The first team pre-season programme concluded on a pleasant evening in Hertfordshire with Hayes and Yeading United matching a Boreham Wood side preparing for their first season as a top flight National League side and returning home after an entertaining 1-1 draw.

The game started in a lively fashion but play was punctuated by two stoppages as former United captain Sam Cox twice needed treatment for a worrying looking injury which hopefully won't sideline him for too long.

Billy Clifford had the first opening, after a quick Boreham Wood break saw them work the ball from the left flank to their striker who curled the ball just over from 15 yards. United then responded with good work from Ismael Ehui setting up Harry Grant for a deep cross which Evans Kouassi met on the volley but his mistimed shot bounced down and looped into James Russell's arms. The home side pushed immediately forward and Clifford fired wide of the left hand post from point blank range.

The end to end stuff continued and on 22 minutes yielded the first goal as a far post Luke Williams corner was met by Ben Gerring's thumping header which beat Ben Nunn's attempted clearance on the goal line. In fact, it was almost two from the same player soon afterwards as he met Jim Fenlon's looping delivery from a free kick with another header which cleared the cross bar.

Boreham Wood took a while to respond and when they did get in front of goal, determined defending from Devante McKain blocked Charlie MacDonald's low drive when he seemed certain to convert Ricky Shakes' low centre. This was a rare opening as United were disciplined in defence for the remainder of the half and in fact, nearly doubled their advantage as Ehui hurried their back line into an error and Kouassi latched onto the loose ball and drilled a 20 yard shot which Russell dived to tip wide at full stretch.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Boreham Wood were awarded a penalty when Gerring lunged in to block Shakes as he attempted a cross, United's lead however was preserved as Magnus Norman guessed correctly and pushed MacDonald's penalty away, diving low to his left.

On the hour, he denied both Shakes and Matthew Whichelow in quick succession with two saves, first blocking Shakes' angled effort with his legs and then, when the ball was returned into the danger area, diving to his right to collect Whichelow's low but rather soft shot.

The hosts were more in the ascendency at this point, enjoying a lot of territorial advantage, but some impressive catches under pressure from Norman and quick closing down by the United defence largely kept them at bay. Whichelow fired across the face of goal from a tight angle and Luke Howells fired over from 15 yards. It took until the 77th minute to finally unlock the defence as Junior Morias latched onto a throughball and wriggled clear of a challenge to go one on one and apply an assured finish.

United's second half chances had been limited up to this point, but they finished strongly, as Max Worsfold hit a piledriver from Tom Collins' layoff which might have sneaked in but for a slight deflection off Josh Hill. Then, Rhys Murrell-Williamson ran the Wood defence ragged down the left flank before his deep cross found Tyrell Miller-Rodney, but despite being in a lot of space, he elected not to shoot and the space was closed down.

So after an enjoyable game and an encouraging end to pre-season, the real football begins on Saturday at home to much fancied Whitehawk.

Report by Nick Bell.