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MATCH REPORT: BOREHAM WOOD VS LINCOLN CITY
by Nathan Hodge
It was 5th time lucky for Boreham Wood as they finally registered a win against Lincoln City having lost the previous four encounters. Wood put the league leaders to the sword and got their just rewards with a well-earned 3 points at Meadow Park on Tuesday evening.
For the first time this season Luke Garrard named an unchanged starting XI for the 3rd game in a row, although fit again Morgan Ferrier returned to the bench.
It was the visitors who got in the first shot of the game as a ball in from the Wood’s right-hand side was met by Sam Habergham at the back post but he couldn’t direct his header on target and it went out for a goal kick.
Bruno Andrade gave Lincoln’s Luke Waterfall a hard time early on using his pace to get on to a pass but his cross came to nothing. Danny Woodards picked the ball up on the left before delivering a great ball in towards Ricky Shakes but he was unable to make contact as the ball went out for a goal kick.
The Wood got more and more in to the game after the 15-minute mark as some good passing play ended with Ben Nunn delivering a low cross from the right-hand side which was met by Shakes whose attempted back heel was brilliantly saved by Paul Farman in the Lincoln goal. Only moments later Andrade received the ball in the centre of the park and drove towards goal but his shot from just inside the box sailed over.
As the Wood appealed for a throw in Lincoln tried to take advantage as they shifted the ball over to the Wood’s right where Josh Ginnelly struck the ball from just inside the box, but the effort was right down the throat of home keeper Grant Smith who collected the ball easily.
A miss kick from the Lincoln defence fell to Andrade who was able to run into the box and get his shot away forcing Farman to parry it, the ball dropped once again into the path of Andrade who looked to have been fouled inside the area but despite the Wood’s appeals the referee waved them away.
Lincoln almost capitalised in the 39th minute from a lapse in judgement from the Wood as the ball was taken and played through to Ginnelly who was looking for Smith’s top left hand corner but his shot sailed wide.
Wood had chances in added time, the first a free kick from Jai Reason which was headed towards goal but flew over the bar. The second was a Kenny Davis corner which was almost met by Shakes but his diving effort wasn’t quite timed to perfection as the ball flew past him and the whistle blew for the end of the first half.
At half time either team could have been in the lead but neither had taken their chances, Boreham Wood may have been a little bit more aggrieved with the scoreline as their penalty claim was waved away by Mr Brook.
The second half started with a bit of early possession for Lincoln and a slight knock for Matt Paine as he went up for a header and clashed heads with a visiting defender.
Habergham made himself a nuisance down the right as his ball in found Billy Knott free in the box but his volley which looked as if it just hit the side netting was deemed to have been tipped by Smith for a City corner.
Lincoln Manager Danny Cowley then introduced his main man in Matt Rhead in an effort to get a goal and he immediately caused problems in the Wood box.
Habergham got another cross in, this time to Rhead, who was able to knock it down for Nathan Arnold who beat a man before he struck the ball but a Wood body managed to knock it just wide.
Wood got the breakthrough on the 63rd minute as a long ball from Smith was missed by the Lincoln defence allowing Andrade to bring it down, turn and play a great ball through to Shakes who was able to run into the box where he was able to slot the ball home into the bottom left hand corner.
After a scrappy few minutes the Wood finally got another chance when a Davis corner after 77 minutes was cleared off the goal line by Farman after Ferrier’s header. Ferrier was bundled to the ground in the follow up and that looked to be another stonewall penalty but it was again turned down by the referee.
Moments later though the Wood got their second as a through ball found Ferrier who was strong enough to hold off Sean Raggett and play a ball into the box to Andrade who smashed it into the top of the net to make it 2-0.
With only 7 minutes of normal time left Lincoln still searched for a goal as a ball in from the Wood’s left was met by Rhead whose header was just over the bar. Lincoln came again in the 86th as Jonny Margetts weaved his way past Matt Paine but Davis stopped him going any further with a great tackle in his own box.
In the 4 minutes of stoppage time the Wood kept possession inside the Lincoln half but the visitors did eventually counter getting one or two balls into the box and even a corner which ended with Smith making another great save from a Rhead header.
Boreham Wood may have felt hard done by in the first half but they kept their heads and took their chances giving them a win against the high-flying Lincoln City. In doing so they also kept a clean sheet for the 5th consecutive game.
A trip to Southport awaits – where a victory would severely dent any hope Southport have of remaining in the National League.
