Boreham Wood v West Ham United
Tuesday 12th July 2022, 7.00pm
LV BET Stadium Meadow Park, Pre-Season Friendly
THE CONTEXT
The Wood return to the LV BET Stadium Meadow Park for their second pre-season friendly in the space of just four days, hosting Europa League semi-finalists West Ham United.
The Hammers kicked off their pre-season campaign with victory over Swiss outfit Servette, having enjoyed an extremely successful 2021/22 campaign as they achieved successive top seven finishes in the Premier League along with their impressive run in the Europa League.
Wood lost to Brentford last weekend to begin their pre-season campaign with defeat, but will be looking forward to welcoming a European outfit to the LV BET Stadium Meadow Park on Tuesday.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
“THE DESTROYER”
DECLAN RICE
Aged 23, Declan Rice has already established himself as one of the top midfielders in the Premier League after breaking out at West Ham United. Initially beginning his career in the Chelsea academy, he moved across London at the age of 14 and quickly rose through the ranks at the London Stadium, coming runner-up in the Player of the Season award and making his 50th appearance for the club while still a teenager. He was on the shortlist for PFA Young Player of The Year award in 2018/19 and has now made nearly 200 appearances, being named vice-captain in 2021.
“THE PLAYMAKER”
JARROD BOWEN
Although a Hereford United academy product, Jarrod Bowen made a name for himself at Hull City and established himself as one of the best players in the second tier while at the Tigers. Joining in 2014, he broke out in the 2017/18 season and won both the Hull City Supporter’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards for 2017/18 and 2018/19, top scoring with 15 and 22 goals respectively. His form attracted Premier League interest and he made the switch to West Ham United in January 2020, where he has played over 100 times.
“THE FINISHER”
MICHAIL ANTONIO
A veteran in English football, Michail Antonio began his journey to the Premier League in the non-league as a product of the Tooting & Mitcham United academy, featuring a handful of times for the Terrors first team in 2008 before attracting the interest of Championship side Reading. His time with the Royals would be littered with loan spells, beginning with a return to Tooting & Mitcham before moving on to Cheltenham Town, Southampton, Colchester United and Sheffield Wednesday. Although he did feature more regularly during the 2010/11 season, subsequent loan spells over the next two years led to him making his temporary stint at Hillsborough permanent, where he scored 17 goals in 84 appearances over two years and made the switch to fellow Championship outfit Nottingham Forest, notching an improved 19 goals in just 54 appearances. His form at the City Ground convinced Premier League side West Ham United to part ways with £7m to bring him to East London, and he has appeared more than 200 times for the Hammers over a seven-year stint, initially featuring in deeper roles in midfield and even at wing-back before eventually making the striker role his own.
LAST TIME WE MET
Boreham Wood 0-3 West Ham United
Friday 12th July 2013
LV BET Stadium Meadow Park, Pre-Season Friendly
The Wood fell to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Sam Allardyce’s West Ham United as they continued their pre-season campaign ahead of the 2013/14 Conference South season.
Wood goalkeeper James Russell was unsurprisingly the busiest member of the squad as a gruelling night for the home defence was held together by a superb performance from Luke Garrard. The Hammers got off to a quick start though and went 2-0 up inside 22 minutes, with Ravel Morrison opening the scoring with a rebound after former Shaktar Dhonetsk left back Razvan Rat hit an innocuous cross from the left which led to a mishit clearance from Charlie O’Loughlin, forcing Russell into an acrobatic save that proved not enough. Their second then came in as many minutes as Jack Collison got the ball rolling immediately after the restart, with Callum Reynolds clearing his effort behind for a corner which was played short to Mark Noble, who’s cross met Ricardo Vaz Te who looped an unstoppable header beyond Russell. Although Donavan Simmonds looked dangerous on his Wood debut, chances were certainly at a premium for Ian Allinson’s men while the same couldn’t be said for their opponents. Russell had to be at his best to deny Rat and Paul McCallum before Vaz Te ended the half by curling a free kick over the crossbar.
The second half wasn’t as frenetic from a Wood perspective as they looked to defend better, although Matt Jarvis hit an effort across goal that went wide before Joe Cole’s shot was blocked by O’Loughlin. The Wood probably had their best chance of the evening when substitute Charlie Moone was denied by Jussi Jääskeläinen, but the scoring was completed on 83 minutes when Kevin Nolan hit an absolute peach of a half volley as he met Cole’s cross from the right with perfect execution to leave Russell with no chance.
HOW TO WATCH
MATCH TICKETS
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LIVE UPDATES
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