Vanarama Conference South.
Whitehawk 3 Boreham Wood 0,
by John Mead.
This inept display ended Wood’s reign at the top of the table, with the result meaning they have lost twice in succession for the first time this season. In doing so, they have also failed to score in two consecutive games, which is another first for Ian Allinson’s men.
Whitehawk were well worth the three points and would have been somewhat surprised with the ease in which they won the game. Nick Arnold played a ball down the right flank for Jake Robinson who got beyond Callum Reynolds with some fine trickery before blasting home beyond James Russell after just 9 minutes.
Just three minutes later and in only their second attack of the game a flat back four looked on as Sam Deering latched onto a straightforward ball down the centre of the park. He cut straight through the central defence laying up for Robinson who finished with ease.
It was a truly horrendous start for Wood and one from which they never recovered. Russell was forced to save at his left hand post to deny Danny Mills, before Reynolds managed to thwart the giant striker at the second attempt.
Ben Martin was then forced to clear off the line to deny Mills whose run in from the right had already taken him beyond Russell.
Four minutes before the interval Wood found themselves three down. A lofted cross from the right found Deering who was given licence to control, run and execute a slide rule pass into the feet of Arnold. The right back finished crisply into the bottom corner.
Lee Angol found it hard to pass Osei Sankofa, whilst David Ijaha gobbled up everything that Wood threw at him with an unerring ease.
With 65 minutes played Allinson made a treble substitution, but the first action of note thereafter was Martin clearing a Pa Saikou Kujabi effort off the line.
The rest of the half passed by with little in the way of noteworthy action, making it a day to forget for the large contingent that travelled down from Hertfordshire.
Speaking after the game Allinson conceded, “ We were beaten by the better side. We were second best. We looked nervous and under pressure. To be out of the game after half an hour for the second game running is hugely disappointing.”
Team: Russell, Garrard ( Miller-Rodney 65), Brown, Cox, Martin, Reynolds, Whichelow, Shakes, Angol, McMahon ( Thomas 65), Montgomery ( Morias 65).
Subs not used: Hill, Courtnage.
Bookings: McMahon, Angol, Reynolds.
Goals: Whitehawk: Robinson 9,12. Arnold 41.
