Matt Rush (22), Abdul Abdulmalik (69)
Tyler Smith (78), Mani Dieseruvwe (90+6)
It was heartbreak for Boreham Wood in the National League Promotion Final against Rochdale as they were undone by a late Mani Dieseruvwe equaliser before losing 3-1 on penalties, which saw Rochdale return to the EFL after a three-year absence.
Luke Garrard named an unchanged line up from last Sunday’s Play Off Semi Final win at Carlisle United.
Boreham Wood nearly got off to the perfect start when Matt Rush played in Leon Ayinde, who outpaced Callum Perry before forcing Oliver Whatmuff into an excellent save with less than a minute on the clock. After that chance, both sides settled down for a period, sizing each other up, and Rochdale were clearly trying to stop the supply to Abdul Abdulmalik, who they had marked as a danger man for Boreham Wood. They were successful in this endeavour until the 22nd minute when he went on a mazy run, turning Kyron Gordon inside out down the left before delivering a cross which Matt Rush somehow chested into the corner of Whatmuff’s goal to give Boreham Wood the lead.
Wood could have added a second six minutes later when Abdulmalik went on another run before a well-struck shot was somehow turned over by the outstretched hand of Whatmuff. Wood controlled a lot of possession and looked more likely to add a second as they were constantly stretching the Dale backline and forcing a succession of corners. On 43 minutes, Rochdale turned defence into attack and had a good chance to equalise when a Devante Rodney cross met the head of Mani Dieseruvwe, who was just off target. Just before the interval, a Regan Booty corner was met by the head of Charlie O’Connell, who headed just over the bar.
Dale came out for the second half with real attacking intent. As their supporters found their voices, they forced a couple of early corners which were dealt with nicely by the Wood backline. Ayinde then went on a good run down the right before laying the ball back to Booty, whose inch-perfect cross was met at the far post by Rush, who was denied by Whatmuff. A minute later, Abdulmalik went on one of his trademark runs before his goal-bound effort was somehow cleared by Gordon.
Three minutes later, Dieseruvwe was off target with a header and Joe Pritchard fired straight at Ted Curd in the Wood goal. On 69 minutes, Wood added a second and it was that man Abdulmalik who made the difference again, as he received the ball on the left before cutting in and firing past Whatmuff into the corner to send the Wood into ecstasy.
One thing we know about this Rochdale side is they never lie down and battle to the end, and a hopeful punt upfield by Whatmuff found its way into the path of Tyler Smith, who finished well to give Dale hope. They showed a sign of things to come when Dieseruvwe had a good chance in the fourth of six additional minutes, but just seconds later the former Hartlepool striker broke Boreham Wood hearts with an equaliser with seconds of added time left, sending the match into extra time.
A shell-shocked Boreham Wood had to go again against a Rochdale side who were visibly buoyed by their late equaliser. That said, Wood looked capable of holding their own after James Clarke fired over two minutes after the restart. On 101 minutes, Dieseruvwe tried to lob Curd but the Wood keeper was equal to it. In the second period of extra time, Wood had a lot of the ball and on 115 minutes Josh Lander headed the ball goalwards, but Whatmuff was equal to it. Cameron Coxe tried an audacious overhead kick two minutes later, but Whatmuff gathered the ball easily again. When referee Andrew Humphries called a halt to proceedings, the match went to penalties.
Callum Reynolds took the first penalty for Boreham Wood but Whatmuff saved it. Sam Beckwith made no mistake for Dale. Erico Sousa gave Wood hope by converting his penalty. Ed Francis made no mistake for Dale. Whatmuff denied Rush from the next penalty. When Callum Perry converted for Dale, Cameron Coxe had to convert his penalty for Wood to stay in the shootout. Unfortunately, Coxe crashed his shot against the crossbar, leaving Rochdale the winners.
It was a fantastic effort from Luke Garrard and his side, who were literally seconds away from a place in the EFL. Fair play to the 7,000+ Boreham Wood supporters who really turned out for their town and club. They were a fraction away from getting their reward. As heartbreaking as this defeat is, there is a determination from Luke Garrard and his team to go one better next season. With many of the current squad already signed up for next season, there is no reason to think this won’t happen.
Boreham Wood: Curd, Clarke, Ilesanmi (Sousa 106), O’Connell, Bush, White (Henry 103) , Brunt (Brunt 90+1), Booty (Reynolds 70), Abdulmalik (Richardson 82), Ayinde (Coxe 82), Rush
Subs not used: Ashmore
Rochdale: Whatmuff, Gordon, East (Pettit 87), Ebanks-Landell, Gilmour (Francis 91), Hannant (Beckwith 75), Adebayo-Rowling (Smith 75), Barlow (Pritchard 46), Perry, Dierseruvwe, Rodney (Henderson 75)
Subs not used: Baptiste
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