Boreham Wood 0 Staines Town 1 (From Borehamwood Times)

Boreham Wood 0 Staines Town 1

8:49pm Sunday 19th July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

Last year's Ryman League Play Off winners provided a tough battle for Ian Allinson's side, winning this tie courtesy of a well worked 37th minute strike by Howard Newton.

Ian Allinson handed ex- Barnet Academy player Rickelle Christian ninety minutes to prove his worth, with young PASE Captain John Clements also starting the game. Christian operated wide on the right, before reverting to right back after Jon Wordsworth hobbled out of the game in the second half, whilst Clements operated in front of goal alongside Sean Sonner.

Staines settled quickly and gave Wood little chance to exploit possession throughout. Several long range efforts from Gareth Risbridger flew close to the target, with Greg Morgan hitting an early shot on target that James Courtnage did well to hold.

Richard Butler then forced a double save from Wood custodian Tony Tucker, who then gathered a low drive from Newton.

Ryan Kirby was again faultless at the back for Wood, cancelling out Darti Brown's run into danger.

Wood strung twelve passes together that took them to every corner of the park, ending with Courtnage denying Mario Noto with an one handed save.

It was triallist Christian who was exploited by an intelligent move down the left, with Dean Thomas leaving the defender stranded, allowing Newton to curl home beyond Tucker.

Sonner went close to equalising when Noto's corner from the left was headed on by Wordsworth. Had Sonner's header found the top right hand corner of the net, Courtnage would have been powerless to do anything about it.

It seemed Sonner would be the likeliest to hit the elusive equaliser, again going close after the break when Morgan's cross from the left was flicked on by Clements.

However Wood lacked the sharpness displayed in the opening three matches.

The addition of Jamie Richards after 63 minutes certainly put added pressure on the Swans defence, forcing Courtnage to tip a 25 yard effort around the post for a corner.

Noto and Richards then combined with Leon Hunter close to forcing home the ex-Harlow Town's telling cross at the far post.

Elliot Onochie nearly made it two for the visitors his flicked header from a curling Marlon Patterson free kick, found Tucker in good form.

The last chance of the game fell to one Lorenz Ferrari, a late substitution by Allinson. He judged the flight of Noto's corner superbly and delivered a powerful header on target that drew an even more impressive point blank save from Courtnage, who is bizarrely The Swans third choice keeper.

Wood's concern after the game would have been the knocks picked up by Kevin Stephens, Morgan and Wordsworth who all had to make early exits from the action, adding to the workload of finding the third elusive striker required by the club.

Team: Tucker, Stephens (Hunter 63), Kirby, Wordsworth (Ujah 57), Christian, Morgan (Ferrari 77), Reynolds, Allinson, Noto, Sonner ( Okojie 63), Clements ( Richards 63).

Subs not used: Fraser.

JOHN MEAD

• Print
• Email
• Share