MATCH REPORT: SOLIHULL MOORS (H)

Boreham Wood 2-1 Solihull Moors
Mangata Pay UK Stadium, Meadow Park
16th August 7.45pm, Vanarama National League

A goal in each half from Solihull Moors players Mark Beck and Jamey Osbourne was enough to ensure Boreham Wood’s first defeat of the season, despite a spirited comeback after a David Agbontohoma goal in the first of eleven minutes stoppage time.

Luke Garrard made one change to his starting line-up following Saturday’s 2-0 win against Halifax Town with Lee Ndlovu coming in for Tyrone Marsh up front. It was a quiet opening with the visitors controlling a lot of the possession, but Boreham Wood made some nice passing moves. The first chance of the game fell to Moors James Clarke on thirteen minutes, but he fired over from distance. Two minutes later Jamey Osbourne shot wide when we placed. Wood had their first chance on twenty-two minutes when Lee Ndlovu was off target following an Erico Sousa header across goal.

Solihull almost took the lead on the half hour mark when Matty Warburton shot from distance by Nathan Ashmore pulled off an excellent save. At this stage the visitors were dominating proceedings and playing some nice football. They got their reward on thirty-nine minutes when Mark Beck headed in from a Kade Craig corner to give the visitors a deserved lead. Boreham Wood were unable to come up with a response before the break.

HALF TIME: BOREHAM WOOD 0-1 SOLIHULL MOORS

Boreham Wood came out for the second half in a more positive frame of mind the really took the game to Solihull in the first few minutes. They forced a succession of corners and Jamal Fyfield had a really good chance to equalise on forty-eight minutes but shot just wide. On fifty-three minutes, just when it looked like Boreham Wood would score, the visitors went up the other end and added a second. What a goal it was. From twenty-five yards out, Jamey Osbourne’s powerful drive gave Ashmore no chance at all. Two minutes later Ndlovu should have pulled one back for Wood but shot straight at Moors goalkeeper Tommy Simkin. On fifty-seven minutes, the dangerous Mark Beck hit the crossbar with an excellent header for the visitors.

The flow of the game was interrupted by a head injury to Solihull’s Matty Warburton, causing a break in play for several minutes. When play resumed, the visitors still had the upper hand. Substitute Josh Kelly was just off target with a free kick and Osbourne forced a good save from Ashmore. Just when the fourth official indicated, there would be eleven minutes of stoppage time, David Agbontohoma pulled one back for Boreham Wood, with a header from a Chris Bush throw in. It was the former Sheffield Wednesday defender’s first goal for the club. Boreham Wood then laid siege to the Solihull goal and forced a succession of corners. Kwesi Appiah was denied twice, first from goalkeeper Simkin and then by defender Kyle Morrison. Wood used the flanks well and put in number of crosses. The Moors defence stood firm and managed to see out the prolonged stoppage time before referee Greg Rollason called a half to proceedings.

It was a well-deserved victory for the side from the West Midlands and Boreham Wood weren’t quite at the races. Luke Garard will be heartened by the late rally but will be wishing it started earlier. The Boreham Wood Manager will want his side to back to winning ways on Saturday away at Altrincham.

FULL TIME: BOREHAM WOOD 1-2 SOLIHULL MOORS

By Brett Lewis

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