Boreham Wood found their goalscoring touch as they completed pre-season with a resounding 4-0 win at local National League South side Hemel Hempstead
Angelo Balanta got his first goal for the club after signing in midweek, but not before new Hemel signing Jake Robinson saw a fifth-minute penalty saved by Grant Smith.
Ricky Shakes added a second from close range after the restart before Anthony Jeffrey marked his loan return from Forest Green Rovers with a well-taken third. Fellow substitute Conor Clifford rattled in a fourth for Wood at the death.
Wood boss Luke Garrard began with the same side who started the goalless draw against Stevenage in midweek, meaning Adriano Moke was again deployed behind the newly-signed Balanta in a 4-4-1-1 system.
Trialist keeper Sam Beasant was missing from Wood’s bench having been offered a contract in the week. Beasant, son of Wimbledon legend Dave, was instead named as a replacement for Barnet in their clash against Oxford United.
Hemel included former Wood winger Graeme Montgomery – a hero of the club’s promotion to the National League in 2015 – in their starting XI.
The Tudors made the brighter start of the two and won a penalty after just five minutes when a push in the Boreham Wood area resulted in a spot kick. Robinson took the kick but Wood keeper Smith guessed correctly and dive to his left to push the ball out for a corner.
Montgomery, who left Meadow Park following the switch to daytime training last season, almost provided the breakthrough after 18 minutes. He crossed low from the left but his tantalising delivery evaded the boot of Robinson as he slid in.
Wood gradually came into the contest and had their best chance of the early exchanges when Moke’s cross from the left fell for Kenny Davis on the edge of the area. The former Braintree Town skipper struck but saw his effort blocked for a corner.
Hemel left-back Jack Kelly, who spent time on loan at Vauxhall Road from Nottingham Forest last term, then looped a cross to the back post for Robinson who leapt too early and nodded over.
The hosts were made to rue those misses when Boreham Wood took the lead after 38 minutes.
A quick free-kick released Bruno Andrade down the left-hand side and he crossed for the unmarked Balanta. Hemel stopper Jonny Henly blocked the initial effort but Balanta bundled home via ex-St Albans City defender James Kaloczi to give the visitors a slender half-time lead.
Having started the first period slowly Wood were at it from the early moments of the second half. They nearly doubled their lead when Balanta collected a well-worked short free-kick and chipped to the back post where Kelly headed off the line.
They got it right after six minutes of the second period though. A flowing move, which started with keeper Smith, was finished when Shakes tapped home with keeper Henly out of the equation.
A spate of substitutes disrupted proceedings at that point. However, one of the Hemel changes, Dan Walker, nearly pulled one back when he cut inside from the left and cracked a low effort towards the bottom corner which Smith did well to beat out.
The game was held up a few moments later when the referee ordered Hemel centre-back Jordan Rose off the field as the former Whitehawk defender had returned to the field as a rolling substitute.
Rose argued his case, stating Hemel had been allowed rolling substitutes in previous friendlies, and Wood boss Garrard even offered to play ten-v-ten for the remaining 30 minutes. The referee wouldn't relent and Hemel instead introduced youngster Joe Fitzgerald in his place.
Balanta forced Henly into a good save one-v-one before substitute Jeffrey, making his first appearance of pre-season due to a ankle injury, curled a sumptuous effort low beyond the Tudors keeper to kill the game off.
With four minutes remaining another substitute, Clifford, added some gloss to the scoreline by lashing into the top corner with aplomb.
Wood keeper Smith was called into action at the death to make a fine stop to deny Robinson following good build-up from the hosts.
The real business begins for Boreham Wood in a week’s time when Forest Green Rovers visit Meadow Park on the opening weekend of the National League season.
Hemel Hempstead Town: Henly; Kaloczi (Trialist 55), Johnson, Rose (Thorne 55 (Fitzgerald 69), Kelly (Asafu-Adjaye 55); Trialist (Taafe 55); McNamara, Potton (Trialist 55), Corcoran (Richens 55), Montgomery (Walker 55); Robinson.
Boreham Wood: Smith; Nunn, Stephens (B.Goodliffe 76), Paine, Devera (Woodards 65); Shakes, Ricketts (c), Davis (Clifford 65), Andrade; Moke (Jeffrey 65); Balanta.
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