Enfield Town v Boreham Wood
Tuesday 27th July 2021, 7.45pm
Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Pre-Season Friendly
Match Preview written by Aaron Bennis (BWFC Media Assistant)
THE CONTEXT
This Tuesday, Wood continue their pre-season schedule as they are hosted by Isthmian League Premier Division side Enfield Town.
The Towners were unable to complete their previous campaign due to the season being curtailed in February 2021, with the COVID-19 pandemic having a large impact on lower league clubs, although allowing for an opportunity to undergo a restructuring of non-league.
Wood on the other hand finished their season 14th in the Vanarama National League.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
“THE DESTROYER”
JOSH MCLEOD-URQUHART
A versatile defender, Josh McLeod-Urquhart joined the Towners from Billericay Town in January 2020. The 30-year old has a wealth of experience in the non-league after spending his youth career with West Ham United and Northampton Town.
Joining St Albans City in 2010, he later joined Potters Bar Town, before arriving at Harlow Town for the first of two spells in October 2013 where he helped the Hawks to the Isthmian Division One North play-offs twice, representing the club between 2013 and 2015. A move to Wealdstone came about in the summer of 2015 before a successful spell with Billericay Town, making over 50 appearances where he lifted the Essex Senior Cup, the Isthmian League Cup and the 2017/18 Isthmian League title.
Brief spells with Hampton & Richmond Borough, East Thurrock United, a return to St Albans City as well as a move to Braintree Town followed for journeyman McLeod-Urquhart before a second spell with Billericay Town in 2019. He spent just a year with the Blues with a move to Enfield in the 2020 winter window, where he made his debut in a 3-2 win at Cheshunt. Other previous clubs include Biggleswade Town, Hendon, Northwood and Olympic Kingsway in Australia.
“THE PLAYMAKER”
SCOTT THOMAS
An energetic midfielder, Scott Thomas has enjoyed a successful career in non-league. After beginning his career with Leighton Town, the 31-year old spent three seasons in Bedfordshire making 38 appearances in the 2007/08 season, scoring six goals. He made a further 43 appearances during the following campaign before brief spells with Windsor & Eton and Hemel Hempstead Town.
After joining Chesham United in 2011, he played 40 times in his debut campaign with a solitary goal, making a total of 97 appearances over three seasons for the Generals. A move to Meadow Park saw him part of the team that won promotion to the Conference Premier via the play-offs in 2014/15, playing 44 times for the Wood.
A short trip north brought Thomas to St Albans City where he made 86 appearances across two seasons, before leaving for Royston Town ahead of the 2017/18 campaign on a dual registration arrangement, where he featured in the Crows team that overcame Town 2-0 in the FA Trophy in October 2017. Again staying for two seasons, he eventually found himself in Enfield with a move to Town in 2019, and was named club captain ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
“THE FINISHER”
MO FAAL
PASE product Muhammadu ‘Mo’ Faal has had an interesting career trajectory. After beginning his career in the youth team at Chingford-based outfit Ryan, he completed a scholarship at the Wood from 2013 to 2015.
He soon found himself in Italy with Serie D side L’Aquila ahead of the 2015/16 season, playing seven times for Rossoblù as well as spending time out on loan in the Promozione with San Gregorio. He returned to England at the start of the 2017/18 campaign after joining Waltham Forest, where he made just one appearance before moving to Dulwich Hamlet, scoring six goals in 25 appearances in all competitions. A loan spell with Kingstonian saw him net seven times in eight games, with this superb run of form convincing the K’s to make the move permanent. This proved to be a short stint as he joined Enfield Town at the end of 2018, but playing just five times and subsequently went on trial at Dumbarton.
His spell with Town did end up successful however, with Faal returning to North London to score 24 goals in 25 games in the first half of the 2019/20 campaign it caught the eye of League Two side Bolton Wanderers, who announced the arrival of the 6”5 forward on an 18-month contract.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for him in the North-West. He spent the beginning of the 2020/21 season out injured before joining Barnet on loan with the hope of building up his fitness. The deal included an option to purchase in January, however the Bees chose not to take this up and the 24-year old was released by Bolton in May 2021 upon the expiry of his contract. Faal has since returned to North London for a second spell with Enfield Town.
LAST TIME WE MET
Boreham Wood 3-1 Enfield Town
Saturday 9th October 2010
Meadow Park, FA Cup
Wood made it through to the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup thanks to two late goals to steal the victory.
The home side controlled much of the early stages without putting too much pressure on the Enfield goal, with a succession of corners coming closest to troubling goalkeeper Rob Blackburne but without anything too clear cut.
The game opened up in the second half, however, and Wood took the lead just after the hour mark through Luke Garrard. Town battled well after going behind, and not long after the deadlock was broken, an equaliser was found. Sam Byfield received the ball on the edge of the Wood penalty area and beat his man, finding space to float in a fine cross for Bryan Hammat to head home. A spell of dominance for the away side followed with Andy Jones going closest with a looping shot that was well saved by Ashlee Jones. They failed to make this period count though and with ten minutes to go, Wood took the lead again. Some good work by the impressive Greg Morgan found an unmarked Joe Benjamin, who made no mistake with only Blackburne to beat to send the Wood faithful into hysteria.
Tension filled the air as the clock ticked towards 90, but the final kick of the game saw substitute Lee Allinson lob Blackburne from the edge of the box to increase the deficit and give the Wood army a breather. The referee soon blew his whistle to relieve the nerves and send Ian Allinson’s men into the next round.
HOW TO WATCH
MATCH TICKETS
Online tickets are on sale up until 5:30pm on the day of the match. After this tickets are available on the Turnstiles once open. Online match day tickets can be pre-purchased with the link below.
TO BUY YOUR MATCH TICKET – CLICK HERE
LIVE UPDATES
Alternatively, you can keep up with the action via our Twitter and Instagram pages, where there will be regular updates throughout the course of the match.
Instagram: @boreham_woodfc
Twitter: @boreham_woodfc
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