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MATCH REPORT: BROMLEY VS BOREHAM WOOD
It was a frustrating afternoon for Luke Garrard’s men and the Wood Army, as they came away from Bromley’s Hayes Lane today totally empty handed.
Despite clearly being the better side, and after a dominant second half performance of missed chances and a missed penalty from Conor Clifford. The overwhelming feeling was one of frustration, and a missed opportunity to take all three points.
Luke Garrard made one change from the side that drew in the FA Cup last Sunday. As fit again Conor Clifford replaced Kenny Davis who dropped down to the bench.
It was in truth a sluggish start from the Wood, who struggled to settle into the game, and Matt Paine had to be in the right place, to block a Blair Turgott shot from the edge of the box that was heading towards goal.
A sight though that all Wood fans didn’t want to see, was a poor challenge from Conor Clifford in the middle of the park. It was an unnecessary one and saw him enter the referees notebook for the fifth time this season. Resulting in him being unavailable for Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Notts County.
Wood though not at their best, were still the better side going forward and countered continually through Morgan Ferrier who held the ball up well throughout.
Anthony Jeffrey down the left hand side, was probably Woods best player on the day and after the first fifteen minutes was starting to make a difference. On the half hour he delivered a great ball to the back post, only for Bruno Andrade to head wide.
Morgan Ferrier then left Rob Swaine in his wake, as he burst past the Bromley centre half. The ball was played into the path of Anthony Jeffrey who forced a fine save from Alan Julian with a well struck low drive.
Just before half time however the deadlock was broken, and it was Bromley who went in front. A ball through the middle was only half cleared by Matt Paine, the loose ball was fed back into the far post, where a David Martin volley gave Wood keeper Grant Smith no chance.
Wood came out the traps, again the quickest in the second half. An unbelievable piece of skill from Angelo Balanta in evading 3 Bromley players was sublime, as he then played the ball out wide for Benn Nunn, who’s ball across goal found Morgan Ferrier, unfortunately his volley flew straight into the chest of unsuspecting centre half Rob Swaine positioned on the Bromley Line, which prevented a certain Wood goal.
The turning point in the match however came around the hour mark, when a mazy run from Bruno Andrade saw him clipped in the box by Rob Swaine. The referee had no hesitation in quite rightly pointing to the spot.
Up stepped the confident Conor Clifford to take the penalty kick. Though he struck it well, the penalty was at keepers height, and a solid hand from the exceptional Bromley keeper Alan Julian, diverted the ball up and onto the crossbar and you started to wonder if it would be Woods day?
Wood still poured forward though, looking for the equaliser but it was clear they never really recovered there composure from there on in, and their frustration was becoming evident,
Bromley never looked likely to extend their lead at this point, and only had a curling George Porter, effort from 25 yards to talk about in the second half.
Woods Joe Devera though spurned another chance to level things up, as we headed towards full time. A short corner was fizzed into the near post. Devera got across his man, but put his effort wide of the far post.
Wood Manager Luke Garrard, with a final throw of the dice, introduced last seasons top goal scorer Jamie Lucas in place of the tiring Morgan Ferrier.
With Tuesdays FA Cup replay perhaps on the Wood managers mind, and with Ferrier having only just returned from an ankle injury, it was clear Garrard thought he had now ran his race and would be needed hugely on Tuesday.
There was though, still one final chance in injury time that came Woods way. Again it was the impressive Anthony Jeffrey, who once more got to the byline. His left footed cross across goal found Jamie Lucas, but the forward couldn’t get enough purchase on the ball to turn it goal-bound and the chance had gone.
Wood though beaten still remain upbeat, and will now turn their attention to Tuesday’s replay at Notts County, in the hope of causing an FA Cup shock.
Boreham Wood: Smith, Nunn, Devera, Paine, Ilesanmi, Ricketts, Clifford (Davis), Jeffrey, Balanta, Andrade, Ferrier (Lucas).
Subs not used: Kuhl, Uchechi, Woodards
