MATCH REPORT: WINGATE & FINCHLEY (A)

Wingate & Finchley 1-0 Boreham Wood
Maurice Reback Stadium
22^nd July 3pm, Pre-Season Friendly

WOOD SLUMP TO DEFEAT

It was a lacklustre performance from Boreham Wood against a well organised Wingate & Finchley side on a wet afternoon at the Maurice Reback Stadium. A first half goal from Ola Williams was enough to give the Isthmian League Premier League side a well-deserved victory.

It was quiet opening from both teams, but Mo Sagaf tried his luck from distance on six minutes but was denied by Ben Goode in the Blues goal. The hosts then took a surprise lead on fifteen minutes when former Boreham Wood player Ola Williams finished well from close range. Three minutes later David Stephens tested Goode’s reflexes with a header and the Blues keeper was equal to it. On twenty-three minutes, the host might have added to their lead when a mistake from Chris Bush enabled Anointed Chukwu to find Zack Newton whose shot was well saved by Nathan Ashmore. On thirty-eight minutes Timmy Abraham picked out Angelo Balanta whose effort was blocked. Just before half time Balanta fired just over the bar.

HALF TIME: WINGATE & FINCHLEY 1-0 BOREHAM WOOD

Boreham Wood were no better in the second half. Despite a raft of substitutions, they were unable to really trouble the hosts. Erico Sousa was the only shinning light for Boreham Wood all afternoon as he looked full of purpose and constantly stretched the Wingate & Finchley defence. He had Boreham Wood’s only clear chance of the second half with ten minutes left but shot over the bar when we placed.

While results don’t matter during pre-season, it’s the performance that will worry Luke Garrard with the big kick off now only two weeks away. Wingate & Finchley to their credit, were good value for their win. Garrard will want to right some wrongs against Potters Bar Town on Tuesday night and try to end the pre-season fixtures on a positive note with two fixture left.

FULL TIME: WINGATE & FINCHLEY 1-0 BOREHAM WOOD

By Brett Lewis

BOREHAM WOOD	WINGATE & FINCHLEY
Outfield: All grey; GK: All green	Outfield: Blue and white; GK: All Orange

Starting XI:	Starting XI:
1 Nathan Ashmore	1 Ben Goode
2 Cameron Coxe (Fyfield 55′)	2 Bobby Webb
3 Femi Ilesanmi	3 Ola Williams
5 Chris Bush	4 Christian Frimpong
6 David Stephens	5 Miles Mitchell-Nelson
7 Tom Whelan	6 Fahad Nazor
8 Mo Sagaf	7 Matty Achuba
11 Timmy Abraham	8 Zack Newton
14 Angelo Balanta (Miller 70′)	9 Antointed Chukwu
19 Erico Sousa	10 Ruben Carvalho
21 Kwesi Appiah (Marsh 55′)	11 Rhamar Garrett-Douglas

Substitutes:	Substitutes:
13 Gio Clarke	12 Tommy Roberts
10 Tyrone Marsh	13 Feral Hale-Brown
12 Jamal Fyfield	14 Alkeo Bani
16 Liam Miller	15 Ben Frempah
17 Dion Kelly Evans	16 Ryan Sellers
	17 Elliot Long
	18 Manny Yeboah
	19 Ben Ward Cochrane
	20 Kraig McLeod

Star man:	Erico Sousa
Attendance:	163