the 2017 EFL Trophy Final.

He started the following season brightly with 5 goals in 15 appearances, but further injury problems plagued the rest of his time at the Kassam Stadium and he was released at the end of the 2020/21 season, following a short-lived loan spell at Forest Green Rovers. An experienced head at just 28 years old, he has played in all of England’s top four divisions and made it five when he moved to Barnet in the summer.

LAST TIME WE MET

Barnet 0-1 Boreham Wood
Saturday 16th October 2021
The Hive, Emirates FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round

The Wood edged past local rivals Barnet to reach the FA Cup 1st Round Proper for the eighth time in the last ten seasons, with a second half goal from Will Evans being enough to secure victory.

It was all Boreham Wood in the opening stages, with the exception of a Rob Hall free kick that went over Nathan Ashmore’s goal without really troubling the Wood shot stopper. Kane Smith had their first opportunity after just five minutes, forcing Aston Oxborough into a straightforward save. Tyrone Marsh shot over when well-placed shortly after before appeals for a penalty after Smith’s cross looked to strike the hand of a Barnet defender.

It was a positive start to the game, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third nearly cost the visitors, as Barnet began to grow into it as the half wore on. Ephron Mason-Clarke looked a threat, testing Ashmore for the first time after an excellent run, before Joe Widdowson headed into the side-netting. Another goal bound effort from Mason-Clarke was blocked by Jamal Fyfield and Mason Bloomfield then headed wide for the Bees. Despite having some good possession, the two sides went into the break goalless.

The Wood looked to come out the blocks quickest in the second half with chances for Jacob Mendy Mendy, Frankie Raymond and Josh Rees in the first ten minutes. They would take a deserved lead on the hour-mark, when a powerful header from Evans hit the crossbar before ricocheting off the post and then going in off Oxborough. Evans could have doubled the Wood’s lead three minutes later, but Oxborough was equal to it, and soon afterwards Smith’s shot went just wide.

Barnet had a chance to equalise as the game reached its business end, but Adam Marriott couldn’t get his shot on target. A strong and resolute defensive display was enough for the Wood to hold on comfortably though and secure their name in the hat for the FA Cup 1st Round.