Match report: Boreham Wood 3-2 Arsenal U21

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WHAT HAPPENED

We were narrowly beaten in our final pre-season match before our Premier League 2 campaign gets underway, going down 3-2 to National League side Boreham Wood on Friday night.

We made an assured start with captain Matt Smith forcing Nathan Ashmore into two good saves, while Amario Cozier-Duberry also looked bright and threatened to run in behind the Boreham Wood defence.

Despite our confident opening, the hosts took the lead against the run of play, Jamal Fyfield rising highest to head beyond Hubert Graczyk after an in-swinging free-kick.

Lino Sousa came close to drawing us level almost instantly with a curling strike, before Charlie Patino sent a free-kick just over the bar as we went into the break trailing.

Mehmet Ali made a host of changes at the interval including the introduction of Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, who made an instant impact off the bench, crossing for Khayon Edwards to finish calmly and draw us level.

We soon found ourselves ahead for the first time in the match, Charles Sagoe Jr beating Ashmore from close range after yet more good play from Butler-Oyedeji to create the opportunity.

Our advantage was only short-lived, Hale End graduate Josh Rees drawing the hosts level, rolling the ball beyond Hubert Graczyk after Danny Newton's enticing delivery into the box.

With all of our outfield substitutes already called into action, we were temporarily reduced to ten men after Edwards was forced off with an injury, in a spell where the home side went ahead, Danny Elliott finding the back of the net from close range with five minutes remaining.

Ali threw caution to the wind in the closing stages, deploying goalkeeper James Hillson as a makeshift striker off the bench as we fought to restore parity, but failed to break down the National League side in what was an end-to-end affair.