This post has been a while coming, mainly because I have been so busy at work and at home (oh to be a journalist, where I could waffle on for a living), but partly because I didn’t really want to go over Saturday’s game at all. It was, and this is the first time I have felt this since following Wood, pretty devastating. The result did detract from what was a really great game of football and a nice day all round, so let’s get into it, shall we?
I took my now usual place (behind the home dugout, about 7 rows up) for kick off, where I struck up conversation with a gentleman who turned out to be centre back Charlie O’ Loughlin’s dad. A fine man, we spent most of the game passing comment on the action and discussing Charlie’s various moves around the country, what brought him to Wood (a chartered surveyors job in Welwyn Garden City) and his thoughts on the people behind the scenes (‘They are good people here, I can tell from a mile off if they aren’t’). I was worried that if there was any defensive howlers, I would have to bite my tongue, but Mr O’ Loughlin was first to acknowledge if his son was not up to scratch, which was very rare in his defence!
In all honesty, Wood could have and should have been 4-0 down within the first twenty minutes. Unable to cope with the fluid passing and quick movement of Truro, Wood were carved open time and time again and Michael Jordan was called upon on more than one occasion to make a crucial save. In a unfamiliar role of holding midfield, Luke Wilkinson at first struggled to find his feet and positioning, but as the half went on he grew in confidence and drove the team forward. However, Wood were really on the cosh and myself and Mr O'Loughlin both agreed that if Wood could get to half time only one goal down , then perhaps things could change in the second half, particularly with the strong wind that would be supporting them. Our wishes were answered and Wood could not get down that tunnel quick enough after quite an abject first half performance.
Big changes were needed at half time, and Ian Allinson was brave enough to take a chance in the hope of salvaging a result. Daniel Brathwaite, who spent most of the first half making me think the wrong brother was released, was replaced by Inih Effiong, he of all attitude and no effort from my last visit to Meadow Park. With Mark Jones switching to his natural left back position, Charlie Hunter dropped into right back with Daniel Bryant dropping back into midfield to partner Wilkinson. The changes were bold, but they paid off and Wood looked like a completely different team in the second half, with Effiong do a superb job of leading the line. Constantly encouraged by Assistant Manager Darren Currie, Effiong put in the sort of performance that made you understand why there was so much fuss around his transfer from St Albans. Always looking for the ball, Effiong held it up well, kept play flowing and had an array of tricks and flicks, all of which amazingly came off. It was fitting then that he was the man to equalise for Wood, running through from a long ball from Charlie Hunter to finish with the utmost of calm, chipping the onrushing keeper without breaking stride. A fantastic goal and a glimpse of the sort of player that lurks inside Effiong when he wants to play.
With much more of a natural balance in the team following Hunter's move to right back and Jones to left back, Wood began to dominate proceedings, and should have put the game to bed. Sam Hurrell blasted over when well placed, and perhaps the best chance of the whole game fell to Sam Lechmere, who had all the time in the world to pick his spot, perhaps too much time, but fired his shot wide from 15 yards out. By this point you could sense that if Wood didn't finish Truro off soon it would come back and haunt them, and this was only reinforced when Luke Wilkinson, who once he had found his feet put in a sterling performance, drilled a shot from 25 yards only an inch wide. Wood had Truro on the ropes, but could not finish them off. Almost predictably, the Cornishmen had managed to play rope a dope and were soon to deal a knockout blow.
Deep into injury time, and with both sets of fans likely happy with a point after an end to end battle, Wood gave away a free kick about 25 yards out from goal. Do I really need to tell you what happened next? Well, I suppose I have to.
Turning to Mr O' Loughlin, I expressed my concerns with language that would likely not be allowed pre-watershed, and he responded with, 'I would be absolutely gutted if this went in'.
Truro's Scott Walker then proceeded to curl a beautiful freekick into the top corner.
My stomach sank and I held my head in my hands. I was absolutely gutted. It was at this point that I realised that I had actually begun to form an emotional bond with this team. The final whistle went shortly after and I applauded a proud effort, despite massively hurting inside. I said my goodbyes, stopping to chat to Colin Perry who became the first person to recognise me from this blog, and I can only apologise Colin if I wasn't great company. Colin himself is a local lad, whose blog Stag of Herts is a very good read, mainly focusing on Mansfield Town's trials and tribulations. Check it out. As I made my way back to the station, I rang my dad to tell him about the game, and even he could detect how gutted I was. It was another example of how cruel football can be, at all levels of the game. And no, I won't be making any jokes about how the sun ain't gonna shine anymore.
The main positives from the game were Inih Effiong's excellent showing, which I hope is kept up, and the composure of Charlie Hunter when switched to right back. His ability to find a forward with a cunning pass was much needed in the second half, and he wasn't afraid to get stuck in as well, despite his lack of height, especially going in on established veterans such as Barry Hayles. Other notable performances came from Luke Wilkinson, Mark Jonesand Sam Lechmere, who look to be astute signings from Braintree. One last shout out to the travelling fans from Truro, who sung their hearts out and are a credit to their team. I look forward to the return match!
Wood lined up as follows:
Team: Jordan, Wilkinson, Jones, Hunter, O’Loughlin, Smith, Lechmere, Brathwaite (Sub – Effiong 45 mins.), Bryant, Akinola, Hurrell.
Subs (Not used): Scott-Morris, Yala, Currie, Putnins.
The news only got worse for Wood as it was confirmed that Marion Noto, Daryl McMahon and Luke Garrard are all out until possibly December, which is obviously awful news for the club. Noto has never fully recovered from the injury picked up in the friendly against Arsenal, and it seems as if the only course of treatment is for him to have an operation on his ankle. Joining him under the knife is Wood's other main creative source, Daryl McMahon, who has also had some problems with his ankle, this time with a ruptured tendon. Thankfully it doesn't look like Luke Garrard will need surgery, but will still need some hard rehabilitation before rejoining the team, possibly in late November.
For any team to have their two main creative midfielders and their main holding midfielder out is cruel, and Wood are really feeling it. Despite Luke Wilkinson's impressive efforts in the holding role, he is a centre back out of position and is needed back at the heart of the defence. Noto and McMahon are desperately missed going forward, particularly in dead ball situations. Their losses are also felt because they are three senior players in a young team, with Noto and Garrard being Team and Club Captains respectively. In a rare piece of good news, Elvis Putnins is close to returning after a back injury, and was on the bench vs Truro, and Osei Sankofa, whose energy at right back was missed in the first half against Truro, should soon be joining him after recovering from a groin strain.
To help ease the pain of these losses, Wood Chairman Danny Hunter has loosened the purse strings to bring in a number of fresh faces. Joining Mar Jones and Sam Lechmere will be Karl Beckford, formerly of AFC Wimbledon, Kettering and Aldershot, as well as Chez Isaac, who has joined the club on loan until January from local friends Watford. It was mentioned in the programme notes on Saturday that Justin Cochrane had returned to Meadow Park, although I am waiting for this to be confirmed with my own eyes, as no mention of this has been made on the website. I welcome all of these players to Meadow Park, and hopefully they can help Wood move in the right direction. With Isaac and Beckford both signed to fill roles left vacant by the injuries detailed, this should hopefully bring a better balance to the side. More on the injuries and new signings here.
Wood travel to Eastbourne next, with a preview up tomorrow. As always, thankyou for your continued views and support, and please continue to share this blog amongst friends, bloggers, boards and rich Saudi investors. I can be found on twitter @wearethewood, as well in the comments section below.
Until next time....
WE ARE THE WOOD!
