Boreham Wood 1-0 Woking
Saturday 30th November 2019, Meadow Park
Vanarama National League
Wood extended their unbeaten run to six games following a battling win against play-off contenders Woking in a 1-0 victory at Meadow Park in the Vanarama National League.
It was a slow start to the game with neither side being able to get on the ball and get a real foothold in the game.
However, this wasn’t for the want of trying as Wood goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore showed some very good distribution in hope to get his team going and implement their attacking brand of football we have come accustomed to in recent weeks.
It was in the 15th minute when the deadlock was broken, as Wood defender and man of the match Femi Ilesanmi won the ball back after the Cards looked to counter and drove well into the away sides half. Ilesanmi then played a sliding through ball into the path of Wood talisman Kabongo Tshimanga whose perfectly timed run beat the offside trap, Tshimanga would be provider this time round, delivering a driven cross across the six yard box which was met by an oncoming Tyrone Marsh who had the simple task of passing the ball into an empty net. 1-0.
It took until the 32nd minute until the away side carved out their first chance of the half via some clever interplay between Jack Cook and Dave Tarpey down Woking’s right hand side, with the latter then delivering a dangerous ball into the box which was met by 12 goal man Jake Hyde, but Ashmore dealt with it well.
Half Time – Boreham Wood 1-0 Woking
Just three minutes the restart Wood Manager Luke Garrard was forced into making his first change of the afternoon as David Stephens couldn’t continue due to injury and had to make way for Jamal Fyfield.
Woking seemingly picked up where they had left off at the end of the first half and started to gain further momentum and dominate the game. With their best chance coming from Glenn Rea whose right footed effort from outside the box cannoned off the bar.
The constant pressure from the away side led to a flurry of shots at the Wood goal, but Ashmore was able to match it and make a string of superb saves. With the away side looking progressively more likely to earn themselves an equaliser, Garrard decided to bring on the experienced Ricky Shakes for Justin Shaibu to see the game out.
However, with Shakes’ introduction it seemed as though Wood could steal another on the counter attack and put the game to bed, most notably Tshimanga raced through on goal twice in quick succession towards the end of the half, but he couldn’t convert either opportunity.
Woking felt several decisions were going against them and frustration kicked in towards the later stages of the game, which led to Jamar Loza being cautioned in the 89th minute. Minutes later, Loza saw red, picking up a second yellow card, as he lashed out at Wood full back Kane Smith as he ushered the ball out of play for a Wood throw in.
Following Loza’s dismissal, any chance of an equaliser for the Cards seemed to have faded and Wood saw the dying embers of the game out comfortably. Wood’s win saw them rise up to 9th in the table and three point from the National League playoff positions, as well as secure the double over the Cards, being the only side in the division to beat the playoff contenders on a Saturday all season.
Full Time – Boreham Wood 1-0 Woking
Boreham Wood: 17 Ashmore, 3 Ilesanmi, 4 Ricketts, 5 Champion, 6 Stephens, 8 McDonnell, 9 Tshimanga, 11 Marsh, 14 Thomas, 19 Smith, 20 Shaibu. Subs: 2 Woodards, 7 Mingoia, 12 Fyfield (replaced Stephens), 15 Shakes (replaced Shaibu), 16 Thompson.
Goalscorers: Marsh.
Woking: 13 Ross, 2 Cook, 3 Casey, 5 Gerring, 6 Diarra, 7 Tarpey, 9 Hyde, 10 Kretzschmar, 16 Donnellan, 22 Loza, 23 Rea. Subs: 21 Paulat-Brigg, 11 Hodges, 12 Hodges, 18 Meite, 24 Gray.
Goalscorers: None.
Attendance: 682 (254 away supporters)
Match report written by Joe Karadzas (Press Assistant)
