After a first half where they totally dominated proceedings, Boreham Wood had to settle for a share of the points against a battling Hornchurch side.

Luke Garrard made one change to his starting line-up from last Saturday’s draw at Weston-super-Mare, with Josh Hare coming in for Charlie O’Connell at the back.

Boreham Wood controlled the first half from start to finish, but despite ten corners and 10 shots at goal, they had to make do with a slender lead at the break, thanks to Kwesi Appiah’s seventh goal in eight matches since returning to the side. Wood set their stall out early, and Abdul Abdulmalik fired just over after six minutes. On 19 minutes, Tom Whelan had a shot from distance which went through Urchins keeper Mason Terry’s hands but somehow went just wide of the post. Unfortunately for Boreham Wood, this was the only thing the West Ham loanee got wrong all night, as he showed why he’s so highly thought of by the Hammers. Kwesi Appiah had a shot blocked two minutes later, and on 25 minutes, Terry produced a fantastic save after Erico Sousa’s cross met the head of Appiah.

Appiah made no mistake three minutes later with an excellent finish from a tight angle. He should have added a second soon afterwards but failed to get a connection from an excellent Whelan cross. Femi Ilesanmi fired just wide on 37 minutes with Terry beaten. Terry pulled off another quality save two minutes later to deny Sousa, just as the ball looked like nestling in the corner.

HT: Boreham Wood 1-0 Hornchurch

Hornchurch came out for the second half a totally different side. They had their first shot of the match three minutes after the restart when Sean Scannell fired over when well placed. On 52 minutes, Thomas Wraight’s free-kick fell into the path of Liam Nash, whose shot was well blocked by Chris Bush. The Urchins equalised on 59 minutes when Wraight lobbed Nathan Ashmore from fully 40 yards out. Boreham Wood came alive again after the goal, and Junior Dixon went through on goal but was denied by Terry in the Hornchurch goal. On 68 minutes, a pinpoint Cameron Coxe cross was headed just over by Dixon. Two minutes later, William Greenidge forced Ashmore into a good save.

On 76 minutes, a Whelan cross was headed wide by Appiah with the goal at his mercy. Three minutes later, the visitors had an excellent opportunity to take the lead when a Scott Kashket cross was somehow headed over by Nash with the goal gaping. On 77 minutes, Terry produced an outstanding save to deny Whelan from point-blank range. Four minutes later, Appiah’s first-time shot went wide when Wood’s top scorer had time to get a more accurate shot on. On 84 minutes, Appiah rounded Terry before laying it off to Dixon, who in turn found Whelan, who then fired agonisingly over the crossbar. In the second minute of added time, Coxe was given his marching orders by referee Morgan Conn after bringing down Scannell, who was through on goal. Darren McQueen then forced Ashmore into a save before Sousa went up the other end and produced a cross that was just out of Tyrone Marsh’s reach.

FT: Boreham Wood 1-1 Hornchurch

If Boreham Wood are going to make an instant return to the National League, they need to take their chances at crucial times. They should have been at least three goals up in the first half, but with only a one-goal lead, the visitors were able to regroup and come back into the game. After two draws in a row, Luke Garrard will want his side to get back to winning ways at Eastbourne Borough on Saturday.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Coxe, Sousa, Ilesanmi, Bush, Hare, Payne, Whelan, Abdulmalik (Marsh 73), Appiah, Dixon (Agbontohoma 92).

Subs not used: Sagaf, Goddard, O’Connell.

Hornchurch: Terry, Phillips, Gibbs, Scott, Wraight, Akinwande, Nash (McQueen 78), Kashket (Muldon 86), Harvest, Greenidge, Scannell.

Subs not used: Adams, Saunders, Clements.

Man of the Match: Tom Whelan.

Match report written by Brett Lewis.