Last-minute goal denies hosts the win

by John Mead . . .

A last-minute equaliser spared the Championship sides blushes who can count themselves lucky not to have lost this friendly.

Their side was made up of under 19s and three first-team squad members who did not make the trip to the West Country, where they defeated Torquay United 3-1 the night before.

The game allowed Wood boss Ian Allinson to take a look at 26-year-old winger Boniek Forbes who started his career as a trainee at Leyton Orient, with the man from Guinea-Bissau featuring for Cheshunt United last season.

His classy and promising afternoon was cut short due to an injury just before the end of the first half. His replacement, the former Barton Rovers man Ricky Case, took a while to settle, after which his contribution would have pleased Allinson in patches with the Wood manager looking to strengthen his squad for the coming season.

Staines Town's James Courtnage provided cover between the sticks after the release of Simon Overland, with the broken promises of Tony Tucker again holding up the search for a first team keeper at Meadow Park.

There were some solid performances from Luke Garrard and Greg Morgan for Wood, whilst 17 year old Charlie Hunter made his first start for his father's club. Back in defence was the welcome sight of left back Daniel Brathwaite, his presence contributory to this fine result against the full-timers from West London.

Morgan fired a warning shot from distance, before Charlie Hunter almost made a dream start after 9 minutes when his driven shot from a tight angle on the right was only parried by keeper Elvijs Putnins, who relied on a goal line clearance from a defensive colleague.

Forbes and Dewayne Clarke gelled instantly with the triallist curling an effort just wide.

Rangers for their part offered very little threat in front of goal until late on in the half. Centre forward Antonio German shot wide before being denied by the timed intervention of Courtnage.

Morgan worked himself into a fine shooting position at the other end before scuffing his shot, continuing his committed performance after the interval, again testing Putnins.

German should have done better for the Superhoops, allowing Courtnage to reach his close range effort, before a superb goal line clearance under pressure by Garrard denied Max Ehmer when he lobbed the out rushing Courtnage.

Case got into his rhythm forcing Putnins to spill his low drive from the right, before combining with Lee Allinson whose curling shot was forced behind for a corner.

Wood's first goal of the season came after 72 minutes, created and finished by Leon Hunter. Driving into danger from an inside right position he played Morgan through whom had troubled the Rangers' defence all afternoon. He found space to cut the ball back across the area allowing Hunter to stroke his shot low into the bottom right hand corner of Putnins' net.

It should have been enough as Rangers failed to sufficiently trouble the Wood defence, whilst Claude Seanla at the opposite end was narrowly ruled offside running on to a slide rule pass from Case, before hitting a well crafted shot just wide.

Agonsingly with seconds remaining Charlie Hunter got caught in possession wide on the left by triallist Billy Lions. He jinked along the goal line finding space to supply Ehmer who reacted quickest to smash home from close range, somewhat taking the gloss off of what was a promising afternoon's work from Allinson's side.

WOOD: Courtnage, Garrard, Brathwaite, Brett ( L Hunter 46), Kirby (Fraser 71), C Hunter, Forbes (Case 45), Allinson, Clarke (Seanla 46). Highton, Morgan (Anson 82).