Boreham Wood and Barrow battled to an industrious 0-0 draw at Meadow Park, with Luke Garrard’s side spurning a host of late chances.
The first half lacked any real conviction or attacking impetus, with neither team truly testing one another. Barrow went closest, with Grant Smith pushing Asa Hall’s header over the crossbar.
Having returned as the better side in the second 45, Morgan Ferrier failed to find the back of the net, after volleying Bruno Andrade’s cross wide.
Joe Quigley returned to the starting lineup, partnering with Ferrier up-front, with Andrade in-behind. While, David Stephens returned to the back three.
Asa Hall had arguably his side’s best chance of the match in the opening five minutes, with Grant Smith reacting quickly to tip his header over the crossbar, following Calum Macdonald’s free-kick.
The Wood were taking time to settle into the match and it showed as Andrade’s weaving run released Ricky Shakes a moment too late, and his eventual cross was blocked.
Despite the slow start, Andrade had been the bright spark of the early stages for the Wood. He won a free-kick when attempting to squeeze between the Barrow backline of Oliver Cook and Moussa Diarra, who hauled him down. However, his free-kick was over-hit and cleared by Barrow.
Again at the forefront of the Wood attack, Andrade glided a long-range effort at Arnold, who held the shot.
Bedsente Gomis’ whipped cross was met by the head of Kingsley James, but his attempt sailed around the post.
The Wood returned for the second half much livelier as Ferrier upped his game. The former Arsenal striker burst down field with the ball at his feet, but was eventually tackled by Macdonald.
Andrade then raced down the opposite flank and flashed a quality ball across the box for Quigley and Ferrier, but neither could get anything onto it.
As they continued to press, Keiran Murtagh swung a long-ball into the box, it was headed on by Quigley, but battled away by Barrow.
Ferrier then sent a rasping drive at goal, but it was deflected over the crossbar. Still on the front-foot, the forward bustled his way down the left-wing, but put too much onto his cross and it beat Kane Smith to the far post.
Hall ambitiously thumped an effort from 25-yards at Smith, who claimed the shot with ease. Macdonald then curled a free-kick from a similar range straight into the hands of the Wood ‘keeper.
The host’s best chance of the match fell to Ferrier just shy of the 70th minute. He had taken down Andrade’s cross and taken his marker out of the game with it, but somehow, he then volleyed the ball wide, via the help of a deflection.
Enjoying most of their success down the flanks, Andrade worked his way down the left-wing once more, but he could only fizzle a shot across the goalmouth.
Into the final 10 minutes of action, Danny Woodards set himself up for a volley on the edge of the area, but Cook blocked his shot.
With little time left on the clock, Ferrier slipped Michael Folivi through, but the striker’s shot was blocked over the crossbar from five-yards out.
The Wood: G Smith, K Smith, Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh, Andrade (Folivi 81’), Quigley (Woodards 60’), Turley, Ferrier
Subs not used: Harfield, Doe, Davey
Barrow: Arnold, K James, Diarra, MacDonald, Hall © (Jones 73’), Holt (White 70’), Makoma, Gomis, L James, Cook, Walters (Bauress 85’)
Subs not used: Panayiotou, Diagne
Attendance: 623 (88 away)
