Regan Booty (85), Matt Rush (90+8)
Boreham Wood took their place in the National League Cup Final with a hard fought 2-0 win against an impressive Truro City side with second half goals from Regan Booty and Matt Rush proving the difference between the two sides.
Luke Garrard made six changes from Saturday’s draw at Eastleigh with Ted Curd, Joe Newton, Charles Clayden, Leon Ayinde, Aaron Henry and Luke Norris coming in for Nathan Ashmore, Femi Ilesamni, Zak Brunt, Abdul Abdulmalik, Lewis Richardson and Matt Rush, who all dropped to the bench.
Boreham Wood started on the front foot and on four minutes Luke Norris headed just wide from a Cameron Coxe cross however, it would have been rule out for a foul on Truro defender George Cooper. Two minutes later, Will Dean had a shot deflected off Chris Bush into the arms of Ted Curd before Zachary Bell’s long throw caused havoc in the Wood defence and ended up clipping the crossbar. Six minutes later, Joe Newton crossed the ball in the direction of Luke Norris but the big striker couldn’t get a connection on the ball.
On 25 minutes Aaron Henry fired just wide with a well struck shot, and ten minutes later Newton found Norris with an inch perfect cross, but it was headed over. On 40 minutes Curd produced a fantastic save from a Dean free kick which looked like it was going in, but then Tinners keeper Dan Lavercombe pulled off an equally good save a minute later to deny Henry. Dean went close again for the visitors just before the break but fired just wide.
The visitors started the second half the brighter and nearly took the lead five minutes after the restart when Rekeil Pyke headed just wide with only Curd to beat. On 60 minutes, the game seemingly swung Boreham Wood’s way when Pyke was given a straight red card for a dangerous foul on Newton. While the Wood left back was getting treatment, referee Andrew Humphries had no hesitation in giving the red card. Tinners manager John Askey didn’t take to kindly to the red card and let the referee know his feelings before he too, joined Pyke for an “early bath”. It wasn’t long before Luke Garard brought on Abdul Abdulmalik, Lewis Richardson and Matt Rush to lay siege to the Truro goal.
Truro to their credit continued to look dangerous on the break and on 69 minutes, Dominic Johnson-Fisher went on an excellent run before shooting wide. On 80 minutes Johnson-Fisher went on another good run but this time played the ball to Dean who fired wide when well placed. Just when the game looked like heading to penalties Booty gave Boreham Wood the lead, on 85 minutes with a deflected shot which sailed past Lavercombe in the Tinners goal, much to the relief of Wood players and supporters. The visitors were not down yet and were a constant threat for the last five minutes of normal time and eight minutes of stoppage time. Two minutes after the goal, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain found Dean who forced Curd into a good save. On 89 minutes a trademark Oxlade-Chamberlain long throw came close to being turned in by Tyler Harvey Deep into stoppage time Havey feed Luke Jephcott who shot just wide. With the final kick of the game Matt Rush was played in by Brunt to double Boreham Wood’s lead and settle a few nerves along the way.
The weren’t at their best but Luke Garrard’s men take their place in the National League Cup Final for the first time where they will play West Ham Under 21s at Meadow Park on a date to be confirmed. As for the National League, Boreham Wood has an important game at home against play off rivals Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.
Boreham Wood: Curd,Coxe, Newton (Ilesamni 84), Kensdale (Brunt 53), Bush, O’Connell, Henry (Richardson 70), Booty, Clayden (Abdulmalik 70), Ayinde (Rush 70), Norris
Subs not used: Ashmore, Payne
Truro City: Lavercombe, Bell (Jephcott 77), Dean, Hasani, Roberts (Harvey 64), Issaka (Johnson-Fisher 64), Pyke, Law, Kinsey, Kite (Oxlade-Chamberlain 77), Cooper
Subs not used: Stone, Harrison, Strettton
Man of the Match: Cameron Coxe
Match report written by Brett Lewis.
