Wood defeat Welling, Cruel Fate and Chelmsford Preview

Life is cruel for most people. For a wannabe Non League fan in his first season of following his hometown team, it can be a proverbial kick in the balls.

When I first decided to buy a season ticket and follow Wood, I expected there to be a few clashes initially with the social calendar. A wedding here, a festival there, a moving day the following week. Plans had been made well in advance, tickets had been booked, trains had been paid for, my apparent whim could not disturb these. Despite making every home game, I had not been to anywhere near as many away games as I would have liked (a measly one, the 4-0 destruction at Woking), but I was at every home game, shouting, gesticulating, weeping.

Imagine my surprise then when I was struck down with a bug on Sunday evening, thus leaving me incapacitated for the home clash with Welling, who were clear leaders of the Blue Square South.

A game which I didn’t have much hope for Wood to be honest, coming off yet another loss away at Eastbourne.

A game which Wood, OF COURSE, went on to win 2-1 in what has to be the shock of the season so far.

This was a massive win for Wood, and I felt so terrible that I wasn’t there to see it. I don’t feel justified in writing a report about it so you can read the official one here. I’m just really really gutted that the first time I have been ill in AGES, this happens. The win brought Wood up one place to 19^th in the league, albeit for one day, before dropping back into the relegation zone. Darren Currie kept his nerve to score 2 penalties, Justin Cochrane returned to the side as captain for the day and there was a debut for yet another new face, Nathan Korateng, who joins Wood on loan from Woking (where else). What a game to have missed.

All is not lost though - as you can enjoy EXTENDED MATCH HIGHLIGHTS here:

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/wellingutd/videos/boreham-wood-v-welling-united-18045.html

I return to live action tomorrow afternoon, in a game I have been craving since the fixtures came out – Chelmsford away. As I have stated before in this blog, my oldest brother is somewhat of a local to Chelmsford, so this gives us a chance to catch up, have a pint, and then spend 90 minutes hurling abuse at each other from opposing ends of the ground (I actually have no idea who he is going to support on the day).

Chelmsford have a good reputation at this level, and their ranks contain a man many Wood fans will be familiar with, Greg Morgan. I wrote one of my very first articles about Greg and how he ran rings round me in a work game once, so I can only pray that the same thing doesn’t happen tomorrow afternoon (provided he plays of course). I was very sad to see Greg go at the beginning of the season, and I feel his pace and delivery, as well as his eye for goal would have been a real asset to Wood in their games so far this season. Another former Wood man now plying his trade at The Clarets is Joe Benjamin, whose loan spell at Wood in 2010 brought 6 goals in 6 games. Again, let’s hope he has left his shooting boots at home, or at least swapped with Inih Effiong. Looking through the squad lists, the only other player who stands out is Aiden Palmer, who is getting his life and career back on track after 22 months in prison for gang related activity. Since his sentence he has spent time at Cambridge and Watford most notably, before joining The Clarets this season. Sadly not in the crowd tomorrow will be Caroline Barker, host of the excellent BBC Non League Show (did I tell you I was on it before?) and a Clarets fan, but here’s hoping I’ll be able to tweet her an update of a Wood victory.

As for the ground - quick moan here (there’s a surprise) – I really dislike grounds with running tracks around the pitch. I appreciate that some clubs need to be used for athletics, but it detaches the fans from the action, and at this level where there can be, shall we say, periods of quiet, I like to be as close to the players as possible. On the plus side Melbourne Park, home of our opponents tomorrow afternoon, are doing a ‘pre match special’ of £2 a pint for IPA or Fosters. It would only be rude not to partake and get my moneys worth (6 pints?).

Blue Square bet have Chelmsford as unequivocal favourites at 8/15, with Wood being offered at 9/2. The draw comes in at 11/4. Wood are coming off their best result of the season, but desperately need to start finding some more consistency. Chelmsford meanwhile, despite sitting 6^th in the table threw away a two goal lead at Tonbridge in the last minute last time out, so will be looking to get back on track with a win.

PREDICTION

Oh boy, this really is a tough one to call. Wood can get real momentum if they pick up a result here, yet Chelmsford have a fantastic record on their home turf. In a possible moment of weakness I am going to go for a 1-0 AWAY WIN, purely because I can picture the taunts I can give my brother afterwards. Of course if you were a sane, betting man you would likely put the farm on Chelmsford, but this isn’t a Chelmsford blog now is it?

There hasn’t been much of an update this week as I have been ill and then busy with work. There hasn’t been much coming out of the club in way of news, unless you want to enrol your kids on a football course? Hopefully now that this illness is out of my system I’ll be able to get a few more pieces up. For some alternative reading, why not try my friend over at Whitmarshwhiskers, whose excellent blog on Hendon and all things Ryman league comes very highly recommended, or for something from the top end of the football pyramid, have a look at Where were you when we were sh*t?, another good friends account of QPRs first season back in the premier league.

I’ll be back next week with a FULL MATCH REPORT, hopefully with pictures, and any other business that comes from the game. As always, thanks for your views, shares, Re-tweets, links etc, it is really appreciated. I can be found on twitter @wearethewood or in the comments section below.

Until next time….

WE ARE THE WOOD!