Leon Ayinde (28)
A 28th-minute Leon Ayinde goal was enough to give Boreham Wood victory on the final day of the regular season, securing fourth place and a remarkable 90-point total, which would have been enough to win the National League title in three of the last eleven seasons.
With fourth place secured and a play-off campaign to come, Luke Garrard rang the changes to his starting line-up from last week’s win at Morecambe, with Cameron Coxe, Callum Reynolds, Leon Ayinde, Lewis Richardson and Josh Landers starting in place of Zak Brunt, Abdul Abdulmalik, James Clarke, Tom White and Matt Rush.
Boreham Wood controlled possession in the first half and created all the chances. Their first opportunity came after seven minutes when U’s defender Dan Urpens gave the ball away to Leon Ayinde, who rounded goalkeeper Chris Haigh before cutting back for Josh Landers, whose shot was deflected wide. Landers went close again minutes later with another deflected effort that went wide, before Regan Booty fired into the Sutton wall from a free-kick.
Booty then turned provider, playing in Richardson, whose delightful backheel created a chance for Erico Sousa, who fired over from close range. Boreham Wood got their reward for sustained pressure, taking a deserved lead. Leon Ayinde dispossessed Urpens on the left before curling a fine finish past Haigh into the top-right corner. Wood continued to apply pressure and threaten the visitors’ goal but didn’t create anything else before the break. Just before the interval, Jermaine Francis had Sutton’s first effort on goal, but he hit it straight at Ted Curd to end the half.
Luke Garrard made changes at the break, with Tom White and Aaron Henry introduced, and there was a distinct end-of-season feel to the second half. The visitors were much improved after the restart and created more chances than Wood. Two minutes in, Lewis Simper forced Curd into a save, and then substitute David Ogbonna’s fierce shot cannoned off the underside of the crossbar.
Wood looked more dangerous when Matt Rush and Zak Brunt were introduced just after the hour mark, and it was Rush who played in Lewis Richardson on 70 minutes, but his shot was deflected wide. Six minutes later, Ogbonna fired wide for the visitors, and both sides exchanged chances. Brunt’s audacious attempted chip clipped the crossbar from the edge of the box as he tried to catch out Haigh, which proved to be the last notable effort on goal as Wood saw out a momentum-carrying win ahead of Wednesday’s play-off eliminator.
Boreham Wood now go into their play-off campaign, starting against Forest Green Rovers on Wednesday night in fine form, and will be hoping a packed Meadow Park will drive them to victory.
Boreham Wood: Curd, Coxe, Newton, Reynolds, Bush (White 46), O’Connell, Booty (Henry 46), Ayinde (Abdulmalik 65), Sousa (Brunt 65), Richardson, Landers (Rush 65)
Subs not used: Clarke, Marshall-Miranda
Sutton United: Haigh, Donkor, Byron, Eccleston, Urpens, Taylor, Bell, Simper, Francis, Harris (Ruis 70), Cashman (Ogbonna 46)
Subs not used: Aziaya, Rodari, Reeves, Fennelow, Topalloj
Home / Wednesday 29 April 2026 / 19:45
