Youth - Dunstable Town 0 v Boreham Wood 0 HT 0-0

BLUES DRAW BLANK IN THE RAIN

This was the first meeting between the clubs since Dunstable Town’s remarkable win at Boreham Wood in October in the FA Youth Cup, and proved to be just as tough.

The game finished without goals but it was an intriguing encounter. It rained throughout and both teams were on their guard in conditions where errors may have occurred on the heavy pitch.

Games between these two sides have always been close and the visitors will be just a tad more pleased with a point since they were under considerable pressure in the second half and had not really threatened Nathan Nelson’s goal. He had just the one direct shot to save from a free kick. This brought a notable one handed save from the Blues keeper.

By way of contrast there were plenty of opportunities for the Blues but when they did get in a direct shot it was always straight at the keeper, Cameron Barker-Owers.

Importantly this was a vast improvement on the rusty hinged game against Leighton Town last week where the Blues were well below expectations despite a better performance in the second half.

Boreham Wood are a team that like to build from the back with plenty of passing, and they began that way but found Dunstable to be alert to the moves and respond with quick and efficient counter play.

Reese Brogan and Chris Doggett were outstanding and Dean Hitchcock was also a vital presence. For Wood, there was some good play from Kamal McClan and Jordan Lawal.

Two efficient defences complemented the competent midfield and outright chances were negligible in the opening stages. The quality of passes was good with lots of intelligent running off the ball. Josh Edwards, with his Fellini hairdo had another fine match, and I recall his superb display in the cup encounter.

The impressive flow of that game on a superb pitch at Meadow Lane could not be replicated tonight on the sodden Creasey Park pitch but the game still possessed a solid quality and would, of course have been enlivened by a goal or three.

Yet it was far from being a dull draw. After the opening exchanges there was evidence of Dunstable trying to free themselves of the grip imposed by the visitors and playmaker Aaron Morgan grew in stature as the game progressed.

It was the second half that saw the better creative play from Dunstable who began to command more space and players had just that bit more freedom to construct their moves. It was a pity that set pieces were generally wasted - by both sides and often from good positions.

Aaron Morgan placed one over the bar. There was good stuff from Jake Bewley and Aidan Murray, but too often there were simply too many defenders in their way and Barker-Owers was steadfast with his handling on crosses.

Sometimes first touches were too heavy and there was a lot of close fought battling for the ball and this led to the two bookings, one from either side - Tom Dolan and the Wood skipper, Lawal.

The pattern of the second half was noted for some imaginative Dunstable moves generally well read by the Wood defence. One could not say that Wood were settling for a point as they were eager to catch the Blues on the break, but they did not convert this to direct shots to test Nelson.

Chris Doggett was as dogged as we expect and he was instrumental in some decent forward moves, but the final cross always seemed to favour the keeper or they were headed away in forthright manner.

Aaron Morgan consistently threaded his way through but time and time again there were Wood defenders there to hustle him into an inferior pass.

Of the free kicks from the flanks or centrally, these were dealt with well yet we still felt that the increasing Dunstable pressure would ultimately bring a goal.

Kylrn Brooke-Lynch entered the fray and soon found himself hounded each time he gained possession and this effectively kept Dunstable at bay.

Aidan Murray’s snap shot was well held by the Wood keeper, and Murray was one of a few players that found themselves restricted from their normal scintillating solo runs, such was the Wood’s attention to defensive duty.

Tonight’s referee kept a very strong rein on proceedings but he was always willing to explain his decisions, and he was well supported by his assistants. It is always an anti-climax when a free kick is given, hotly disputed and then the ball is sent embarrassingly into the car park.

Yet it was, as I have said a vast improvement on the Leighton game and against perhaps a better side than our Bedfordshire neighbours.

Boreham Wood departed on occasions form their close passing to essay the long ball to wrong foot the Dunstable defence but it drew no dividends.

Aaron Morgan’s free kick was decent enough but it landed in the keeper’s arms and left Reese Brogan sprawling in the mud, but still the Blues pressed for that all important goal, which would, in all probability have won the match.

As time progressed a snatched goal looked more desirable than probable and that is just what happened. A draw was not a disastrous result but it rankled a little that Dunstable could not make more of their chances as they were indeed dominant throughout the second half.

Lisa Bewley had added to her normal duties by posting notices that on Thursday 5 February, the lads will be taking on the youth team of Queen’s Park Rangers, which is an exciting prospect.
So a draw was the result and points were dropped by Dunstable who might just have edged it tonight, an inhospitable evening of rain and biting cold - but a good football match despite that.

DUNSTABLE TOWN

Nathan Nelson, Reese Brogan, Josh Edwards,
CHRIS DOGGETT, Dean Hitchcock, capt., Aidan Murray, Elliott Denton, Tom Dolan, Dan Wills, Jake Bewley.

Substitutes- Ryan Connelly, Kylrn Brooke- Lynch, Jack Walker.

BOREHAM WOOD

Cameron Barker-Owers ,Jean Khasa, David Sessay, George Hobson, Ruddock Yalia, Stephen Coleman, Jermaine Anson, Jordan Lawal, capt.,
Dean Robinson, Lane Connor, Kamal McClan.

Substitutes- Jordan Gill, Aidy Bolingon, Mayon Dodge, Brad Fraser and Daniel Tomlin.
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To the Regiment, I wish I was there.