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MATCH REPORT: BOREHAM WOOD VS YORK CITY

By Nathan Hodge

Both teams failed to make their chances pay in a match which really could have gone either way. A 1-1 draw at Meadow Park resulted with both sides having rattled the woodwork but due to poor finishing neither did enough to deserve the win.

A scrappy start to the game saw York City give the Wood chances from a few early set pieces but it was Sean Newton for the visitors who caused the first bit of trouble as his shot was deflected for a corner.

A good piece of play moments later also saw Newton send in a shot from just outside the Wood box but this time his effort flew over the bar.

The early pressure told as the Wood went a goal down in the 7th minute as Morgan-Smith tucked the ball away after a great run and pass by Jon Parkin. A ball over the top to Parkin was brought down well as he sold Paine with the dummy to play the ball to Morgan-Smith who was free on the edge of the box to put it beyond Grant Smith.

The early goal sparked the fight in the Wood as they started to enjoy nice passages of play together through Angelo Balanta and Morgan Ferrier which led to the York defence clearing the ball from their own area.

Moments later the York skipper Heslop found himself in yards of space running in to the box from the Wood’s left hand side, but his early shot failed to trouble Smith as it dribbled wide.

Both teams tried to cause problems with crosses in to the box, however the defences and goalkeepers stood firm and neither defence was initially troubled.

That said, a cross from Anthony Jeffrey did then cause confusion between the keeper and his defence allowing Ferrier to go around the keeper and put the ball into the net levelling for the Wood.

After the equaliser, the Wood seemed to be in control but York reminded them that they were still a threat as in the 32nd minute Newton struck again just outside the box, this time the shot going wide of Smith’s left post.

Another good ball through to Ferrier caused some problems but he could not take the opportunity. As the half wore on York went close twice with Oliver meeting a ball over the top but his volley stuck the side netting of Smith’s goal and then Heslop forcing blocks from the Wood’s defence.

Approaching half time Ferrier ran past three York players and delivered a great ball in but no one went to meet the cross meaning the chance was wasted.

The second half got underway and it started in much the same way with York playing a lot of long balls up to Parkin and Morgan-Smith. Two minutes after the restart York earned a throw in which led to a cross in to Parkin who took it beautifully volleying the ball on the turn but his effort hit the underside of the bar and bounced out.

The game opened up and both team’s intentions were clear as they swung cross after cross in to each other’s areas in search of a goal.

Newton found Parkin again, this time from a corner on the Wood’s left hand side, he struck the shot on the volley but it flew wide of Smith’s goal.

Good pressure saw the Wood retain possession in their own half and bring the ball out through Bruno Andrade and Jai Reason. The ball was played down the right to Ferrier who made a good run into the box but his touch let him down as he lost control putting it out for a goal kick.

Brilliant play from Tom Hitchcock and Andrade on the right led to Hitchcock being able to twist and turn past two defenders in the box but his touch let him down as he couldn’t get his shot away before Letheren smothered it. Jeffrey on the left beat a man and got the ball off to Balanta on the edge of York’s box but his shot was deflected on the way straight into the hands of Letheren. Wood went on the front foot in the 68th minute and York couldn’t clear their lines as the hosts got cross after cross into the box, the pressure was finally relieved as Jeffrey cut in from the left and fired over.

York finally got out of their own half and started to again look very threatening as Parkin got another chance but a good block from Devera led to a corner despite York appeals for handball. From the corner Bensherif, with his back to goal, tried an overhead kick which was superbly tipped over by Smith.

Wood were finally relieved of the pressure and went in search of a goal when Jeffrey again cut in from the left shot low and hit the woodwork.

It was an exciting finish to the game with both sides going all out for the win. With 12 left to go York went on the attack with a shot from Heslop being blocked and at the other end Balanta headed over after Ferrier and Andrade had linked well together.

Jeffrey, who had switched sides to the right, used some fancy footwork to get the ball past both Whittle and Newton breaking himself in to the box but his cross was too high although Andrade did pick up the loose ball on the left before firing over from 25 yards.

There was a big last minute scare for the Wood as a ball played across to Rooney allowed him to run past three Wood players on his way to the box but he failed to pull the trigger before a block could be thrown in ending with a goal kick to the Wood – Smith sent it up for the ref to blow for full-time at 1-1.

It was a hard earned point for both sides in a game which became quite enthralling as the second half wore on – it leaves Wood sitting in mid table and York six points away from safety after other results went against them.

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