Thursday 11 July 2013

Boreham Wood 0 West Ham United 3

Alex Shilling at Meadow Park 

@alexshilling

West Ham last night maintained their 100% pre season record with a comfortable victory over Conference South outfit Boreham Wood.

The Hammers fielded a different XI in each half and were led by former Boreham Wood player Pelly Ruddock in the first half before regular skipper Kevin Nolan regained the armband after the interval. The 18 year old midfielder was brought to the Boleyn Ground by Sam Allardyce in December 2011 for an undisclosed fee after impressing in a trial period and impressed for the Development Squad last season.

In good news for a lot of Irons supporters, however, there was no place in either the first half or second half XI nor on the subs' bench for Titus Bramble, after reports that Allardyce was planning to field the ex Sunderland defender once more after he scored against Cork City on Sunday night.

A minute's applause was held before the game for former Boreham Wood player Ryan Moran, who sadly passed away recently at the age of 31 after a battle with cancer.

New signings Adrian and Razvan Rat made their West Ham debut on English soil and it was the Romanian defender's attacking instincts that produced the first goal of the evening, after 20 minutes.

A surging run down the left channel by the former Shakhtar Donetsk man and a whipped in cross panicked Boreham Wood defender Ben Nunn into heading towards his own goal. Home keeper James Russell did well to push out, but only to the feet of the onrushing Ravel Morrison, who notched up his second goal of pre season.

Less than 60 seconds later it was two- a Mark Noble cross met firmly by the head of Ricardo Vaz Te to score for the first time in this pre season. The Hammers were now in total control and kept the pressure up before the break, with Rat and Vaz Te both having efforts on goal thwarted.

Half time arrived and the second Irons XI entered the fray, including captain Kevin Nolan and first team stars Joe Cole and Matt Jarvis. There was also a second appearance of pre season for the previously exiled Alou Diarra, having returned from his loan spell at French side Rennes, and interestingly, for centre half James Tomkins, currently being courted by Premier League rivals Newcastle, if reports are to be believed.

The second half began much as the first had ended- West Ham in control of the game and dominating possession. New signing Danny Whitehead made a number of promising runs and linked well with Jarvis, who carved out a number of opportunities. However, despite their position, it was not until seven minutes from time that the Hammers put the game beyond all doubt, when Nolan hooked a trademark volley in to complete the scoring.

All in all, a satisfactory run out for Big Sam's men and another good win. The next challenge will be to face Championship new boys Bournemouth at Dean's Court on Saturday.

alex@blowing-bubbles.co.uk

LINE UPS

Boreham Wood

James Russell, Ben Nunn, Mark Jones (Willock '62), Luke Garrard, Charlie O'Loughlin, Calum Reynolds, Greg Morgan (Moone '62), Mark Bentley (Sterling-Parker, '80), Donovan Simmonds, Mario Noto (Brown '80), Graham Montgomery (Whitley '62).

Substitutes: Charlie Moone, Raheem Sterling-Parker, Karl Brown, Callum Willock, Liam Enver-Marum, Corey Whitley, Jake Knight.

West Ham United 

First half XI:

Adrian, Guy Demel, Pelly Ruddock, Winston Reid, Razvan Rat, Mark Noble, Jack Collison, Matt Taylor, Ricardo Vaz Te, Paul McCallum, Ravel Morrison.

Substitutes: Elliot Lee, George Moncur, Sam Baxter.

Second half XI: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Jordan Spence, James Collins, James Tomkins, Dan Potts, Alou Diarra, Danny Whitehead, Kevin Nolan, Joe Cole, Mobido Maiga, Matt Jarvis.

Substitutes: Elliot Lee, George Moncur, Sam Baxter.

Goals: Morrison '20, Vaz Te '21, Nolan '83.

Referee: Anthony Serrano.






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