Boreham Wood’s first pre-season outing of 2018 ended in a 2-1 defeat against an extremely strong Brentford First Team.
The Wood initially took the lead through a Morgan Ferrier penalty and continued to look solid in defence following the goal.
However, Brentford’s class eventually shone through, as they equalized on the brink of half-time – Ollie Watkins the goalscorer.
Luke Garrard’s side returned from the break and continued to match the Championship side, but Lewis Macleod would give the visitor’s the lead shortly after the hour mark.
Garrard’s new looked side lined up in last season’s usual 3-5-2 formation, with Ricky Shakes and Femi Ilesanmi at wing-back. Tom Champion, David Stephens and Manny Parry made up the rest of the backline.
New signing Connor Smith joined Keiran Murtagh and Mark Ricketts in midfield, with the returning Bradley Ash upfront alongside Ferrier.
The Bees, who were at full-strength, pilled on the pressure in the early stages of the match. Josh Clarke, Neal Maupay, Romaine Sawyers and Watkins were all denied in a penalty box scramble, with the Wood getting bodies in the way.
Watkins then drifted in from the left flank, but couldn’t get his head onto Ryan Wood’s cross.
Ash would almost create a goal from nothing on 20 minutes, when he attempted to clip the ball back at goal, with an ambitious overhead kick, only narrowly missing.
The striker may have only recently recovered from a season-long injury, but showed no lack of match fitness to beat the Brentford backline for pace. The young forward was fed through by a superb pass from Murtagh, but Jack Bonham was down quickly to palm away from close-range.
Following a strong spell, the Wood would earn a chance to take the lead, when Ferrier was hauled down by Reece Cole in the area. The forward stepped up and chipped the ball over Bonham, in a confident, if cheeky, fashion.
Brentford attempted to pick up their game again following the goal and the Wood’s trialist ‘keeper showed great reactions to drop down quickly and push an effort wide from Maupay.
He was again called into action minutes later, but easily gathered Cole’s long-range strike.
The visitor’s found a way through the stubborn Wood defence shortly before halftime, thanks to a stunning long-ball from Ryan Woods. The cross was taken on by Watkins, who passed his marker and slotted home.
The Championship side returned from the break determined to make a point, but the host’s backline continued to show their abilities, blocking efforts from both Emiliano Marcondes and Sergi Canos.
Ferrier displayed his own class on the ball with a cheeky touch and turn around Chris Mepham, but his eventual strike was deflected away from goal.
The Bees then took the lead on 62 minutes, when Chiedozie Ogbene pulled the ball back for Macleod, who slammed his effort into the bottom corner.
A second trialist goalkeeper acrobatically pushed a powerful effort from Ogbene around the post and out of the top corner, to keep the Wood in the tie.
A trialist forward for the Wood then robbed the ball from the Bees midfield and charged in on goal, only to see his effort blocked by the defence.
