7:51am Wednesday 20th August 2008
Boreham Wood, who only escaped relegation on a technicality last season, have made a perfect start to the new campaign.
New manager Ian Allinson has a 100 per cent record going into the Bank Holiday weekend, with two wins out of two.
Wood should have dropped from the Ryman League Premier Division after finishing in the final relegation spot, but the subsequent demotion of Halifax Town reprieved them.
And they have certainly made the most of it.
Saturday's 2-1 win at Tooting & Mitcham was followed up by a 2-0 home win over Hastings United on Tuesday. It is a fantastic start, which very few had predicted.
.
Boreham Wood 2 Hastings United 0 . . .
Ryman League Premier Division . . .
Greg Morgan's exquisite first-half strike and a late second goal from penalty-box specialist Eugene Ofori ensured hardworking Wood a second consecutive win.
Ian Allinson's side have left the bookies slashing the odds on their title chances after a stunning start to the new campaign.
Wood were comfortable winners, registering four shots on goal in the opening nine minutes of a game that started 45 minutes late, due to visitors Hastings having to arrive in taxis, after their coach had suffered a blow-out.
The same starting 11 was named in light of the stunning victory in Surrey three days earlier, and Wood were soon in the ascendancy. Chris Watters was in fine form, almost chipping Chris May from a pin-point clearance from Noel Imber, before powering with elegance through the defence to set up Elliot Buchanan with the deftest of balls. Buchanan struck sweetly and with power, only for May to save his side with a fine block.
Danny Barber continued the early assault, rifling in a deflected effort from a well-worked corner, before Mario Noto brought a fourth save out of May within the first ten minutes of the game, the classy attacking midfielder again showing an uncanny eye for goal with a low drive from distance.
The ability to turn defence into attack was illustrated on more than one occasion by the home side, with Buchanan and Noto committed in tracking back to quell any threat of counter attack.
Noto had three further reasonable attempts on goal, with the visitors showing little threat to Imber in return.
Morgan's opening goal, along with the two he bagged in pre-season, had more than an element of class about it.
It also typified the hunger and desire to win, something that was missing at the end of last season.
Luke Donnelly showed tenacity in the centre of the park, snatching possession inside his own half and feeding the omnipresent and skillful Noto. His magnificent ball forward, crafted with the outside of the boot, curled perfectly into the path of the 21-year-old, who, with scarcely a second to hesitate with a defender bearing down, executed the perfect first-time lob over the outrushing May, giving Wood a deserved lead after 24 minutes.
Wood were well worth their half-time lead, with Noto continuing to conjure up all sorts of problems for the visitors whenever he had the ball at his feet.
Paul Burrows turned in another cavalier performance operating at right back, whilst Jon Wordsworth gobbled up everything that came his way, leaving Ollie Adedeji, Saturday's hero, with precious little to do.
Danny Barber latched on to a short-corner move, hitting a rising drive just over the bar from 25 yards, before Watters found space to hit a fierce shot across goal and just over.
Sub Ofori kept up his remarkable record of scoring in every game he has played for Wood, this being his fourth appearance.
In the 85th minute, Lee Allinson delivered a low free kick towards the goalline from the left. May managed to repel the effort, only for Ofori to form the perfect posture to force his entire body weight behind the ball, executing an unstoppable volley that secured Wood all three points.
WOOD: Imber, Burrows, Barber, Wordsworth, Adedeji (Donovan 67), Donnelly, Morgan, Allinson, Buchanan (Ofori 80), Noto, Watters.
Subs not used: Burgess, Juneja, Lewis.
JOHN MEAD
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.borehamwoodtimes.co.uk