Jeff King (32), Regan Booty (35), Matt Rush (59)
After a magnificent performance against League Two Newport County, Boreham Wood take their place in the Third Round of the FA Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. First-half goals from Jeff King and Regan Booty and one in the second half from Matt Rush were enough to give Boreham Wood a 3–0 win.
Luke Garrard made three changes to his side from last Saturday’s win against FC Halifax Town, with Joe Newton returning from suspension in place of Femi Ilesamni at left-back, Regan Booty coming in for the injured Tom White in midfield, and Abdul Abdulmalik returning from injury to replace Lewis Richardson out wide. Ilesamni and Richardson started on the bench.
While Boreham Wood were dominant, they didn’t start that way. The opening period was cagey and, if anything, the visitors had most of the play. On 13 minutes an excellent pass from Samuel Braybrooke picked out Bobby Kamwa, whose shot was well blocked by Wood skipper Callum Reynolds. On 17 minutes Gerard Garner forced a good save from Ted Curd in the Wood goal. Nathaniel Opoku struck the Boreham Wood post six minutes later. From here onwards, Boreham Wood took over.
On 27 minutes Erico Sousa’s fierce shot cannoned off the head of Charlie O’Connell when it looked like going in. Five minutes later Wood took the lead when a wayward clearance from Ciaran Brennan fell into the path of Jeff King, who volleyed the ball home in the corner of Exiles keeper Nik Tzanev’s net. On 35 minutes Wood extended their lead when Erico Sousa played the ball to Zak Brunt on the right, whose inch-perfect cross was expertly finished by Regan Booty. Just before the interval Booty nearly added a third, but his well-struck shot was somehow headed off the line by Brennan.
Wood started the second half like an express train and were constantly on the attack, stretching the Newport defence. The South Wales side did well to limit the Wood chances at this stage. Booty had a deflected shot saved by Tzanev three minutes after the restart following some good play from Joe Newton. Sousa went close on 51 minutes but couldn’t keep his shot down.
On 59 minutes Wood put the game beyond doubt with an excellent finish from Matt Rush, who was put through by Sousa. The goal sent the North Bank into raptures and finished the match as a contest. Wood continued to press, and Brunt fired wide on 72 minutes. Six minutes later Tzanev produced an excellent double save to deny both Lewis Richardson and Sousa.
It’s strange to think that it took until the 2017–2018 season for Boreham Wood to beat a league side in the FA Cup, and they have done it seven times since — none more comfortably than today against Newport County. Boreham Wood Football Club and its supporters will be holding their breath in anticipation of the Third-Round draw tomorrow at 6:45 pm.
Boreham Wood: Curd, King, Newton (Ilesamni 75), Reynolds, Bush, O’Connell, Brunt (Payne 90+1), Booty, Sousa, Abdulmalik (Richardson 74), Rush (Norris 86).
Subs not used: Coxe, Benton, Clayden.
Newport County: Tzanev, Brennan, Kamwa (Thomas 60), Whitmore, Davies, Gardner (Alexander-Walker 82), Lloyd, Ogunneye (Spellman 60), Opoku (Clarke 70), Odimayo, Braybrooke (Reindorf 70).
Subs not used: Wright, Glennon, Clarke, Baker-Richardson, Antwi.
Man of the Match: Jeff King.
Match report written by Brett Lewis.
