Boreham Wood 0 Crystal Palace 4 (From Borehamwood Times)

Boreham Wood 0 Crystal Palace 4

9:22am Friday 10th July 2009

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Wood gave a good account of themselves in this prestige curtain raiser to the season against a sharp and athletic Palace side made up of first team squad players and triallists.

Whilst the Palace defence marshalled by Paddy Kisnorbo, a triallist from Leicester City, was just too strong for Ian Allinson's side, the part timers created some fine passages of play, particularly impressing in midfield, where Joe Reynolds stood out with a fine performance.

There were positive signs from new signing Jamie Richards up front for Wood, allowing Sean Sonner to create a number of half chances. In defence Wood did extremely well, with Yemi Atta in particular quelling the threat of Sean Scannell in the first half.

A long range effort from Hakeem Adelakum hit a testing low drive from distance that bought a fine one handed stop from the Impressive Tony Tucker in the Wood goal.

Chris Watters who never seems to look out of place against any opposition provided a constant threat to the Championship side.

Tucker then produced a superb stop to deny triallist Goran Maric, with Curtis Ujah on hand to block Scannell's follow up on the line, before the breakthrough came after 27 minutes.

Kieran Djalili hit a telling cross from the left which sailed over Tucker falling invitingly for Maric who headed home.

Four minutes later and the South London visitors increased their lead from a left sided corner delivered by triallist Danny McGuire. Johannes Ertz who was a constant threat in the box throughout arrived at the near post striking a glancing header of real quality beyond Tucker.

The move was replicated in the dying moments of the first half, this time from the right, with Ertz's effort this time spectacularly clawed to safety by Tucker, only for Djilali to react quickest to the loose ball firing home Palace's third from close range.

The second half heralded the arrival of ex Wood striker Simon Thomas who shot at Tucker with his second touch after just 15 seconds of being on the field.

Then came Wood's best effort of the evening, when Sonner dispossessed Michael Abnett to supply Richards. He dragged the ball onto his left foot hitting a curling rising drive that flew just over the bar.

Dee Okojie, a second half Wood substitute showed his lightning pace with a run and shot that was wide of the mark, before Thomas stuck to the script with a superb goal for The Eagles after 59 minutes.

Reynolds committed a rare mistake with an ill measured ball that Thomas pounced upon before clinically finding the corner of the net. Thereafter the difference in fitness levels between the two sides was apparent, yet Wood prevented any further embarrassment, which gave the score line a fair reflection of the contest.

For Ian Allinson it was purely a fitness exercise. “ You can never expect to learn too much in these extremely difficult games against professional sides. It was a case of the recently assembled squad getting it together and improving fitness. I was disappointed that we gave away two goals to set pieces at a time when we were playing our best football. That said I thought Curtis Ujah was immense at the back tonight and Dee Okojie is a very exciting prospect given the pace he showed. It is also clear that the signing of Tony Tucker is an absolute bonus for the club!”

Team: Tucker, Atta, Kirby, Reynolds, Ujah, Hunter, Morgan ( Okojie 45), Allinson ( Highton 45), Richards ( Christian 73), Sonner, Watters ( Whitely 73).

Subs not used: Stephens.

Goals: Crystal Palace: Maric 27, Ertz 31, Djilali 45, Thomas 59.

JOHN MEAD

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