Blue Square Bet South
Sutton United 1 Boreham Wood 1
(Abandoned after 30 minutes)
By John Mead
A localised rain cloud that hung just metres above the Gander Green Lane playing surface arrived around ninety minutes before Kick Off and relentlessly dumped its contents rendering the playing surface “too dangerous to continue” according to Referee Mr. Cooper.
It was a decision that nobody present could argue with, unlike the controversial two goals that left both sides even before the curtailment.
Ian Allinson recalled wide men David Hutton and Sam Lechmere, with Mark Jones returning to left back after serving a one match suspension.
Harry Beautyman delivered a decent free kick which Romone McCrae headed over, before going close with another free kick this time on the left which was allowed to flash dangerously across goal given the conditions.
Good build up play by Wood from Lechmere allowed Daryl McMahon to deliver a fine cross for Michael Thalassitis who headed wide.
A minute later and Thalassitis on the right side of the penalty area skipped past Simon Downer, yet the defender’s attempted recovery tackle was in tandem with Thalassitis slipping in the mire. Mr. Cooper pointed to the spot and a fortunate Wood went ahead with a superbly struck shot high into the top left hand corner from Hutton.
Five minutes later and it was 1 – 1. A fine ball from Craig Dundas played McCrae through down the middle. He turned to supply Joel Ledgister who fired home past a stranded Michael Jordan albeit from an offside position.
Sam Cox was upended after twenty-four minutes as Beautyman slid in to challenge. His momentum was down to the surface water, which was the first clear sign that the continuing deluge may well be the only winner on the day.
Mr. Cooper spoke to both Captains after twenty-nine minutes and when a through ball by Wood stopped dead in a puddle a minute later Mr. Cooper called off
proceedings.
After the game the Referee explained, “I asked the players how they found the surface throughout. Their mood changed as the game went on and the tackle on twenty-four minutes was a clear warning that the pitch was becoming unplayable.”
For Wood it was an untimely disturbance with the suspensions mounting up now carrying over to a further game. It was also Thalassitis’ final game for Wood. He will return to Stevenage a better player and had a huge impact on Wood’s Season. With Sam Cox and Luke Wilkinson also nearing the end of their Loan spells, the January Transfer Window will be a busy time for Ian Allinson who will need to factor in a period of unrest, with new players needing to bed in as Wood look to push on up the table.
Wood are now without a game now until 14 January, when they travel to Farnborough, owing to Salisbury City’s involvement in the F.A. Challenge Cup Third Round next Saturday. It will be a tough game for Wood who will not only miss Thalassitis, but the suspended David Bryant, Daryl McMahon, Sam Cox, Justin Cochrane and Luke Garrard.
Team: Jordan, Sankofa, Jones, Cox, O’Loughlin, Wilkinson, Lechmere, McMahon, Thalassitis, Bryant, Hutton.
