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Boreham Wood 0
United 0
In windy and rainy conditions in Hertfordshire, the spoils were shared as United drew 0-0 with Boreham Wood.
Paul Wotton made three changes to the team that beat Truro City in the FA Trophy last time out with Sam Dreyer, Omar Mussa & Will Jenkins Davies coming into the starting eleven replacing Matt Carson, Keke Jeffers & Ed Palmer, who all dropped to the bench.
In a first half of very few chances and a swirling wind, which the Gulls were facing into in the opening period, it took until the 24th minute for United to carve out their first good opportunity, as Jordan Young won the ball before Will Jenkins Davies took the ball and ran through towards goal, shooting from just outside the area and narrowly past Nathan Ashmore and his post in the Boreham goal.
Boreham reacted and had a shot fizz narrowly past the post themselves minutes later as Jon Benton drove his shot narrowly wide, before in the 27th minute a Tom Whelan effort was parried behind by James Hamon, with the resulting corner dealt with by the United defence.
With four minutes of added time at the end of the half, the home side created the last chance of the period as Charles Clayden put his cross along the ground, but the onrushing Kwesi Appiah couldnt get there to divert the ball home at the back post, and with the rain continuing to pour down both teams headed to the changing rooms to dry off and try and find the way to unlock the defensive combinations.
With no changes made by either side at half time, and with United now having the wind at their backs, Dan Hayfield won a free kick for United in the 51st minute, and Omar Mussa’s delivery bobbled around the area before, after being flicked in the air, was met by the head of Sam Dreyer who could only direct it over the bar.
The hosts thought they had made the breakthrough in the 68th minute as Benton’s ball to the backpost was met by Lee Ndlovu, but the reactions of Hamon thwarted the chance and the game remained goalless. Hamon was again the United saviour as Jayden Richardson ran through and as he tried to round the United keeper, Hamon managed to take the ball off his foot.
United were close again in the 85th minute as Dyer’s headed effort was deflected behind for a corner, before Boreham broke with Richardson who pushed the ball too far and fired his shot into the side netting.
That proved to be the last chance of any note as both sides tried but ultimately failed to find that defensive unlocking combination in tricky conditions.
BOREHAM WOOD: 1. Nathan Ashmore, 4. Jack Payne (c), 5. Chris Bush, 7. Tom Whelan, 9. Lee Ndlovu, 11. Jon Benton, 12. Josh Hare, 14. Kwesi Appiah, 15. Charlie O’Connell, 17. Charles Clayden (3. Femi Ilesenmi 90+2), 26. Jayden Richardson.
SUBS NOT USED: 3. Femi Ilesanmi, 8. Mo Sagaf, 10. Tyrone Marsh, 20. Abdul Abdulmalik, 21. Gus Mafuta.
Yellow Cards: Benton 28′, Clayden 41′,
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer, 8. Jordan Young (30. Keke Jeffers 85′), 10. Omar Mussa (7. Lirak Hasani 67′), 18. Oscar Threlkeld (c), 19. Cody Cooke, 20. Dan Hayfield, 22. Will Jenkins Davies ( 14. Matt Carson 70′), 26. Jordan Thomas.
SUBS NOT USED : 16. Ed Palmer, 17. Finn Tonks.
Yellow Cards: Carson 84′