A view from the other side: Non League Day and why you should get involved.

Whilst I am away in North Dorset this weekend, you could be taking my place at Non League Day. Our friend over at Whitmarsh's whiskers explains the background behind the scheme, as well as offering advice as to where to spend your hard earned:

This weekend sees the return of Non League Day after its successful introduction last season. With the Championship and Premier League fixtures not happening because of the international break, and England playing on Friday evening against Bulgaria, Non League clubs up and down the country are offering promotions to fans of these clubs to come and sample the delights of grass roots football in the hope that they enjoy themselves and come back from time to time.

The idea was the brainchild last year of James Doe, who watches Harrow Borough when he’s not following QPR, and was enthusiastically backed by many clubs. Hendon were one such club and benefited from perhaps 15-20 extra people through the gate for our home match against Carshalton Athletic last season. Although it’s questionable whether or not we benefited in the long run particularly, but that extra £100 does make a real difference to a club like Hendon, who rely completely on whatever income they can generate through sponsorship and Matchday revenue.

Those who did attend Vale Farm in September last year weren’t treated to a classic by any means – the game was settled late on by a spectacular scissors volley from Mariusz Serwin in Hendon’s favour – but it gave fans who may not be used to Non League football the chance to sample what its like and just how it differs when you can get ‘that’ close to the action.

This season Hendon, who are owned fully by the Supporters Trust, have had to move their top of the table clash with Lewes, who are a Community owned club, to the Sunday due to Wembley’s FA Cup commitments. This, I hope, will work in our favour as we will be able to target fans of those clubs in League 1 and League 2 as well as those higher up the pyramid, and given our location close to the Overground, Jubilee Line and Picadilly Line, Vale Farm is quite easily accessible to fans of a number of clubs. The game has even been advertised on the 1st QPR Supporters Trust website. Any publicity is good publicity (perhaps this piece might help a little too!).

Why then, if you’re a fan of a club in the big leagues, should you bother with the pub stuff served up at level 6, 7 or lower. You may just be surprised. Reasonably priced beer (at some clubs even allowed on the terraces), decent food that hasn’t been vacuum packed, the ref able to actively hear you question the quality of his parentage, the lumbering number 5 with his belly hanging over his shorts, the mercurial 37 year old ex pro who now fancies himself as a ‘libero’, the 18 year old livewire up front who wants to be the next Jermaine Beckford or DJ Campbell, real terrace wit that makes players laugh from time to time, linesmen enjoying a joke with the supporter who tracks him up and down the touchline to confirm every offside decision, the archetypal unwashed anorak that seems to breed under the terraces of every Non League club, sharing a post match pint with the manager and players in the bar and the odd bit of genuine quality. If none of that is enough to whet your appetite, then perhaps the promise of 90 minutes football for the price of a bottle of beer at Wembley Stadium will do the trick. Just consider that when your missus is pointing out the shelves that you still haven’t put up, or the overgrown hedge in the garden that really really needs cutting back or even, heaven forbid, when sheasks you to go shopping for a new outfit for the Xmas party season already. I think you know what’s right.

Of course, I would urge anyone at a loose end to come and watch Hendon on Sunday. Admission for anyone who holds a season ticket or ticket stub from a League club this season will be just £5, as opposed to our full price of £9. Full details can be found on the front page of http://www.hendonfc.net . If you’re unable to come down on Sunday but still fancy a game on Saturday, then all fixtures and promotional details being run by various clubs can be found on the Non League Day website http://www.nonleagueday.co.uk

Try it, you might just enjoy it.

Many thanks to Whitmarsh's whiskers, a blog I can heartily recommend following Hendon FC and life in the Ryman Premier. It really is a great read about a great little club. Let's hope some of you out there take up the chance to go out and support your local team this weekend.

First Win + Another Defeat = Topsy Turvy Bank Holiday Weekend For Wood, plus news and views.

It's been a busy few days so let's get straight into it...

WE WON! WE FINALLY WON! Here's how the day unfolded:

I arrived in Borehamwood on Saturday afternoon nursing quite the hangover, and was relieved to say the least when my brother offered me a lift to the game (It's a 15 minute walk, but I was just getting over the brick wall). With kick off approaching within the next fifteen minutes, we took advantage of my FREE CAR PARK SPACE and pulled up at the ground. Optimistic of a positive result, I took my now traditional seat behind the home dugout (for optimum comedy moments) and waited for the game to begin (My brother had to stifle his laughter as the players lined up to face at most 75 people in the main stand during the pleasantries before kick off).

Wood put out one of their strongest sides so far this season, with their (hopefully) now established defensive line of Brathwaite, O' Loughlin, Wilkinson and Sankofa providing the steel at the back, McMahon pulling the strings in midfield and the tireless David Bryant giving his all supporting the forwards. The only surprising admission was Pelly Ruddock, who started on the bench after impressing so much in the previous fixture at home against Basingstoke, replaced in the side by Simeon Akinola,

It only took four minutes for my hangover to intensify ten fold when a complete lack of communication between Elvis Putnins and his defence allowed Alex Osborn to fire home from close range. I must admit I lost my rag a bit (I know, I'm such a rational person normally), with my anger aimed directly at our loanee goalkeeper. For all his qualities (and he showed many of them in this game) he simply has to be more dominant in his area. Don't let your defender make his mind up, get rid of the bloody ball. Argh, it can be so frustrating seeing these same simple mistakes undermine the teams performance, yet I suppose I should sort of be used to it by now. Sharpen up Elvis, before you leave us in the Heartbre..... no I'm too good for that. In his defence he almost redeemed himself shortly afterwards with a fantastic one handed save after more hesitancy at the back, but still - lessons must be learned from if we are to improve.

Do you know what else cropped up again in this game? AWFUL REFEREEING. I know I say this every week but this referee was easily the worst I have seen at every level. I'm surprised it didn't end in a situation like this, such was the quality of the officiating. It got to the point where I had to sit back and laugh at this incredibly inept attempt to keep order, whilst both sets of benches were left caught between dumbfounded and auditioning for a role in Sexy Beast 2. The players took the leniency as an indication to kick lumps out of each other, and at times I was surprised that the game didn't end up 9 vs 9. Whilst I am all up for a game with a few meaty challenges (check out the fight at 1:23), there was obvious recklessness going out on the field, and it wasn't only physical. Daryl McMahon took offence at one of the referee's many poor calls and openly shouted in his face, along with pointing his finger. Mario Noto came over to restrain and calm the fiery Irishman, and even then it took a while for him to simmer, luckily escaping with a yellow card in the process.

Thankfully, McMahon channeled his aggression and from here on in gave his best performance of the season so far. He was everywhere, looking for the ball, wanting set pieces, backheeling past defenders and looking generally a cut above the rest. In the 25th minute, Mario Noto won a free kick on the edge of Thurrock's half. McMahon took it and placed it beautifully onto the head of the towering Luke Wilkinson, who firmly headed it home to level up the scores. Wilkinson has quickly re-established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet and is a natural leader at the heart of the defence. In fact, I would be very surprised if he wasn't recalled by January, but fingers crossed he'll stay at Meadow Park. I mean, it's got to be nicer than Dagenham, hasn't it?

After the referee failed to give the most blatant spot kick of all time for a foul on David Bryant (imagine Ronald Koeman on David Platt, except Koeman is actually a professional wrestler and spears Platt to the ground), and Inih Effiong wasted at least 187 goal scoring chances (more on him later), Wood took the lead. Effiong's quick free kick released McMahon, whose trickery bought him enough time to put in a superb cross with his weaker right foot onto David Bryant's head, who made no mistake to pick up his second goal in as many games. Wood went in at half time good value for their lead.

We were joined at half time by Brooner, who cycled from Caledonian Road to catch the second half. Yep. He cycled. From Caledonian Road. To Meadow Park. I can't even walk up a flight of stairs without the need for an oxygen tank, let alone ride a bloody bike from Holloway to Hertfordshire. I recovered from this stunning revelation by enjoying a well earned burger and cup of tea. Burger was pretty good, as I come to expect now, and the tea was a pleasant surprise, as I could tailor it to my milky and sugary needs , and even use a teaspoon! I'll be popping over there again next half time.

After watching 20 minutes of the second half from behind the goal (a novel approach that resulted in exactly 0 goal scoring chances), we returned to our usual place to see out the game and Wood's first valuable three points of the season. Outside of the ever ludicrous display from the man in black and his Chuckle brother assistants, the only real chance to add to Wood's tally came from substitute Pelly Ruddock, who broke away following a Thurrock corner, only to take one touch too many, allowing the Thurrock keeper to block his attempt. When the final whistle blew, the sense of relief was noticeable among the players and management side (NB:Darren Currie is great value on the sidelines), as well as the pitiful attendance, which may have been the lowest I have seen at a game, yet was reported to be in the 180 range. Must have included both teams, all the backroom staff, the catering and the PA then.

Positives from this game - the defence looked good again, and Wilkinson and O'Loughlin again looked to be forming a decent partnership. But the star of the show was Daryl McMahon, who finally began to show his true class with a great display and two assists. Great stuff.

Negatives - here we go.....

It's perhaps a bit harsh to start laying into Wood after their first win, but there were some noticeable faults out there:

• Elvis Putnins' lack of command in his area, which cost us an early goal.
• Mario Noto and Daryl McMahon cannot play together: Play one, but two creative midfielders who want to play the ball in midfield sometimes leaves us stretched, as noted on this day. A true Lampard/Gerrrard conundrum for Ian Allinson.
• Inih Effiong: I could have written a whole post about how apathetic Inih was in this game. This was a true non league Emmanuel Adebayor performance, meaning that there was largely no effort and a lot of attitude. Inih is only 19 but could play at a higher level if he put in a bit of graft and actually ran a bit. Lamentable finishing aside, the amount of times where wide men would get the ball into a decent area only to see Effiong trundling up to the edge of the box was so frustrating it was unreal. My general feeling of ill will towards him was only heightened by the news that St Albans are to be paid compensation after The FA ruled in their favour after a lengthy row (see my previous posts for full details).

Wood lined up as follows:

Team: Putnins, Sankofa, Brathwaite, Bryant, Wilkinson, O’Loughlin, Akinola (Sub – Ruddock 76 mins.), McMahon, Effiong (Sub – Palmer 81 mins.), Noto, Hurrell.

Subs (Not used): O’Leary, Smith, Hunter.

As has been the case with Wood this season, my hopes were too high for their trip to Staines, who were languishing below Wood in the league on Bank Holiday Monday. Staines shot out of the blocks and were comfortable 2-1 winners, with Simeon Akinola scoring the consolation goal in injury time, his first for the club. The match report can be found here.

Whilst I was not at the game (and there is a good reason, which will be shared with you fine readers next week), I was disappointed to read that Stephen O'Leary, a recent signing from (eurgh) Luton, failed to turn up for the game after only one match for Boreham Wood. I am yet to hear the reasoning behind the no show, but I can only assume it must have been serious for such a poor show of professionalism. To add to Wood's woes, Elvis Putnins was injured in the warm up, leaving Michael Jordan, who I believe had been told to find a club to go out on loan to, to make his first appearance of the season. Wood boss lamented the side's poor display up front (again), stating,

"Our forward play was poor all afternoon as we are playing off the back foot all the time. Add to that the fact that some of the team are giving away possession in key areas continuously we need to evaluate where we are as quickly as possible.”

Wood now find themselves languishing in 20th place, and 'quickly as possible' will come this weekend, as Wood travel to Weston Super Mare, a game I am gutted I cannot be at as I am at the End of The Road festival, like the awful Non-League fan that I am. In brighter news the Staines game saw Mark Jones make his debut for Wood, having joined from Braintree, where he spent 11 successful years. Welcome aboard Mark!

That's it from me for today, and this week - but there will be another post before I depart, as a fellow Non League fan tells you why you should spend a day this weekend at Non League Day, and in particular, Hendon FC.

As always, feedback is appreciated, and your continued support even more so. I've got a really exciting post coming up next week which should make for some good reading if I say so myself, and hopefully this will be the start of this blog really going somewhere! I can be reached here on on twitter @wearethewood.

Until next time....

WE ARE THE WOOD!

Basingstoke, Better Performances and a BBC Appearance - Things Are Looking Up

Well, I hadn't quite expected the week to have gone quite the way it has...

As I pondered in my last entry, stranger things have happened than the prospect of Wood (played 2, 0 wins, 2 defeats, goal difference -5) going to league leaders Woking and coming away with a good result, and it turned out I was right, as Wood came back home with a very good point, as well as a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. Sadly, due to my removal man being delayed I didn't get all my stuff into my new home until 2:30, thus missing the game. This was of course a blessing in disguise as I have not exactly been a good luck charm thus far, and by all accounts Wood gave an excellent account for themselves, creating eleven chances in the game at The Kingfield Stadium, exactly eleven more than I had seen in their first two games of the season (I jest).

As discussed before, with the spine of the team missing against Bromley Wood were easy pickings, but the return of Luke Wilkinson and Super Mario Noto brought a sense of calm to the team, with Wilkinson picking up the Man of The Match award after another accomplished display. I feel a bit of a fraud reporting on a game that I wasn't at, so the report from Wood's official site can be found here. The only other thing to add (according to what I have read of course) to the game was that Wood could have won if Inih Effiong had converted one of his host of chances created on Saturday. Still, a great point in anyone's book, with Wood showing some great unity at the back and flair going forward. Most encouraging.

Monday saw my return to league action, with the visit of Basingstoke to Meadow Park. I got there early so I could FINALLY pick up my season ticket, after seemingly every passport photo machine in London and Borehamwood was knackered. Stepping into one of the portacabins used for the PASE scheme as well as a general office for the physio etc, I stumbled upon Daryl McMahon, Darren Currie and Luke Garrard doing their day jobs (McMahon and Currie waiting for a training session to start, Garrard taking care of PASE matters), with a decent bit of banter flying about, even at the expense of yours truly ('Big Browne to his friends' was one of the comments). Such a dressing room insider, I know.

Whilst waiting for my season ticket to be laminated, I listened to Garrard explain his injury to one of the PASE academy students, and was saddened to hear that it was a partial tear of the achilles (is that my first EXCLUSIVE?), and that he was due to see a specialist this week. After passing on my best wished to the club captain ('Get well soon Luke!') I had time for a quick trip to pick up my post (not a euphamism) and then headed back to Meadow Park for the visit of Basingstoke.

I decided to shake things up a little bit and sit somewhere different for the game (I know, I've always lived on the edge), and it was as if fate had lead me to my seat as before kick off I was asked by the man sitting next to me, 'Has Effiong played league football?' This in itself would have been mildly ludicrous as it was without the fact that the man asking me had an almost gruff European accent. Answering in the negative, I began to chat about Inih and his transfer saga, and amazingly my new found friend did not immediately get up and leave the stadium. It turned out that this man (Peter) had come all the way from Switzerland to have a 3 week British football tour, taking in at least one game every day if possible, and that Meadow Park was the 675th European ground he had visited! Over the 90 minutes we had a fascinating discussion over the grounds he had been to (every ground in the top 7 tiers of English Football, all 4 divisions in Scotland, was just about to complete the top two leagues in Wales, all of the Irish Premier League grounds in both South and North, the list went on and on), best games he had seen (Switzerland 4- Sweden 2 in Hodgson's reign), other friends who did the same (a German lady who had been to FIVE THOUSAND GROUNDS) and favourite grounds in England (sadly he said Anfield with the old kop). I could have sat with this man for a good few days and just chatted football, and I was sad when we had to part ways. Peter, best of luck to you my friend, and I hope you enjoyed Kettering tonight,

The first half was very tight, with both defences performing superbly, especially both pairs of centre backs. Luke Wilkinson again looked outstanding for Wood, and his partnership with Charlie O'Loughlin looks to be the start of something very special for Wood. In midfield, Super Mario was back and looking to pull the strings, with new signing from Luton Stephen O'Leary replacing the injured Daryl McMahon. They were joined by the fantastic Pelly Ruddock, who even at the tender age of 18 looked very much the part down the right hand side, both going forward and in defence, where his last ditch challenged foiled David Pratt (a true Sensible Soccer name) from opening the scoring. His link up play with Osei Sankofa was at times telepathic, and can hopefully be built on as the season progresses. Up front, Effiong looked good in spells and downright lazy in others. His physical strength was such that he was constantly targeted from the Basingstoke defence, who climbed over him at every opportunity, but he was not protected as the evenings game was officiated by Mr Bean. I could rant for 1,000 words as to the amazing incompetency of the match officials but I fear it would be revisiting old ground, so I won't. Still, Christ almighty the officiating was dreadful. The teams went in at half time 0-0, with Effiong's turn and run from the halfway line resulting in a limp finish being the main highlight of the half, outside of the Some Mothers Do 'Ave Em school of refereeing.

Going into the second period, and with my conversation with Peter showing no signs of petering out (that pun is wasted on you guys), the game began to open up as both teams started to look for what would likely be the winner. After a couple of chances for Wood, Basingstoke went ahead with an absolute pig's ear of a goal, coming from Delano Sam-Yorke following a scrambled corner. 'FFS' as the kids say, and I was now facing the real prospect of another game without seeing a goal or evn a draw this season. Thankfully, the evening was about to change in a grand manner.

After 347 minutes of league football, Mario Noto's corner was met with a fine header from David Bryant, the smallest man on the field, to send the home support into rapture. Finally we had seen a goal, and it was well deserved for Wood's endeavour in the second half. Just as Bryant's equaliser hit the back of the net, my phone rang with the second significant question of the evening,

'Hi Richard, are you ready to go on The Non League Show in a couple of minutes?'

Yes my friends, I made an appearance on BBC Radio London's Non League show with Caroline Baker, giving my views of the game, the season so far and a few other bits and bobs. It was an absolute pleasure to be on the show, and whilst I was put on the spot with the opening question, I think I handled myself fairly admirably. You can judge for yourself and listen to the whole show over at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/nonleague

(I appear at the 59 minute mark - the show also appears on itunes so you can download the podcast and have my dulcet tones on your MP3 Player FOREVER)

The game ended up fizzling out into a 1-1 draw, but still, first home point, first goal and an appearance on BBC Radio London? I'll take that for an evenings work. I wished Peter all the best with his travels before heading home, furiously ringing the people who would care about me being on the radio (my parents and my girlfriend). To round it all off, I met a man at the train station who was over from NORWAY to see English football. My brain almost melted, but I managed to hold a similar conversation as I had with Peter. Ole, hope you enjoyed Hayes and Yeading.

Ian Allinson told the club's website afterwards that it was:

“A pleasing result given the quality of the opposition. We did not give up and had several players lacking match fitness. Stephen O’Leary missed the whole of last Season, Sam Hurrell has been away in America and Mario Noto has just missed three weeks through injury. Our defensive work is good, now we need to work on improving things in front of goal as a priority. I am looking forward to the team firing on all cylinders.”

Can't really add to that much more, Wood are looking good at the back (Puntins was again excellent and hopefully we can keep hold of him until the end of the season) but need some work going forward. Hopefully with a full strength team returning and some work on finishing, Wood can start getting the wheels in motion for a better season after a rocky start.

Man of the Match - a three way tie between Luke Wilkinson, Charlie O'Loughlin and Pelly Rudoock. Wilkinson and O'Loughlin were dominant at the back, and Ruddock was easily Wood's best player going forward, and with a bit more composure could have added a goal and an assist to his performance. Good stuff all round.

Wood lined up as follows:

Putnins, Sankofa, Brathwaite, O’Leary, Wilkinson, O’Loughlin, Ruddock (Sub – Akinola 80 mins.), Bryant, Effiong (Sub – Palmer 78 mins.), Noto, Hurrell (Sub – Hunter 90 mins.).

This Saturday sees Thurrock come to town (presumably to mock The Boulevard), and a full report will be up next week. As always, thanks for reading and feedback is always welcomed. Please continue to share this among your friends/forums/freemason groups - get the word out there! I can be found in the comments page below, or on twitter @wearethewood.

Until next time.....

WE ARE THE WOOD!

Bromley 4 Boreham Wood 0 : Woof. Woking up next.

Well, this certainly wasn’t the start I was expecting….

I arrived in Bromley South just after 6pm on Monday night, eagerly awaiting Wood’s first away fixture of the season. After meeting Thom, we headed for the local Lloyd’s bar where we were joined by his sister and his dad, to give the evening a true family feel. Dinner was quickly consumed (mixed grill and a pint for £6.50, VALUE) and we headed off to catch the short bus up to Hayes Lane, home of Bromley FC.

The first thought that came into my head was that the long driveway up to the ground made it look like you were going to a driving range, not a Blue Square South game. That aside I was very impressed with the facilities on hand. Whilst I am still trying to get to grips with paying £12 for tier 6 football, the ground itself was quite the delight. As soon as you enter through the main turnstiles you are met with a burger van, an ice cream van and a programme shed. Having just inhaled a mixed grill I was quite alright for snacks, but was sad to see that all the programmes had sold out. Maybe Wood are a bigger draw than I thought (Not that it was reflected in the travelling support, who were about 30 at most).

Despite my disappointment at the lack of programmes, I was delighted with Bromley’s selection of bars. The first bar we visited was ‘The Sports Bar’, and sat just inside the halfway line. With it’s designated area outside for drinking, it was refreshing to have a pint whilst watching the game, something which strangely was not allowed at Meadow Park on Saturday. Turns out I should have asked for something a lot stronger than a Strongbow, as Wood were run absolutely ragged for 90% of the game.

With Saturday’s Man Of The Match Luke Wilkinson joining Luke Garrard, Mario Noto and Simeon Akinola on the treatment table, Wood were left without the core spine of their team and it showed. A bright start saw Darren Currie round the Bromley keeper and cut back from a tight angle, but Ali Chaaban was not quick enough to react and the chance went begging. Chaaban spent a lot of the first half looking threatening but without any penetration, and often found himself running into blind alleys and losing possession, much to the annoyance of his team mates, who had made their feelings more than clear against Havant in regards to his dilly dallying on the ball. Wood’s only other good chance of the half fell to David Bryant following good work from Daryl McMahon, but his effort was blocked by the legs of Dean Santangelo (great name).

After Wood’s good start, Bromley took the lead against the run of play and never looked back. The opener came in the twenty second minute when poor defending from Charlie O Loughlin allowed a long clearance to fall into the path of Hakeem Araba, who finished with aplomb. It was all uphill for Wood afterwards, but they somehow managed to weather the storm and go in at half time only one down. Surely some harsh words at half time would do the trick?

At half time we took the opportunity to sample the delights of Bromley’s other bar, which gave us both a nice pint and a view of the pitch, albeit behind some thick glass rendering any atmosphere outside impotent to those upstairs. A projector screen was showing the Arsenal vs Udinese game, and whilst both of my teams were struggling, at least Arsenal were 1-0 up. Hoping for a change in fortunes we headed back pitchside for the second half.

Having not learned my lesson from the first half , I should have ordered a pint of Gin to help alleviate what was to follow. Bromley shot out of the blocks and Wood were second best in every department. Their second came eight minutes into the second half, and sadly Elvis Putnins (whom the family with me had a vested interest in being ardent QPR supporters), was at fault, letting a very comfortable effort from Danny Hockton somehow get past him. A real ‘Chocolate Wrists’ moment for the Latvian Under 21 international who otherwise was the standout performer for Wood, and in fact made one of the best saves I have ever seen live (only behind this), tipping a goalbound Bromley header onto the bar from all of 3 yards out. He was exposed time and time again by a poor Wood backline missing any real leadership but repelled at least six clear goal scoring chances, and whilst his distribution was better, his lack of communication with his defence could have been punished further. Maybe I am being overly critical, but certainly food for thought.

Following the second goal, Wood reverted to a disastrous 3-4-3 formation, with dire consequences. Following an exceptional block from Daniel Brathwaite which saved a certain third, Orlando Smith (another great name) danced through the Wood defenced and fired an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. Game, set and match, and even I had to applaud the goal, even if the Robbie Keane-esque forward roll was unnecessary in celebration. By this point Inih Effiong had replaced the largely ineffective Ollie Palmer, with Pelly Ruddock coming into the fray, replacing Darren Currie. Neither offered any hope of even a brief comeback, and Bromley went on to complete the rout with what was described as a ‘David Beckham style’ goal from Gareth Williams from a local fan. I had unfortunately missed the final nail in the coffin as I was in the toilet.

Wood lined up as follows:

Putnins, Sankofa, Brathwaite, Yala (Sub – Lawal 64 mins.), O’Loughlin, Hunter, Bryant, Chaaban, Palmer (Sub – Effiong 62 mins.), McMahon, Currie (Sub – Ruddock 62 mins.).

Subs (Not used): Jordan, Walker.

All in all, pretty terrible stuff. Bromley were as good as Wood were poor, although in their defence Wood were missing 3 key players in Garrard, Noto and Wilkinson, and I believe with their experience and leadership they would have made a big difference. Man of The Match was undoubtedly Elvis Putnins, who kept the scoreline from become a cricket one with a series of fine stops. Again, up front Ali Chaaban continued to frustrate, and in midfield Daryl McMahon has not shown his true class yet in a competitive match, whilst Charlie Hunter, despite being very good in possession and surprisingly in the tackle, just doesn’t have the physical presence yet to make a real difference in the centre of the park. I feel for him as he hasn’t received too much protection in there, so hopefully Luke Garrard’s absence is not too long so he can slot back into his position in the middle of the park. Creatively, Noto was missed again, especially in set piece delivery, and whilst Darren Currie looked good again it is unreasonable to expect a 36 year old to complete 180 minutes in the space of a few days. Official match report and reaction can be found here.

Bromley Ratings:

Ground: 7/10 - Nice and friendly, covered, good pitch

Bars: 8/10 - Choice of two, big screens, views of pitch, outside drinking allowed

Location: 6/10 - Short bus ride from Bromley South station, which is 20 minutes from Victoria.

Main Gripe - Programmes sold out!

Things are going to get harder for Wood before they get easier, with a trip to title favourites Woking on Saturday. Christ almighty. Woking have got off to a 100% start, with a 5-0 demolition of Sutton United on the opening day followed by a 2-1 on Monday evening against Hampton and Richmond. Playing flowing, attractive football, Woking possess a number of dangerous players in their ranks, including former Fulham and Leicester striker Elvis Hammond, former Pompey man Paris Cowen-Hall and tricky winger Dale Binns, of whom I have heard a lot about from various Hendon and Lewes fans. It’s a big ask for Wood to travel there and come away with a result, but stranger things have happened and hopefully we’ll have a number of key players back and can at the very least give a decent account of ourselves.

Sadly I will not be at the game, as I am moving house this weekend. Booooo. This could turn out to be a positive for Wood, as I have been a jinx so far this season. That being said, I expect to be moved by 1pm on Saturday, and I am only two stops on the tube from Waterloo. Hmmmmmmmmm……

As always, thank you for reading and please continue to share amongst friends and fans alike. Over the next few weeks I will hopefully have some exciting pieces coming up, but I’ll keep those under wrap for the time being as I do not want to jinx myself. Comments, feedback are welcome, and I can be found on twitter @wearethewood. Thanks for the continued support from all of you out there.

Until next time….

WE ARE THE WOOD!

Boreham Wood 0 Havant and Waterlooville 1: Not good enough

The first day of a new football season brings about a wide range of emotions. Optimism, excitement, even despair - the spectrum of feelings is varied to say the least.

I awoke on Saturday morning extremely excited. In fact, I was so excited that I got up at 8am when I had been longing for a lie in all week. Not being able to nod back off, I got out of bed, showered, had breakfast and headed off to get my hair cut all before 9:30am. After my lethargy towards football over the final four months of last season, I was taken aback by just how thrilled I was that it was the opening day of the season. But that's what the opening day of the season does to you - it lures you in with a false sense of security that things are going to be different and then kicks you square between the legs and delivers the same old rubbish but on a different day in a different setting.

I'll make no bones about this - the 180 minutes of Wood vs Havant and Waterlooville followed by Newcastle vs Arsenal was absolutely offensive, but at least I was half expecting the first game to be pretty bad. I can only apologise to my companions for the day, who took the feast of bad football with good grace and never complained once.

Onto the game - Wood lined up with a couple of new faces in the side. With Mario Noto in the stands (and sporting a very smart suit), new player/assistant manager Darren Currie lined up in midfield to add a creative spark, and to my surprise, completed a full 90 minutes. Despite his aging legs, Currie looked very good and you could tell that he has that extra bit of class that comes with a long career in league football. He always appeared to have an extra few seconds on the ball, but was sadly let down by his team mates, and let his obvious frustrations show on more than one occasion, mainly at Ali Chaaban, whose constant need to take five touches too many seemed to grate on Currie.

He was joined in the side by Latvian Under 21 International Elvis Putnins, who returned to the club on loan from QPR, leaving Michael Jordan, who had largely impressed during pre-season, on the bench. Whilst his ability to come and claim crosses was far superior to what I have seen from Jordan, his distribution left a lot to be desired. In fact, on more than one occasion it was dreadful. When the home side were pushing for an equaliser, there were times when Putnins could not have gotten rid of the ball any slower, and it looked like his confidence had been knocked following a number of poor clearances.

Putnins didn't stand a chance with Havant's winner, which came after only two minutes. Lee Peacock, who I noted in my last blog as Havant's key dangerman, blasted the ball into the top corner from the penalty spot following Craig Braham-Barrett's cut back. It was the worst possible start, especially after Luke Garrard, captain for the day, limped off in the first minute after over exerting himself in a foray forward. Wood never really recovered from this early double blow, and with a well organised Havant side closing off play very effectively, the game was as good as finished within the first few minutes.

That's not to say it was all bad, just mostly. Luke Wilkinson impressed after taking the armband, and looked very composed on the ball and in the air, and even added a sense of urgency going forward when Wood began to chase the game. Despite a surprisingly quiet game, Daryl McMahon almost produced a piece of magic midway through the first half with a thunderous free kick that came off the upright with the Havant keeper scrambling across his goalmouth. Unfortunately he then spent the rest of the game committing a series of reckless fouls, culminating in an awful lunge from behind late on that should have really seen red. The more eagle eyed readers among you will have noticed that this isn't the first time I have said this about the Irishman. Needless to say tackling is not his forte, and no, I don't mean that in a chuckling 'Paul Scholes can't tackle' whilst he maimed another opponent - I mean McMahon really needs to watch his challenges if he doesn't want to watch more games from the stands.

The only other positives on the pitch came from the introduction of Olly Palmer for the largely anonymous Inih Effiong. Almost immediately after his introduction, Palmer created a fine chance for Pelly Ruddock with a deft movement away from his marker. Unfortunately Ruddock could only fire straight at the keeper. Palmer then had a couple of chances that resulted in him heading against the crossbar from about a yard out, which was less than he deserved for his industrious efforts after coming off the bench. I look forward to seeing more of the loan man in action.

Havant, to their credit, were an extremely well organised team and this was the difference between the two teams, with Wood largely playing like a team of strangers, with Noto especially missed from the side. Solid in defence, good on the break and adept at holding onto the ball, they were deserved winners on the day. They should also be commended for their travelling support, who brought a huge flag and were in good voice all through the game. One of them was even sporting a jester hat. This was probably my highlight of the second half. I think that if Wood had of played for another 90 minutes, they wouldn't have scored, and that is credit to The Hawks for a very solid display.

Another thing that dawned on me was that the difference between league and non league football is not just seen in the players or in the facilities - it also stretches to the officials. Even though it didn't end up having a huge impact on the game, the referee and his two assistants were absolutely dreadful. I mean, hilariously so. They felt the wrath of both managers on occasion, and it was entirely deserved. I don't advocate severe abuse or intimidation of officials, but I feel both managers were well within their rights to show their anger here. A truly inept showing.

Wood lined up as follows:

Team: Putnins, Sankofa, Brathwaite, Hunter, Wilkinson, O’Loughlin, Ruddock, Garrard (Sub – Chaaban 6 mins.), Effiong (Sub – Palmer 62 mins.), McMahon, Currie.

Subs (Not used): Yala, Lawal, Jordan.

Ian Allinson told the clubs official website that the game was “a reasonable score line given our first half showing. That said I felt we had the better chances whilst they had the majority of the possession and to their credit they closed us down well. We are missing five key players now and that possibly left us short in some areas. We did not play well, yet we did not get battered, in a game where we were forced deep and gave the ball away for fun.” A very honest assessment indeed.

All in all a very disappointing performance from Wood, with a few positives to take from the game. Wood will look to bounce back against Bromley tonight, a game I will be attending with Bromley man and Richard Browne lookalike, The Telegraph's own Thom Gibbs. I am hoping that Wood pick themselves up and do not subject me to a humiliating trip to deepest South London, and hopefully with a reshuffled side, potentially with Ollie Palmer up front, Wood can get back on track with a win. Bromley themselves have had an excellent start, winning away at Hampton and Richmond on Saturday, and will be looking to start their home campaign with a win. I'm just hoping that come the final whistle I won't be cursing myself for not staying in and watching Arsenal vs Udinese. But then again.....no, I won't get into that. It's far too late. Actually, I already covered Arsenal in a piece for Dodgy Knees Blog, so check that out.

Thanks for reading and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated. I can be found on here and on twitter @wearethewood. I've hopefully got some exciting things in the pipeline for this blog, but I'll keep them under wraps for now.

Until next time...

WE ARE THE WOOD!

It's Finally Here: Havant and Waterlooville Preview

So tomorrow is the big one, the start of the 2011/2012 season. My God I can't wait.

Like a kid at Christmas I have been getting more and more excited about the new season, which is a bit silly as I could potentially be spending the next 9 months watching some of the worst football I have ever seen. Having said that, I am confident that this will not be the case. Wood have got a good footballing philosophy, with Ian Allinson encouraging his players to get the ball down and play, and with the new recruits brought in over the summer, Wood should play some attractive stuff.

The first league game of the season brings Havant and Waterlooville to Meadow Park. As I mentioned in a previous post, I have a bit of a fond spot for Havant after their plucky efforts in the FA Cup in 2008, going ahead twice at Anfield in round four before ultimately succumbing to Liverpool's superior class. They were also the subject of one of my favourite stories of the Non League Pre-Season, as they stepped in at the 11th hour to face the mighty Real Betis in a friendly after Portsmouth got stranded in the USA. Betis unsurprisingly ran out 7-0 winners, but it was a great day for all concerned, and it's not often that you get a large Spanish side (who once held the world record transfer for Denilson - no, not THAT one) turning out at a Blue Square South ground. That is, of course, until Barcelona face up to their one true rival in European Football and bring Messi, Iniesta et al to Meadow Park.

Looking through their squad list, one name jumps out at me - that of Lee Peacock, who joined the side over the summer. Having played at, amongst others, Manchester City, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday, Peacock brings vast experience to the Havant side, and should be a real danger to the Wood backline tomorrow afternoon. Due to their locality there is also obviously a Portsmouth connection with the club, not only through manager Shaun Gale, but also in their goalkeeping coach, Pompey legend Alan Knight. They will however, be feeling the loss of Guiseppe Sole amongst others, who left after one season to try and gain promotion at title favourites Woking. I imagine the Havant fans would like to call upon Dean Holdsworth, Liam Daish and Rocky Baptiste (remember THIS?) in their prime to help out now, who are listed amongst the notable players to have turned out at Westleigh Park.

PREDICTIONS

Wood will have a lot to prove this season after heavy investment, and certainly chairman Danny Hunter will want to see his outlay repaid in good performances on the field. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say by the end of the 2011/2012 season, Wood will have been pushing for, if not in the Play Offs. Wood have bought well, and the signs from pre-season were mostly encouraging. With the likes of Daryl McMahon and Mario Noto pulling strings in midfield, as well as the significant work done on the back line in the form of goalkeeper Michael Jordan and defenders Charlie O' Laughlin, James Smith and the return of Luke Wilkinson, Boreham Wood now have the right balance and a strong spine in the side, not to mention up and coming prospects such as Inih Effiong waiting to grab their opportunities in the first team.

As for tomorrow, I'm expecting a decent game , with both sides looking to put a marker down for the season to come. Wood will want to impress their fans on their first competitive fixture of a largely new side, whilst Havant will want to ease the fears of manager Shaun Gale, who recently got the dreaded 'Vote of Confidence' from his board. I'm going for a 2-1 victory for Wood, to get their season off to a flyer.

Thanks for reading, and as always, feedback is appreciated. Best of luck to all Non League teams (except against Wood) and fans for the coming season and if you are not at game yourself, why not pop along to Boreham Wood? It's easily accessible by train (25 mins from Kings Cross) and car (just off the A1), and with first class facilities for food and drink, you'd be hard pressed to find a better set up at this level.

Enjoy your weekend, enjoy your games - please tell your friends about this blog! I can be found on the comments section or on twitter @wearethewood.

Until next time…

WE ARE THE WOOD!

Pre-Season Continues: Effiong signing ignites local rivalry, Currie delivered to Meadow Park

I tell you what, the timing of this blog has been poor to say the least. Anyone who has been through the process of moving home knows what I mean - from viewings to sorting all your stuff out, it never seems to end. Add into this a few days of riots across London, and you get one delayed blog. Anyways, on with the show - thankfully my new home looks like it follows one of my original rules for following a team, as it is an easy commute into Borehamwood (a DIRECT train! Imagine that! This will likely never run on the weekend but one can dream, can't they?), so win win all round.

This Saturday sees the dream begin in earnest, as Boreham Wood start their league campaign against Havant and Waterlooville. I will post a full preview tomorrow, as there has been much a brewing in the world of The Wood.

Firstly, and most importantly - I was thanked on the club's official website for the purchase of my season ticket! Boreham Wood, let's face it, are not going to be drawing up waiting lists any time soon, so it's a nice touch for those who have decided to invest their time and money into seeing them to get a thank you in return. I think the most you would get from Arsenal is 'your money is due in 5 days, pay up in full now or we'll take it off you'.

Now, onto more pre-season business…

'Tapping Up' is a phrase that I associate with the Barcelonas, Real Madrids, Chelseas etc of the footballing world. It's certainly not a phrase I would ever expect to hear in the Blue Square South, which is why the accusations made by St Albans towards Wood were surprising to say the least. Let's have a look at the situation…

Over the last couple of weeks, Boreham Wood completed the re-signing of Inih Effiong from local rivals St Albans City.Having already featured in pre-season, Inih is a young, pacy, exciting striker who has shown both for and against Wood that he can be a real danger in the box. 19 years old, and a local lad (just up the A1 in Hatfield), the announcement of his signing was met with joy from Wood fans, and anger from St Albans City chairman, Ian Ridley.

You may remember Ian Ridley for a number of reasons. You may remember him from being a football journalist for amongst others, The Daily Mail. You may remember him from writing, in conjunction with Tony Adams, the excellent 'Addicted'. And if you are a Non League fan, or in particular a Weymouth fan, you may remember him from taking over the seaside club in 2003, appointing Steve 'Contrary opinion for Cash' Claridge as player/manager and almost getting promotion to the Conference in the process. As previously mentioned, Ridley is chairman at local rivals St Albans City, who are currently languishing in the horrifically named Evo-Stick League Southern. Effiong's departure to Wood, and not Farnborough as they expected, brought out quite the reaction in Ridley, who, assumingly using his links, began to intimate through the press that there was foul play on Boreham Wood's behalf in their quest to sign the youngster. The St Albans City FC official site carried the following statement:

"Supporters, quite rightly, will be wondering what has happened to Inih Effiong and the club feels the time is right to explain as fully as we can, given the limitations of proceedings that are in motion.

At the start of pre-season training, the player made it clear that he no longer wished to play for St Albans City FC.

We were disappointed about that, especially as we believed that the player would make good progress under our new manager David Howell, who has a track record of bringing on young players and helping them find places in the full-time professional game, to the benefit of all parties.

Nevertheless, we respected the player’s wishes and allowed him to talk to, and train with, other clubs. The understanding was always that these clubs were aware that St Albans City were due compensation for the player under Football Association regulations, since the player was Under 24 and had been offered terms for re-engagement at the end of last season.

The player began training with Farnborough, who conducted themselves correctly and contacted St Albans City FC. Acceptable compensation was amicably agreed between the two clubs.

We have now had it confirmed, however, that the player has signed for Boreham Wood FC.
Not having received an offer of compensation for the player, we have now taken the decision to report the matter to the Football Association and we expect a tribunal to be established that will rule on the level of compensation that St Albans City FC is owed. "

Ooof. Strong words indeed, and the threat of FA involvement and a possible tribunal was surely a worry. However, there was something which I believe St Albans did not understand - the difference between a player being out of contract and a player being offered 're-engagement' terms. Now, don't look at me as I'm likely as confused as most of you, so please consult the following link for The FA's wording . Still confused? Don't worry.But this seems to be the crux of the argument- was Effiong was under contract, offered re-engagement, accepted re-engagement or a whole mixture of all of them?

Wood chairman Danny Hunter responded to these claims, which were fast spreading across non league websites, papers and messageboards, with a quite brilliant lengthy statement aimed at Ian Ridley in particular, with the aim for quashing these rumours once and for all. The full statement can be found here, but here are some choice cuts:

“It’s very simple really, Inih’s contract ran out on April 30th 2011, which was confirmed by the Football Association. St Albans say they offered him re-engagement terms, which is totally different to a player being on contract. If Inih was offered re-engagement terms, he did not accept or respond. Which means that 28 days after any re-engagement offer, a player is free to speak and sign for who he pleases – in Inih’s case, he chose us!”

“Let’s be clear about Boreham Wood’s conduct, we only spoke to the player in mid July, ten weeks after the end of last season. Unfortunately since then I’ve had nothing but phone calls and threats of malpractice from St Albans City Chairman Ian Ridley, who doesn’t seem to want to listen or understand the rules set out by the F.A.”

Continuing on , and in regards to Ian Ridley, this was my personal favourite passage:

“Mr Ridley has also left me messages on my phone accusing my secretary of falsifying a pre season team sheet at Billericay, which again is nonsense. Mr Ridley has accused BWFC of illegal payments to Inih, which after last year’s payment problems at St Albans City, is rather rich.”

“Their Chairman clearly has to grasp, that it is not in anyone’s interest for Boreham Wood Football Club and St Albans City, not to have a reasonable relationship, as we are neighbours for God's sake!”

Finally, speaking in regards to youngster Lee Close turning out for St.Albans after being offered re-engagment terms, Hunter stated;

“All I’ve asked of Lee is that he speaks to whoever he is eventually going to sign for and let them know BWFC have offered him re-engagement terms, as laid out by The F.A… Unlike Mr Ridley, I did not begin to verbally bully a youngster. I certainly did not begin a website or media circus and I did not wrongly claim that I had a player contracted, when we are talking about re-engagements.”

This will probably sound extremely childish on my behalf, but I absolutely love stuff like this. Accusations of tapping up, falsification of documents, public statements denouncing each other, it all makes for a very entertaining read. The fact that it involves our local rivals, in my opinion, makes it even better. Now this isn't me using a platform to stoke up rivalries to get people to act in a stupid manner, it is just that I think most people enjoy local rivalry, and things like this, however frustrating they may be for the losers, should be taken at face value and well... just laughed off a bit. Of course if this was the other way round I would probably be outraged, but for now I can enjoy the pantomime surrounding a 19 year old's transfer from one non league team to another. And at the end of the day, it is more exciting then the whole Cesc Fabregas transfer saga, eh?

Effiong's controversial re-signing meant that Wood's other recent dealings in the transfer market went largely unnoticed. Over the summer months, Wood have brought in eleven new players to Meadow Park, of varying experience but comparable abilities. The latest signing is perhaps their biggest coup of the window altogether, which is saying a lot considering the caliber of some of the arrivals this summer. Following the news that Jason Goodliffe had to sadly stand down due to family and work commitments (something that is oft overlooked at this level - most players and staff still have to work), Wood announced that Darren Currie would be taking his place as Player/Assistant Manager, and also joining Luke Garrard, Super Mario Noto and Daryl McMahon as part of the PASE coaching team.

Currie brings league experience to Wood, having played for Shrewsbury, Plymouth, Barnet, Wycombe, Brighton, Ipswich, Coventry, Derby, (sadly) Luton, Chesterfield and finally Dagenham and Redbridge. Like Daryl McMahon, Currie is a playmaker and his experience will be invaluable to a team looking to push forward this season. How many games he will play in his duel role remains to be seen, but you would imagine someone with such talent and experience would appear more often than not, despite his aging legs. Welcome aboard Darren, and all the best in your time at Meadow Park. For the rest of you, here is a youtube compilation of Darren.


In pre-season friendly action, Wood rounded off their campaign with defeat at Tooting and Mitcham on Saturday. I don't think I can quite match the official sites report in terms of hilarity, so I won't bother. The report can be found here.

That's all from the latest round up of pre-season news and feuds from me, join me tomorrow for a preview of Wood's first home game of the season, which brings the visit of Havant and Waterlooville. As always feedback is appreciated, and please continue to share this blog amongst friends and other fans. Although it's a small number, we have surpassed the 1,000 views mark which was very pleasing to me. I can be found on twitter @wearethewood, as well as the comments section below.

Until tomorrow….

WE ARE THE WOOD!

Pre-Season Continues: Boreham Wood 1 Arsenal XI 7

After all that…there were no tantrums.

No screams, no shouts, no accusations containing the words 'Silver Platter' or 'bottle'. None. Last Friday I went to Meadow Park and instead of screaming and shouting, I sat back and watched a thoroughly entertaining game which the Arsenal XI won at a canter, 7-1. It was clearly a men against boys type of match, with the twist being that the men in this game were at most 21, and some probably have only just done their GCSEs. The utter bastards. I had decided that there are better ways of venting my frustrations than ruining a family evening at Meadow Park, and took my seat with minimal fuss, to the relief of those with me. I always was a keyboard warrior. This sudden laid back reaction was mainly due to the fact that before the game I finally purchased my season ticket. Yesssssssssssssss.

Having followed the Arsenal youngsters fairly closely, mainly through the excellent Young Guns Blog, I was familiar with the majority of the starting XI. For the casual fan, the most notable names on the team sheets would have been Henri Lansbury, back at the club following a loan spell at Norwich and being a member of the ill fated England U21 squad this summer, and Sanchez Watt, who impressed whilst on loan at Leeds United last season.

Wood lined up with two new signings. The first, Luke Wilkinson, was already familiar following his loan spell at Meadow Park, and is warmly welcomed back for another loan from Dagenham and Redbridge to add some steel at centre back. The second, Ollie Palmer, arrives on loan until January from Woking, and offers something different up front, with his height and strength, as well as his ability to hold the ball up on show in flashes during the game. The team was as follows:

Team: Jordan (Sub – Baker-Owers 80 mins.), Sankofa, Brathwaite (Sub – Walker 61 mins.), Garrard (Sub – Akinola 45 mins.), Wilkinson (Sub – Kamara 80 mins.), Hunter (Sub – Yala 61 mins.), Chaaban (Sub –Ruddock 73 mins.), McMahon, Palmer (Sub – Effiong 45 mins.), Noto, Bryant (Sub –Scott-Morris 73 mins.).

The Arsenal youngsters had not conceded during their pre-season campaign thus far, but this record fell after thirteen minutes. I don't think I need to tell you who scored, do I? Yes, it was 'Super' Mario Noto, whose quickly taken free kick caught Arsenal cold and left me regretting even more any negative words I have previously said about him. 1-0 Wood!

It was not to last. By half time it was 3-1 to Arsenal, with Watt, Luke Freeman and Henri Lansbury (with an absolute SCORCHER) scoring for The Gunners. In truth, Arsenal were streets ahead and probably should have gone in six or seven up. The very entertaining first half was mainly sound tracked by Arsenal cult hero Marina's cries of 'COME. ON. YOU. GUNNNNNERS' echoing throughout the ground (Quick aside - this woman is a hero. She is at every game (to my knowledge at least), home and away, and if you listen out on live coverage of Arsenal you can often hear her cries. I salute you Marina, if there were more like you at The Emirates I'd probably be there with you). Boreham Wood's other best chance of the half came from an excellent Charlie Hunter effort from a well worked corner, but otherwise they were mainly chasing shadows.

At half time, we (myself, my girlfriend Sarah and our friend Tunde) stopped for a drink in the supporters bar, which I have not visited in years. Once I was in there, I could see why it was so highly thought of - it's big, comfortable and with a round of 2 pints and a vodka and coke coming back with a bit of change for a tenner, not bad value either. Also, and this is probably the most important part, you can take a pint back in with you and watch the game whilst having a drink. Now, this is the norm at most Non-League grounds I'm sure, and I have on many occasions enjoyed a NL match with a pint or a glass of Baileys in hand, but it remains a novelty for the time being.

Tunde himself had taken a shining to the facilities, but it was a different kind of bar he was infatuated with - the burger bar. By the time the match was over he had gotten through three quarter pounders, which speaks volumes of both the quality of the catering at Meadow Park and the man's ability to eat. I can vouch myself that the burgers were indeed of very high standard, so expect an additional few extra stone put on over the course of this season. Sarah went for a cup of chips, the quality of which I cannot comment on.

The second half saw Arsenal move the ball about with ease, and the last 25 minutes were basically a passing exercise for him. Sanchez Watt went on to complete a Hat-trick, with Serge Gnarby (with a HEADER) and Kyle Ebecilio completing the rout. Most worrying from the second half (aside from Tunde's ability to inhale burgers) was an injury to Man of The Match (for Wood) Mario Noto, who appeared to badly damage his ankle in the build up to Watt's 3rd (the last kick of the game) and had to leave the pitch on a stretcher. I've heard no official word as to the actual diagnosis, but I am hoping that it is nothing more than a sprain and he'll be ready for the start of the season. Almost as bad as Noto's injuries was the conduct of three idiots in attendance, who seemed to take great satisfaction in mocking Noto whilst he lay in obvious pain. I have no time for Morons like this and hopefully won't encounter them again this season (especially if they read this).

There isn't much you can take out of a game like this - Arsenal were always going to win very comfortably. Noto was Wood's standout performer, and Simeon Akinola again impressed from the bench, but you can't judge them against this quality of player, even if they are youth/reserves. The experience gained from this game should help, and with half the proceeds of the game going to The Peace Hospice, as well as a family atmosphere inside the ground, it was just a nice evening of football. Not often you can say that.

As an added bonus - HERE ARE SOME MATCH HIGHLIGHTS.


Wood continued Pre-Season the next day, with a win at London Colney. The match report can be found here. Last night, they travelled to Hemel Hempstead, and came away with a 2-2 draw. Again, the match report can be found here. I will say that despite not being at the away friendlies, it is encouraging to hear of the form of Charlie Hunter and Inih Effiong in these games, which will hopefully be reflected in first team minutes and goals. With a team like Wood, who have had a number of fresh faces coming into the squad over the summer, these pre-season matches are mostly important for getting the team to gel, as well as getting that sharpness back ahead of their first game, which is rapidly approaching.

Whilst the subject of new signings is in the mind, be sure to check out my next post, where I'll be looking at all our new recruits, and how even at this level of football, you are not far away from a 'tapping up' story.

Feedback welcome as always, either here or on twitter @wearethewood. Please continue to share the blog, even if it's to say it's a bit rubbish.


Until then (most likely tomorrow)

WE ARE THE WOOD!


(Picture owned by and courtesy of Tunde McKay)