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 Late
goals from Matt Brady and Mo Harkin were enough to see Wycombe past an
enthusiastic Boreham Wood side as the first friendly of the 2000/2001 season got underway on Saturday.The game, arranged as part of the deal that brought Matt Brady to Wycombe in December 1999, was played in conditions similar to the heatwave at Cambridge on the final day of last season. A disappointingly low crowd of around 300 (about half from Wycombe) saw loan signing Steve Jones in a Wycombe shirt for the first time. However, Stewart Castledine didn't appear due to a minor calf strain and both Martin Taylor and Keith Ryan were rested with similar problems. In typical pre-season manner, a catalogue of half-time substitutions turned this game into little more than a fitness exercise for the Wycombe team. Lawrie Sanchez said afterwards "Today was purely a 45 minute work-out for everybody to get the ball, pass it and work hard on their fitness" On loan signing Jones, Sanchez said "He's only been here a week. He's had an awful lot of running to do that he hasn't been used to. Once his fitness is in place, I'm sure the rest of his game will come together." Jones had Wycombe's best chances in an otherwise uneventful first-half. Within the first minute, Jones flicked a right wing cross from Jermaine McSporran onto the home cross-bar. But it was Andy Baird who impressed most - clearly out to fight his way back into the starting line-up when the real stuff opens up against Stoke City on 12th August. Baird was thwarted by Wood 'keeper Noel Imber early on in a one on one situation. Imber was one of three players in the home line-up with Wycombe connections. Imber, like team mate Neil Baker, used to be with Wycombe's Youth Team, while ex-Charlton striker Mark Robson played one First Team game for Wycombe during the reign of Neill Smillie. Baird or Jones could have scored in the 24th minute. Chris Vinnicombe played in a pin point cross from the left only for Baird to head against the bar at the far post. Jones then followed up but his improvised overhead kick was cleared off the line by Imber in The Wood goal. Half-time 0-0 Seven half-time substitutions by Wycombe saw The Wood have their best moments in the game as The Wanderers struggled to re-group at the back. Mark Rogers was pushed into the centre of defence to leave room for Woking traillist Robert Smith at right back. Smith, who was on Wycombe's books back in the 1994/95 season, looked well short of pace and on this display is unlikely to get many more chances to show his worth. Paris, Lawford and Davis all went close for the home side before Wycombe's fresh faced substitutes eventually tipped the game in favour of The Chairboys. A shattered looking Steve Jones was replaced by the return of McSporran and efforts from Martyn Lee and Mo Harkin quickly followed. Both long range shots being blocked by Wood substitute 'keeper Adam Hart Then with ten minutes remaining Harkin set-up Brady to fire past his old club. With a minute left, Harkin rubbed salt into the wounds of Boreham Wood when he drilled the ball home from just inside the right-hand side of the penalty area. Final Score Boreham Wood 0 Wycombe 2
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