WOOD FALL SHORT DESPITE MAN ADVANTAGE
Solihull Moors 1 – 0 Boreham Wood
Saturday 17th October 2020, 3pm
Damson Park, Vanarama National League
Despite playing for over 70 minutes against 10-men and dominating the match throughout, Boreham Wood succumb to Adam Rooney’s fantastic 75th minute strike to lose 1-0 at Solihull Moors.
In a similar way to Tuesday night at King’s Lynn Town, Boreham Wood came out of the blocks and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Following a goalmouth scramble, Francis-Angol should have opened the scoring after just 8 minutes but fired over when well placed. A couple of minutes later, a weaving run and shot from Tshimanga was well saved by Ryan Boot in the Moors goal. After 16 minutes a rare Solihull shot from Sbarra was thwarted by an excellent block from Tom Champion.
After 20 minutes, the veteran Moors midfielder Darren Carter was sent off following his second yellow card and it was great opportunity for Boreham Wood to assert their dominance of the game. A minute later Matt Rhead went close following a Corey Whitely free-kick. After 25 minutes a good strike from Whiteley was well saved by Ryan Boot. After that, it went a bit quiet for Boreham Wood for the rest of the first half while Solihull were finding their feet. The hosts seemed to have got the measure of Wood’s frontline despite the one man disadvantage. The tactical replacement of Stephen Gleeson with Callum Maycock just before the half time interval definitely made the hosts defensively stronger.
Boreham Wood came out for the 2nd half assuming that a goal would come. Soon after, a strong header by Matt Rhead across the box to the waiting Tshimanga was brilliantly clawed away by Ryan Boot. A minute later a Kane Smith blasted over the bar when well placed. After this, the hosts did manage to get a foothold in the game and were playing with more confidence in attack knowing that they had weathered the storm to some extent. After 57 minutes they may feel then should have taken the lead. An excellent Jordan Cranston free kick was superbly tipped over by Nathan Ashmore just when it looked like heading into the top corner. Ashmore’s save was as good, if not better, than his memorable save against FC Halifax Town the previous Saturday.
On the 75th minute came the moment that sealed the match. An uncharacteristic mistake from skipper Mark Ricketts presented Adam Rooney with the ball and a fantastic strike which went in off the far post from the former Salford City forward, just beyond the reach of the diving Ashmore, put the hosts in front. It had to be a good shot to beat Ashmore and Rooney was inch-perfect on this occasion. Due to the pandemic and the shutdown, Rooney had waited 7 months to make his Moors debut and this was his first goal for his new club.
Solihull grew in confidence and visibly shell-shocked Boreham Wood side went on the attack. Luke Garrard replaced Francis-Angol with Courthirst to give us some more cutting edge. In the final 15 minutes, Boreham Wood only managed to muster a couple of half chances through Matt Rhead. Even with the advantage of 7 minutes added time Boreham Wood couldn’t find an equaliser before the match ended and a noticeable jubilant Solihull Moors side were delighted with their afternoon’s work.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Francis-Angol (Coulthirst 77), Ilesanmi, Champion, Fyfield, Ricketts, Mafuta, Whitely, Rhead, Tshimanga.
Subs Not Used: Woodards, Stephens, Mingoia, McDonnell.
Solihull Moors: Boot, Williams, Cranston, Storer, Howe, Sbarra (Archer 86), Gleeson (Maycock 42), Rooney, Coxe, Ball (Hancox 46), Carter.
Subs Not Used: Osborne, Clayton.
Man of the Match: Nathan Ashmore.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member)
