Blue Square Bet South
Boreham Wood – 2
Thurrock – 2
by John Mead
A lapse in concentration at the end of the first half cost Wood their first win of the Season, throwing away a sound one goal lead. Carrying on from where they left off Tuesday night Wood were in command from the kick off creating eight goal scoring chances before The Fleet finally contributed something in front of goal.
Elliott Godfrey scored his first goal for Wood after twelve minutes and added a point saving second with seven minutes remaining.
Ian Allinson was quick to strengthen his defence with the midweek signing of Lee Kersey from Billericay Town, who had an excellent afternoon in the heart of defence. This is Kersey’s second spell at the Club. It was Wood’s wayward finishing and indecisiveness in front of goal that saved the visitors from a second straight defeat.
Stuart Blackburne set up James Hawes who fired well over, before some fine defending from Kersey and Ryan Moran allowed Wood to build from the back with confidence. Wood were winning corners and free kicks in dangerous areas for fun and made their advantage count when Lee Allinson swung over a corner from the left that found Blackburne at the back of the box. He guided the ball back across goal for Godfrey who crafted a superb looping header over and beyond the reach of the giant shot stopper Andre Charles-Foster.
Blackburne, Mario Noto and Greg Morgan all recorded efforts as Wood looked capable of running riot. Godfrey and Blackburne then combined to set Sherwin Stanley up inside the area but his shot was deflected behind for yet another corner. Further efforts from Noto and Blackburne failed to hit the target before Thurrock totally against the run of play equalised after 40 minutes. Matt Bodkin escaped the notice of Hawes down the right and ran through into the penalty area. Gareth Williams’ decision to rush out left Bodkin with just one option and he took his goal well sliding home from an angle.
Wood suddenly looked average and into first half stoppage time they were further punished. Conor Okus looked to have fouled Noto inside the penalty area, but play was waved on allowing the forward to force a save from Williams who could do nothing about the swift reactions of ex-Barnet man Lee Roache who fired home the resultant loose ball.
The break suited Wood who continued to pressurise the Fleet defence with shots from Noto and Allinson, before a fine block by Kenny Clark denied Noto emanating his set play goal from Tuesday night. A late and wayward challenge from Rob Swaine on Noto kept up Wood’s one red card per game record for this Season, with the loss of the giant central defender a real blow for the visitors.
Craig Pope put his own ‘keeper under pressure with a diving header as he attempted to block Hawes’ cross from the left. A double Substitution by Ian Allinson inspired Wood. Seventeen year old Charlie Hunter assumed the role of sweeper to great effect with an array of telling passes, whilst the calls from the crowd for Junior Dadson to wreak havoc down the wing paid off.
Noto set up Dadson who had moved into acres of space before executing a brilliant effort bound for the top corner which required a finger tip save from Charles-Foster who just a minute later made a remarkable double save as Wood piled pressure on the ten men. Noto hit a superb effort from a tight angle which required a full stretch diving save, before the shot stopper somehow recovered to block Allinson’s overhead effort from just eight yards. Wood finally secured their first point of the Season when Allinson’s cross from the left was flicked on by Godfrey towards Blackburne, who immediately played back into the path of the Canadian who finished with aplomb wide of Charles-Foster.
Speaking after the game Wood Manager Ian Allinson conceded, “We have created enough chances again today to win two games. We suffered fifteen minutes of madness at the end of the first half which meant we had to chase the game. We did just that second half and will be stronger going into our next game. Both Claude Seanla and Dewayne Clarke should be available for our trip to Braintree Town this Tuesday and Daniel Brathwaite may well be on the bench.” On the performance of Lee Kersey in the heart of defence he added, “He is a leader and had we known that both Kevin Stephens and Curtis Ujah were to suffer those long term injuries we would never have let him go last Season. He was superb for us today.”
Team: Williams, Garrard, Hawes (Sub – Dadson 72 mins.), Noto, Kersey, Moran, Stanley (Sub – Hunter 72 mins.), Godfrey, Blackburne, Allinson, Morgan.
Subs (Not used): King, Kirby, Lewis.
Bookings: Moran, Blackburne. Goals: Boreham Wood: Godfrey 12, 83. Thurrock: Bodkin 40, Roache 45+1. Man of the Match: Elliott Godfrey.
