WOOD END THE SEASON IN DEFEAT
Boreham Wood 1-4 Maidenhead United
Saturday 29th May 2021, 12.30pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
If there are two things we’ve been waiting for this year, its supporters in ground and the weather to be nice, this was the day we had both. What we didn’t want to see is Maidenhead’s performance as they dominated Boreham Wood over ninety minutes and even managed to round off the proceeding with a goal from their substitute goalkeeper Rhys Lovett, when he came on as substitute late in the game.
Luke Garrard made one change from last Saturday’s last-minute defeat at Eastleigh with Krystian Pearce coming in for Jamal Fyfield who had to make do with a spot on the bench.
In a quiet opening to the game, Boreham Wood enjoyed the lion share of possession and for the most part, they were kept quiet by Manny Parry and Alan Massey at the heart of the Magpies defense. Tyrone Marsh had a good chance after five minutes but skied his effort over the bar. Maidenhead showed their intent after ten minutes when Danilo Orsi’s long range effort was well saved by Nathan Ashmore in the Boreham Wood goal. A minute later the visitors took the lead when Reece Smith scored his first goal for the club when he finished well following a long ball out from the back.
The Magpies then started to get into the ascendancy and proceeded to dominate possession for the next period of the match. Boreham Wood however produced an excellent move involving Kane Smith and Kabongo Tshimanga but Alan Massey denied Tyrone Marsh brilliantly as he was about to put the trigger. Three minutes later Orsi could have doubled Maidenhead’s lead but shot wide when well placed. On twenty-five minutes Boreham Wood’s Corey Whitely was denied when his effort was cleared off the line. For the next period of the game, it was very bitty, not helped by the fact the Maidenhead were forced into two changes as both Ryheem Sheckleford and Jerry Wiltshire went off injured. On forty-four minutes, there was an excellent moved involving Whitey and Marsh for Boreham Wood but Whitely’s subsequent shot went well wide. A minute later a lovely weaving run by Tshimanga was followed by a shot that also went wide. On the stroke of half time, the Magpies doubled their lead when Josh Kelly finished well when unmarked in the Boreham Wood penalty area.
The second half started well for Boreham Wood as Marsh scored on forty-six minutes and halved Maidenhead’s lead. A minute later an intricate move involving Marsh and Tshimanga nearly lead to a goal for Whitely but his effort went just wide. When it looked like Boreham Wood were on the ascendancy, the Magpies scored again to make it 3-1. Josh Kelly’s shot was well saved by Ashmore in the Wood goal, but the ever-alert Danilo Orso was there to finish. This goal knocked stuffing out of Boreham Wood and they never really recovered. The dangerous Orsi was denied by Nathan Ashmore in the Wood goal and Boreham Wood’s Kane Smith shot into the side netting, In injury time the Magpies substitute goalkeeper Rhys Lovett who had just come on to play upfront scored to seal the visitors emphatic 4-1 victory.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore (Green 88), Smith, Pearce (Woodards 58), Champion, Stephens, Whitely, Ricketts, Murtagh, Mafuta, Tshimanga, Whitely (Jallow 88).
Subs not used: Ilesamni, Fyfield.
Maidenhead United: Holden, Wiltshire (Sparkes 36), Massey, Wells, Parry, Sheckleford (Twumasi 27) Smith, Upward, Kelly (Lovett 87), Coley, Orsi.
Subs not used: Keetch.
Star man: Nathan Ashmore.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
