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

Barnet vs. Boreham Wood
Tuesday 15th March 2022, KO 7.45pm
The Hive, Vanarama National League

THE CONTEXT

This evening, Wood make the short journey to take on Barnet for the fourth time this season, looking to build on their draw with promotion rivals Chesterfield last time out.

The Bees ended a five-game winless run with a 6-0 thrashing of Dover Athletic, and currently sit down in 18th in the National League table.

Wood meanwhile maintained our unbeaten home record, avoiding our first home defeat of the season after equalising late on in a crucial top-of-the-table clash with Chesterfield, and will be keen to end our worst run of the season having gone three games without a win in all competitions.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

“THE DESTROYER”
BEN RICHARDS-EVERTON

Birmingham-born Ben Richards-Everton began his career with local side Romulus, before spending a brief period in the academy of Carlisle United prior to returning to the Castle Vale Stadium. He would later join Hinckley Town from Cradley Town, but spent time out on loan with Sutton Coldfield Town, Rushall Olympic as well as former side Romulus for a third spell. He departed permanently for the 2013/14 season which he spent with Tamworth, and his form for the Conference side saw him tracked by many clubs higher up. He would leave England for a spell in Scotland, joining Partick Thistle before being immediately loaned out to Airdrieonians. He would be released by the Jags after just a season that brought only two appearances, and subsequent joined Dunfermline Athletic. His two seasons at East End Park brought 53 appearances, but a knee injury saw him miss the majority of the 2016/17 season as well as bringing his time north of the border to an end. He made the switch to Accrington Stanley in 2017 before moving on to Bradford City ahead of the 2019/20 season, and after terminating his contract by mutual consent he dropped to the National League to join Barnet in January 2021.

“THE PLAYMAKER”
EPHRON MASON-CLARK

After coming through the ranks at Barnet, Mason-Clark signed his first professional deal in the summer of 2016 and made his debut in the Checkatrade Trophy against Norwich City’s under-23’s. A first taste of regular football came whilst out on loan at Metropolitan Police but he made his Football League debut a week later, and has since established himself as a mainstay in the starting XI and a firm fans’ favourite. Able to play as either a striker or the left wing; his pace, power and goals has seen him make over 100 appearances for the Bees.

“THE FINISHER”
ADAM MARRIOTT

A Cambridge United academy graduate, Adam Marriott initially joined the academy of Norwich City before leaving Carrow Road at the age of 15, rising up the ranks at the U’s before making his first team debut in 2009. He made 56 appearances during his time at Abbey Road although the majority were off the bench, and after successive loan spells with Cambridge City and Bishop’s Stortford, returned to the former on a permanent basis.

He was prolific at Southern League Premier Division level, scoring 45 goals in 42 games as the Lilywhites finished third. They were ultimately unsuccessful in their play-off campaign, but Marriott’s form attracted interest from Football League clubs with him eventually moving on to League Two side Stevenage. Further stints with Lincoln City and Royston Town saw him win the National League title with the Imps as well as playing a crucial role in their famous run to the FA Cup quarter-final in 2016/17, before scoring 31 goals in 43 appearances the following season for the Crows.

After moving on to Boston United, he enjoyed a successful spell at King’s Lynn Town after joining them in the Southern League Premier Central. His 24 goals in his debut season saw him win the Golden Boot which helped them win promotion via the play-offs, going one better the following season with 28 goals in 31 matches, once again winning the Golden Boot, and helping the Linnets achieve successive promotions to the National League. His Linnets career ended with 66 goals in 99 games, briefly joining Eastleigh before moving on to Barnet, where he is currently the club’s top scorer with nine goals.

LAST TIME WE MET

Boreham Wood 0-0 Barnet
Saturday 2nd January 2022
LV BET Stadium Meadow Park, Vanarama National League

Wood began the new year with the visit of local rivals Barnet to the LV BET Stadium Meadow PArk, with a goalless draw being the outcome of a rather drab opening to 2022.

A variety of changes saw James Comley, Mark Ricketts and Dennon Lewis come into unfamiliar roles as Luke Garrard looked to make the most of a unfortunate injury situation. It was the visitors who produced the first opening with less than a minute gone, as a free kick from Rob Hall led to a goalmouth scramble that needed to be cleared.

Opportunities were at a premium for much of the early stages, but Josh Rees had the best chance of the half when he forced Aston Oxborough into an outstretched save to prevent him from breaking the deadlock. The Wood began to build momentum, but went into the break level.

They were able to take their pressure at the end of the first half into the second though, with Rees going close immediately after it got underway with ex-Wood man Jamie Turley needing to be alert enough to block his effort. Jacob Mendy Mendy would have one final chance to steal all three points after being played through by debutant Danilo Orsi, but Oxborough was able to make a crucial save when the left wing-back perhaps should have squared it back to the Harrogate Town man. Nonetheless, the Wood’s unbeaten run stretched to ten games with a diligent display earning a valuable point.