Hitchin Town 0 – 2 Boreham Wood
Wednesday 20th July 2022
Top Field, Pre-Season Friendly
WOOD WIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PRE-SEASON
A first away trip of pre-season saw the Wood come out 2-0 winners against Southern League Premier Division Central side Hitchin Town, thanks to goals from Danny Newton and Josh Rees.
Teirnan Parker won’t want reminding of his role in the opener as a poor goal kick went straight into the path of Lee Ndlovu who squared it for Newton to tap into an empty net just after the half-hour mark, with Rees doubling the scoreline after some excellent work from Tyrone Marsh on 71 minutes. The Canaries were gifted a lifeline almost immediately when Dave Stephens clattered into Sam Meakes inside the box two minutes later, but the striker was denied by Nathan Ashmore from the spot.
It was the hosts who got off to the better start and showed they weren’t just there to make up the numbers against their fifth tier counterparts. Jack Morrell tested the waters inside a minute with a hopeful effort from distance that went wide, shortly before Jonny Allotey forced Ashmore into a crucial outstretched save after getting beyond the Wood defence with a wonderful solo run.
Despite a difficult opening ten minutes, the Wood got in behind for the first time with Ndlovu powering past the defender on the right flank before playing a low centre that Newton was unable to get on the end of.
They would grow into the game and begin to pile on the pressure, looking particularly dangerous from set pieces with a number of threatening deliveries that just required the magic touch in front of goal.
Further crosses from wide areas saw Ndlovu show some nice skill to set him away down the right with Parker denying Rees in the middle, before Marsh was unable to direct Jacob Mendy Mendy’s deep cross on target.
An opener would be on the way though and luckily in the Wood’s favour. Parker gave away possession with Ndlovu the grateful recipient, who drove forward before putting it on a plate for Newton to tap home.
HT: Hitchin Town 0-1 Boreham Wood
With the first half coming to a close with the Wood on top, the visitors didn’t allow this to slow down their momentum as they took just four minutes to produce their first opening of the second half, as a deep free kick found Newton in acres of space with his header almost dropping underneath the crossbar after taking a wicked deflection.
Substitute Dennon Lewis immediately got involved after coming on with a couple of opportunities in quick succession, twice cutting in from the right before flashing a fierce strike across the face of goal and then driving a low shot wide of the near post shortly after.
The visitors did have their second goal though, as an excellent run from Marsh saw him reach the byline before pulling it back where Rees was waiting to smash in his first goal since returning from injury.
Hitchin had a golden opportunity just two minutes later to halve the deficit, with Meakes being clattered by Stephens to leave the referee with no choice but to point to the spot, but Ashmore was on hand to make a superb stop to deny the striker.
It almost got even better for the Wood as the game entered the final ten minutes, with Danny Elliott beating Charlie Horlock to the ball before firing an effort goalward that was cleared off the line.
A couple of late chances for the hosts saw Ashmore deny Kyle Tearle from a free kick before Morrell sent a volley into the heavens after being picked out from a corner, but Hitchin just didn’t have enough to prevent the Wood from leaving North Hertfordshire victorious.
FT: Hitchin Town 0-2 Boreham Wood
Hitchin Town: Parker (Horlock 45’), Ackom, Morrell, Syme, Babbage (Jones 89’), Anderson, Barker, Tearle, Meakes (Setchell 86’), Dasilva (Kane 83’), Allotey (Devine 57’)
Subs Not Used: Cawley
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Kelly-Evans (Lewis 57’), Ilesamni, Ricketts (Egan 45’), Evans (Fyfield 45’), Stephens, Rees, Ndlovu (Williams 57’), Marsh (Joyce 90’), Newton (Elliott 57’), Mendy Mendy
Subs Not Used: Murphy
Star Man: Lee Ndlovu
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