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MATCH REPORT: BOREHAM WOOD VS GUISELEY
by Nathan Hodge
A controversial decision may have cost the Wood all three points in this National League fixture as they were held 0-0 at home by Guiseley on Saturday afternoon. After winning 5-0 in mid-week against Dover Luke Garrard stuck with the same starting XI with Bruno Andrade and Ricky Shakes up top hoping they would do the same again.
A scrappy start to the game saw a corner in the 6th minute to the Wood, the ball was met by Shakes whose shot was blocked on the line but rebounded back to him only for his second effort to rebound off two or three players before being grabbed by visiting keeper Maxted. The home players began to celebrate as they thought the ball had gone over the line, however referee Mr Treleaven saw it differently and denied Wood the goal.
Ben Nunn made his way forward on the right hand side and delivered a brilliant cross over everybody except Femi Ilesanmi who met the ball at the back post but he was unable to get his shot on target – a wasted chance from the Wood.
Another cross from the right hand side was knocked down to Andrade who hit it on the half volley forcing a superb save from Maxted down to his left. It wasn’t just Maxted stopping the Wood’s efforts though, it was the whole Guiseley defence too as Kenny Davis and Jai Reason both had shots blocked by Palmer and Brown.
The last 10 minutes of the half saw Guiseley come alive through their first real chance in the game as Preston ran past two or three men before getting in his shot from just outside the box. It was straight down the throat of home keeper Grant Smith causing the Wood no problems although Preston did feel like he was fouled in the process but the referee waved his appeal away.
The half ended after a few Guiseley corners but nothing was to come from them and Boreham Wood will definitely have felt hard done by at half time after a few controversial decisions, the main one denying the hosts the early goal that could have clinched the win.
Guiseley started the second half a lot brighter than the first as Preston beat three men before firing a low cross into the box, however Smith was equal to it and pounced on the ball stopping any danger.
The Wood went straight back at Guiseley as Davis won the ball and played it to Shakes whose run allowed him to get the ball to Andrade on the left hand side but his cross was deflected wide for a corner.
A free kick to the Wood 10 yards out ended up at the feet of Davis on the edge of the box but his shot took a deflection and went wide for a Wood corner which Maxted came out to punch clear.
There was a chance for Wood substitute Jason Williams with 15 minutes left as he cut inside before firing just over the bar with a powerful shot. Wood had several corners in the 7 minutes of injury time but could not find a winner and the game finished even.
Wood certainly had the chances to win the game but they failed to make them count and that, along with a decision that could have gone either way but ended up against the Wood, frustrated the home side and the fans as the hosts probably deserved more than just a point.
Wood are back here at Meadow Park on Tuesday evening against Lincoln City, kick off is 7.45pm.