Boreham Wood 2

Rushden & Diamonds 2

Pre-season Friendly

It was somehow very apt that on a day when non-league football's Bank Of England club visited Meadow Park the television schedules included the movies How To Marry A Millionaire and The Colour Of Money.

Wood salvaged a draw through Neil Selby's penalty 11 minutes from time, but they had to spend much of the game playing second fiddle to their opponents.

The Diamonds' 5-1 mauling at home by Luton only a few hours before had stretched even as extensive a squad as theirs to its limits, but they were still able to field in Billy Turley, a goalkeeper who cost them £130,000 and ex-Bordeaux striker Jean-Michel Sigere.

Both however had matches they may choose to forget, and on another very warm afternoon Wood took a 15th minute lead when Turley dealt with Ian Savage's free kick from the left as if the ball were a bar of soap, and John Lawford was on hand to head a simple opener.

Former Bournemouth forward David Town made amends for an earlier sliced miss by levelling eight minutes later, when he found room behind the Wood defence to sidefoot past an exposed Noel Imber, and with their powerful midfield duo of John Hamsher and Simon Wormull dictating matters, the Diamonds were certainly in sparkling form.

They took a not unexpected advantage into the break, as Town teased Neil Baker into rather a clumsy trip, and Hamsher sent Imber the wrong way from the spot.

With Lawford and Lee Talbot getting little change out of Rushden's experienced central defenders Peters and Bradshaw, Wood's approach work was too often sideways, and when a clear cut opening did materialise, Otis Hutchings sent his free header well wide.

Home manager Colin Payne made five changes at half time, but Sigere could have put the visitors further ahead early in the second period but was denied by Imber.

The former Wealdstone keeper is looking a fine acquisition, so much so that the departed Glen Knight is unlikely to be missed.

Sigere left the field soon afterwards after damaging his wrist in a fall, and Rushden took the opportunity to introduce a few youngsters from the bench without relinquishing their hold on proceedings.

Wood sub Selby failed to seriously work Turley with two good chances, but was superbly denied by a wonderful double save from the custodian in the 70th minute.

However, the striker made amends with a neat spot kick after Peters was ruled to have handled, and with seven minutes left Carl Levene, who had terrorised the crowd behind the goal with some previously wayward shooting, amazingly missed an open goal less than a yard after Kieran Adams had jinked through.

Payne though remained satisfied at his men's exertions: 'Rushden had four of five first teamers out there today - the two upfront were different class. I was disappointed with the goals we conceded, but we came back from 2-1 down on a hot afternoon against quality opposition, and that's got to be good for our confidence. We made a few changes because of the heat, but I thought it was a good work out for us,' he said.

WOOD: Imber (Hart 80), Baker, Polston (Tilbury 45), Hutchings (Grime 68), (Davis 87), Paris, Kelly (Adams 68), Delisser (Clarke 80), Savage (Mills 45), Lawford (Bayliss 45), L Talbot (Selby 45), Grime (Levene 45).