Boreham still smarting from the previous weeks loss travelled to Bicknacre to take on last season's cup winners with revenge for the 3-2 semi final defeat their mission. The mighty Clems were mob handed with no less than the full quota of 16 players fighting over the less abundant shirts, shorts and socks before the game, with Joughin resorting to trying the referee's shirt on, momentarily confusing the ageing official, but the cheeky prank was taken in good humour and the old timer seemed to enjoy sharing a vibrant and somewhat testosterone charged dressing room with the visiters!
Goalkeeper Dale stood behind an the same back four of Bigland, Stammers, Tom Wright & Chittock that had started the opening day win a fortnight before. There was a change of formation with a midfield three of Jon Wright playing deep behind Ansell & Captain Ryan Ince. Rush Started up top as the target man with the pacey skillful pair of Jay Dale and Daz Ince as Rush's wingmen. That left a strong looking bench with Rutter and Thomsett retuning for the first time this season, Joughin, Hopson & another debutant Troy Hawthorne who is looking to challenge for a place up front.
The game kicked off with Boreham hoping to get back to winning ways, and the flat surface was condusive to the progresive passing style that we've come to expect from the boys in Orange. The formation seemed to be the right one as Woodham also lined up with three across the middle of the park making for a keenly contested battle for possesion in the early exchanges. It was Boreham who created the first few half chances with Rush twice making half a yard for himself only to mishit his shot with his weaker left foot on each occasion. Stammers and Wright were looking very composed and confident at the back with Bigland also looking assured, playing out from the back with the midfield patiently probing at the Woodham defence. D Ince and J Dale were getting a bit of space outwide but the final ball was still lacking as Boreham pressed on in search of the opening goal.
Despite all the neat and tidy football, it was ironically a root one assist from one Dale brother in goal to the other as Jay Dale brought down a beast of a drop kick and turned inside. The ambidextrous foward then turned back onto his left foot with a drop of the shoulder before unleasing a trademark 20 yard srike unerringly into the far bottom corner of the Radars net...1-0 get in!
Chittock who had started the game well enough was obviously suffering from early birthday celebrations the night before and looked somewhat relieved to be replaced by Ryan Thomsett on the halfhour mark, with Bigland switching over to rightback. Rush then took a heavy knock and was unhappy with the challenge. with Rush looking in a lot of pain, Joughin decided to have a look at newbie Troy Hawthorne up top. The strong looking 6 footer appered to be the ideal target man and clearly possesed a tidy first touch as he tried to make in impact for the last 10 minutes of the half but there were no further clearcut chances and Borehm led one zip at the break.
Dale was keen to make sure his men came out and played better in the final third in the second period, whilst no.2 Joughin was deliberating how to keep the remaining three subs happy without disrupting the flow of a fluent looking side. The second half started how the first had ended with Boreham looking more assured all over the park but Woodham were managing to break with increasing regularity. 55 minutes in, Radars won a corner and the Boreham team completly switched off allowing a very average near post delivery to be flicked on by one unmarked player to another, and the Woodham man stabbed the ball home from a yard out for one a piece.
That defensive lapse might have knocked Boreham off their stride but happily they managed to pick themselves up dust themselves down and shut Woodham out thereafter. Going foward however, Hawthorne was looking isolated up on his own and Joughin felt more pace was needed in attack. Rutter was brought off the bench with just over half hour remaining, with Boreham switching to 4-4-2 with Rutter on the right of midfield Ryan Ince coming out on the left with Daz Ince and Jay Dale up front. The impact was almost instant and within 5 minutes it was 2-1. Good work from MOM Bigland down the right saw Rutter recieve the ball in a promising position near the by line, Rutter cut the ball back to Daz Ince who took one touch before smashing the ball beyond the Radars keeper. A good team goal with a finish to match by Ince who'd had a frustrating morning up until that point.
Further changes were made with Hopson coming in at left back for Thomsett and the recovered Rush on for the skipper Ryan Ince with Jay Dale slotting back in down the left. There were understandable concerns that the multiple changes would upset the rythym but Boreham continued in the ascendancy and it was Jay Dale who made the clinching goal with 15 minutes remaining. Dale used his pace and guile to round the Radars full back before delivering a peach melba of an outswinging cross to the far post, where supersub Nathan Rutter rose like the proverbial salmon to glance his header home and make sure the points were safe.
Boreham seemed happy with their two goal cusion and rarely gave the ball up in the final 10 minutes of the game. Ryan Ince and Hawthorne were reintroduced for the final few minutes in what were the eighth and ninth changes. Hawthorne had a half chance for a debut goal but dragged his shot across goal from an acute angle. Rush and Hawthorne also tried spectacular overhead kicks in the dying seconds but both falling flat on their arses with Rush taking a kick to the head to end a painful mornings work for the rugged number 9. The referee brought a close to proceedings, and Boreham ran out 3-1 victors with a satisfying performance and go in to next weeks game against Hanningfield with renewed confidence.
Gaffa Dale's biggest problem this week will be deciding who to leave out with Winger, Coleman and Parkhurst all potentially available to take the squad size to a very healthy 19 players. With competition for places so high, it will be a tricky balancing act between keeping his playing staff happy and finding a settled winning formula over the coming months. It's a very nice problem to have however, and each and every player knows they will have to be on their toes in the fight for places and to play a major part in any success we enjoy this season.
