WOOD GO TOP WITH WIN
Boreham Wood 1 – 0 Southend United
Saturday 30th October 3.00pm
The LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
A late Tyrone Marsh goal at the LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park against ten men Southend United ensured Boreham Wood got maximum points and ended the day on top of the Vanarama National League table for the first time in six and a half years at this level.
Luke Garrard made two changes from Tuesday night’s victory at Kings Lynn with Will Evans returning in place of Dave Stephens and Frankie Raymond coming in for the suspended Mark Ricketts.
In a quiet first half, Wood had the better of things in the first period of the half. In the first minute, Will Evans headed wide following a corner. Soon after, following a lovely turn from Josh Rees, he played in Jacob Mendy Mendy whose cross was mis-controlled by Shaun Hobson and fortunately for him there were no Boreham Wood players there to pounce. On nine minutes an excellent cross from Mendy Mendy found Rees whose outstanding volley was expertly tipped over by Shrimpers keeper Steve Arnold. On eighteen minutes, a Tyrone Marsh free kick from thirty yards was spilt by Arnold in the Southend goal but fortunately for him, it went over the crossbar. The visitors got in on the act on twenty-four minutes when after a flowing move, Rhys Murphy curled his shot just wide of Taye Ashby-Hammond’s goal. On thirty-two minutes, a Zak Brunt shot was well blocked by Jamal Fyfield. From the resulting corner Kacper Lopata headed wide. On forty-two minutes the visitors had their best chance of the match when a Brunt free kick was headed just wide by Sam Dalby.
The second half started with a succession of corners, mostly for the home side. On forty-eight minutes a weaving run by Mendy Mendy ended with a shot that was deflected wide. Three minutes later Will Evans headed straight at Arnold in the Shrimpers goal. On fifty-five minutes the outstanding Zak Brunt struck a free kick that was well saved by Ashby-Hammond. Frankie Raymond then shot way over from distance. Raymond created a good chance for Scott Boden, but he was unable to connect properly with his shot. On fifty-eight minutes, an excellent move for Boreham Wood involving Boden and Mendy Mendy resulted in Kane Smith shooting wide from distance. On sixty-three minutes a purposeful run from Femi Ilesamni ended when his shot went wide. Two minutes later Steve Arnold in the Southend goal made a brilliant save from Gus Mafuta’s long range effort. On sixty-six came the incident that turned the game in Boreham Wood’s favour. Southend’s Abu Ogogo received two yellow cards in quick succession, the first being when he refused to retreat the ten yards from a Boreham Wood corner and the second being presumably for something he said to the referee following the yellow card. Following his early bath, Boreham Wood smelt blood and were then very much on the ascendancy as they aimed to make the one-man advantage count. Almost immediately Evans headed over from a corner. Marsh was soon off target when gifted a chance by Mafuta. On eighty minutes Marsh had another chance but he short just wide of Arnold’s goal. Two minutes later Marsh made no mistake. He was on hand to finish when Arnold saved from Frankie Raymond’s long range shot and the rebound went straight into his path to give Boreham Wood the points.
It’s clear that the sending off had an impact on the result. However, even before Abu Ogogo’s early bath, Wood had the majority of the chances and looked more likely to score. While Luke Garrard’s men weren’t at their best, the defence were once again rock solid and the team were once again, able to conjure a goal from somewhere. Jacob Mendy Mendy had his best game for the club. He was a constant menace to the Southend defence all afternoon and didn’t give them a moment’s peace.
Boreham Wood: Ashby-Hammond, K Smith, Ilesanmi, Fyfield, Evans, Mendy Mendy, Rees (Oluwabori 66), Mafuta, Raymond, Boden (Clifton 84), Marsh.
Subs not used: Green, Stephens, Munns.
Southend United: Arnold, Howard, Ogogo, Hobson, Dunne, Murphy, Dalby (Ferguson 69), Sayers, Lopata, Brunt (Walsh 84), White.
Subs not used: Bridge, Egbri, Phillips.
Star Man: Jacob Mendy Mendy
Match report written by Wood Army member Brett Lewis.
