Boreham Wood 1

Arsenal 1

Pre-season Friendly

When your previous two home games have returned defeats by the likes of Chesham and Gravesend, drawing with Arsenal has to be a step in the right direction, and all at Meadow Park will be striving to make the new campaign one of hope and glory.

Both commodities were provided in some measure last Friday evening by Neil Selby's goal early in the second half.

This gave Wood an almost impertinent lead in the face of a predictable non-stop barrage from the visitors, but manager Colin Payne is realistic enough to know that the real glory is hopefully yet to come.

His men mustered only one shot on target and forced a single corner ,, in the 89th minute ,, but he said: 'I was very pleased with our performance tonight.

'We found it hard to find our feet, but that's understandable considering who we were playing against, and I was happy with the way we defended against such quality players ,, their pace and movement were fantastic.'

As a rental payment for their reserves and ladies teams' use of Meadow Park, Arsenal's annual audience with their local disciples is no doubt very lucrative for Wood, but it also stands as a wonderful piece of PR for the Gunners.

The evening began with Arsene Wenger smiling for the cameras and releasing the usual netful of sponsors' balloons, but, despite dark promises of 'fielding their strongest team possible', which hardly filled one with confidence, there was indeed the odd international here, the occasional million pound man there in the visitors' line-up.

With Euro 2000 reaching its climax a mere fortnight earlier, no one in their right mind would have expected to behold a Bergkamp, get a view of Viera or to observe an Overmars, who were all in undoubtedly more exotic surroundings that evening, but one did get a look at Luzhny, as well as a gander at Grimandi, for their hard-earned cash.

There was one further treat for the red and white throng, with the debut of new signing Lauren. Signed from Spanish outfit Mallorca for in excess of £7million, the Cameroon star is probably more at home on the grand stages of the Nou Camp or the Bernabeau, and he made a quiet entry into English football, although he was enough of a pro to give the fans that 'I was there' moment by notching his side's 64th minute equaliser.

With such quality in their team, and a host of younger talent straining to catch the eye of Wenger and Pat Rice on the bench, it was little wonder that the hosts spent the first period trying to escape from their own half.

Wood fielded a side showing only five survivors from last term's struggles, and, with less than half a dozen training sessions behind them, many of the players were almost introduced on the pitch!

Arsenal's neat approach work saw the home side chasing shadows on occasions, but some aggressive and controlled defending by new boy Andy Polston and triallist Neil Baker, both of whom were excellent throughout in central defence, restricted them to long range efforts from outside the box which inevitably flew over the bar.

For a time, it seemed that the preferred way for Arsenal to take the lead would be a curling shot into the top corner, but Wood's bloody mindedness ensured that such training ground routines were not given room to prosper.

New keeper Neil Imber saved well from Ashley Cole and Paolo Vernazza, and beat out efforts from Graham Barrett and Jeremie Aliadiere as the Gunners dominated. Payne's men had just two genuine first half opportunities. In the tenth minute the impressive Andre Delisser dispossessed Cole on the byeline, but his cross was too high for the unmarked John Lawford at the far post.

Nine minutes later Selby took advantage of Lee Dixon's misjudgement of a high ball to race 30 yards in on goal, but blinded by glory, he ignored better-placed colleagues and shot wastefully straight at Alex Manninger.

However, the striker did not have long to wait for his big moment as he put Wood into an unlikely lead seven minutes into the second half.

Steve Magona's tenacity won a loose ball in midfield, freeing Selby to run across the face of the Arsenal area, before unleashing a fierce left foot cross-shot that flew past Manninger's fingertips.

It was a marvellous strike, and succeeded in stinging Arsenal's professional pride as they began to run through their gears.

The electric pace of substitutes Jermaine Pennant and Joe Osei-Kuffour began to stretch a tiring home defence and, after several near misses, Lauren arrived on the far post to steer the latter's low cross high into the net.

Further goals seemed inevitable but Wood's spirit deserved more, and they got it with credit, as Payne switched to a five man backline and saw his charges retain possession neatly in the closing stages.

'We had three 16-year-olds on the pitch at the end which is great for the youth set-up here,' said Payne, who revealed that he had selection problems before the start. 'We lost five players for various reasons tonight,' he said, but was fulsome in his praise for his team, saying: 'Everybody's fighting for places and this was a great learning process for us. I said to the players at half time that we've learned more in 45 minutes than in half the season last year. Andre (Delisser) was superb, and Arsene Wenger was impressed with us.'

Player-coach Mark Robson, who as a former Spurs player had more reason than most to do well against the old enemy, said: 'We didn't create too much going forward, but you accept that against those sort of players.

'At times we were forever chasing the ball but I thought that we defended well, not only at the back but right through the team. It was a good workout ,, a great start to the season.'

WOOD: Imber (Hart 45), Howard (Grime 45), Magona, Baker (Basta 86), Tucker (Leach 45), Polston, Delisser (Levene 45), (Chamberlain 89), Savage (Delisser 61), Lawford (Mills 45), Selby (Davis 73), Robson (Tilbury 78).

Sub: (not used) Dee.

ARSENAL: Manninger (Stack 73), Dixon, Cole, Grimandi (McGovern 60), Luzhny, Vernazza, Lauren, Lincoln (Weston 69), Barrett (Pennant 45), Harper (Canoville 73), Aliadiere (Osei-Kuffour 45).