FANTASTIC NIGHT FOR WOOD
Boreham Wood 2 – 0 Torquay United
Tuesday 5th October 7:45pm
LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
Goals either side of half time secured a fantastic 2-0 victory for Boreham Wood on an excellent night at LV Bet Stadium, Meadow Park to put Wood second in the Vanarama National League table after ten games.
After eight games with the same starting line-up, Luke Garrard shuffled his pack with Gus Mafuta and Connor Smith starting in place of Josh Rees and Frankie Raymond who both drop to the bench.
In a first half where Boreham Wood weren’t at their best, they still created most of the chances. Torquay had the first chance of the match when Dan Martin fired over from a tight angle after four minutes. Then an excellent pass from Connor Smith picked out Tyrone Marsh who shot straight at Shaun MacDonald in the Gulls goal. Jamal Fyfield had a good chance on eleven minutes when played through by Will Evans, but his tame shot was blocked by Ben Wynter. On nineteen minutes Gus Mafuta tried his luck from twenty yards but his effort went well wide. Five minutes later Connor Smith played in Jacob Mendy Mendy whose well struck shot was deflected wide. On twenty-seven minutes a rampaging run and shot from Will Evans was deflected into the path of Scott Boden who somehow skied his shot with the goal at his mercy. On forty-one minutes Kane Smith scored a quite brilliant goal to give Boreham Wood the lead when he played a one two with Boden before collecting the ball on his unfavoured left foot before burying his effort past MacDonald from the edge of the area.
The second half started in dramatic fashion because no sooner had the half kicked off, the ball was played up to Tyrone Marsh who was fouled in the Torquay area, giving referee Danie Middleton no option but to point to the spot. For the second match running, Scott Boden made no mistake from twelve yards to double Boreham Wood’s lead. Four minutes later Boden could have scored again when put through by Connor Smith but shot straight at MacDonald. Then Torquay started to enjoy plenty of possession knowing that a goal could change the dynamics of the match. Nathan Ashmore denied Connor Lemonheigh-Evans with an excellent save on fifty-eight minutes as the visitors showed their attacking intent. Wood always looked dangerous on the break though and there was a sense that another goal was coming. On seventy-two minutes some neat interplay between the fantastic Connor Smith and substitute Adrian Clifton, played in Kane Smith who shot over from distance. A minute later a cross from Torquay’s Dean Moxey just failed to reach Tom Lapslie who was in the penalty area. On seventy-six minutes the visitors had perhaps their best chance to halve their deficit when Chiori Johnson headed over when well placed. Soon afterwards an excellent dipping volley from Lapslie sailed just over the Wood crossbar. As the match was getting towards the final minutes Nathan Ashmore had a golden moment. First, he got down to his right to deny Lemonheigh-Evans and then he saved from the resulting corner from both Joe Lewis and Lapslie’s follow up. In added time there were calls for a Boreham Wood penalty when Kane Smith played in Josh Rees in the penalty area and there was some debate as to whether it came off a Torquay players hand. As the referee put the whistle to his mouth, Josh Rees fired wide following another chance created for him by Kane Smith.
It was an excellent performance overall from Boreham Wood and a real statement of intent from the team. The goals came at the right time and Torquay had no answers. There were some terrific individual performances from Luke Garrard’s men, particularly from the likes of Will Evans, Kane Smith and Connor Smith. The former Wealdstone man, Connor Smith, had his best game for the Boreham Wood in either of his two spells at the club and at times in the first half when Wood’s passing was sloppy, he was a calming influence in midfield where he always seemed to play the right pass and overall was involved in almost everything chance Boreham Wood created.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, K Smith, Ilesanmi, Fyfield, Evans, Mendy Mendy, Rickets, Mafuta (Rees 78), C Smith, Boden (Clifton 61), Marsh (Stephens 90).
Subs not used: Raymond, Munns.
Torquay United: MacDonald, Wynter, Martin (Lolas 61), Lapsie, Lemonheigh-Evans, Hall (Omar 83), Little, O’Connell (Johnson 51), Moxey, Holman, Lewis.
Subs not used: Halstead, Andrews.
Star Man: Connor Smith.
Match report written by Wood Army member Brett Lewis.
