Abdul Abdulmalik (49), Aaron Henry (90+2)
Lewis Orford (26), Josh Landers (45)
In an incredible night at Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park, Boreham Wood became the first National League team to win the National League Cup with an exciting penalty shootout victory against West Ham U21. Despite being two goals down at half-time, Wood came back to equalise in injury time before winning 7-6 on penalties.
Luke Garrard made one change from his team following Saturday’s defeat at Halifax Town, with cup-tied James Clarke being replaced by Callum Reynolds for his first start since returning from injury.
The Hammers started the match on the front foot and went close twice in the opening minutes. Regan Clayton had a shot blocked by the feet of Ted Curd on three minutes. Preston Fearon fired wide two minutes later from a good position. On seven minutes, Wood had their first effort on goal when Abdul Abdulmalik went on a good run before finding Zak Brunt, who flicked it back to Tom White, whose goal-bound shot was blocked by a West Ham defender. Three minutes later, Abdulmalik went on another good run and was about to shoot before Airidas Golambeckis got in the way and saw the ball out. On 18 minutes, White played a great ball to Regan Booty, who nodded the ball down for Brunt to volley, but the ball went well wide.
On 21 minutes, Rayan Oyebade played an excellent ball to Josh Ajala, who fired just wide. Four minutes later, Wood had the ball in the Hammers’ net, but the linesman ruled it out for offside. On 26 minutes, the visitors took the lead when Lewis Orford followed up to score after Curd made an excellent save to deny Josh Landers. Ajala nearly doubled their lead two minutes later, but he curled his shot just wide. On 30 minutes, Booty played a delightful pass to Rush, who was denied by the foot of Ryan Oyebade just as he was about to shoot. Wood controlled a lot of the possession leading up to the break but were hit with a sucker punch just before the interval when an uncharacteristic error from Callum Reynolds allowed Josh Landers to steal in and double West Ham’s lead. Booty struck a free kick into the Hammers’ wall in injury time before the referee blew his whistle. Wood were unlucky to go into the break two goals down after playing really well for large parts of the half.
Luke Garrard made some changes to his line-up at half-time, introducing Cameron Coxe in place of Reynolds at right-back and replacing Lewis Richardson with Leon Ayinde on the right. Both players contributed to a magnificent second-half performance from Boreham Wood. They came out of the blocks straight away, and it was Abdulmalik who applied an excellent finish after a great run four minutes after the restart following a fantastic pass from Brunt. A minute later, Fearon fired over with a well-struck shot from outside the area for the visitors. On 52 minutes, Ayinde went on an excellent run, and his shot forced former Wood loanee goalkeeper Finley Herrick into a good save. At this point, West Ham couldn’t live with Abdulmalik down the right. He tormented right-back Ryan Battrum for most of the night. On 55 minutes, Abdulmalik played in Rush, who turned and shot, but Herrick was equal to it.
The Hammers showed a limited attacking threat in the second half, but on the hour mark Ajala should have scored when well placed; his effort went over the bar. On 69 minutes, Abdulmalik nearly got his second when he went on a run, cut inside on his right foot, only for his shot to cannon off the crossbar. Landers forced Curd into a good save four minutes later. As the game drew to a close, Wood looked like the only team likely to score. Coxe fired just wide on 78 minutes before Ayinde went close again but was denied once more by Herrick. Luke Garrard introduced Aaron Henry, who had a good chance at the end of the 90 minutes but fired over the bar. It was nice to see Erico Sousa come on for the last few minutes after three months out injured. In the second minute of stoppage time, with the game nearly up, Henry tried his luck from distance—a shot that Herrick should have gathered easily—but it squeezed through his legs into the goal. The North Bank erupted in celebration as the match edged towards penalties. It was the least Boreham Wood deserved.
The penalty shootout was just as exciting as the match. It was helped by the fact it took place in front of the North Bank. Ajala scored first from the spot for West Ham before Brunt was also successful from 12 yards. Orford, Golambeckis, Josh Briggs, Dan Cummings and Battrum all scored for the Hammers, but Rush, Henry, Coxe, Sousa and Bush were also successful for Boreham Wood. With the scores locked at 6-6 after 12 penalties, Gabriel Caliste stepped up to take West Ham’s seventh penalty, which was saved brilliantly by Curd. The ice-cool Charlie O’Connell then smashed in the winning penalty to send the Boreham Wood players and supporters into ecstasy.
It was a job well done for Luke Garrard’s men in a match that they largely dominated. He will want to carry the feel-good factor from the win into the rest of the National League season, starting with Gateshead at home on Saturday.
Boreham Wood: Curd, Reynolds (Coxe 46), Ilesanmi (Newton 84), Bush, O’Connell, White (Sousa 90), Brunt, Booty (Henry 75), Abdulmalik, Richardson (Ayinde 46), Rush.
Subs not used: Payne, Clayden.
West Ham U21s: Herrick, Battrum, Oyebade, Akpata, Golambeckis, Briggs, Fearon (Caliste 83), Orford, Landers (Cummings 88), Ajala, Clayton.
Subs not used: Worby, Medine, Leacock, Hargan, Dike.
Man of the Match: Abdul Abdulmalik.
Match report written by Brett Lewis.
