Boreham Wood won their first league match since 5 October with a workmanlike 3-1 victory against Farnborough at Meadow Park.

Luke Garrard made four changes from Sunday’s FA Cup defeat against Leyton Orient, with Charles Clayden and Charlie O’Connell starting in place of the injured Erico Sousa and Jack Payne, Mo Sagaf replacing the suspended Tom Whelan in midfield, and Junior Dixon coming in for Kwesi Appiah up front.

It was an entertaining first half with plenty of goalmouth action. Tyrone Marsh fired wide for Boreham Wood after just two minutes, having dispossessed Farnborough’s Taylor Clark. Wood opened the scoring on eight minutes when a Lee Ndlovu cross was turned into his own goal by Clark. Wood doubled their lead eight minutes later when Junior Dixon’s shot took a slight deflection past Jack Turner in the Boro goal. The visitors pulled a goal back on 19 minutes when Richard Chin dispossessed Jayden Richardson down the left-hand side before cutting in and unleashing a fierce shot past Nathan Ashmore.

Shortly afterward, Gus Mafuta nearly restored Wood’s two-goal lead but fired just wide after a neat turn. After that chance, it was all Farnborough for the rest of the first half. On 23 minutes, Ashmore saved well from Millar Matthews-Lewis. Then Richard Chin had a shot deflected just wide before former Wood midfielder Aaron Kuhl fired just wide with the goal gaping. On 29 minutes, Clark forced Ashmore into a good save. The visitors could consider themselves unlucky not to have gone into the break level as Boreham Wood fought hard to maintain their lead.

HT: Boreham Wood 2-1 Farnborough

The visitors continued to control possession at the start of the second half, but on 55 minutes, Charlie O’Connell went on an excellent run from midfield before firing wide. Two minutes later, Wood restored their two-goal lead when a Charles Clayden free kick sailed past keeper Turner into the net. The former Staines Town keeper was expecting a touch from a Wood player that didn’t come. The third goal knocked the stuffing out of the visitors, who were unable to provide the same threat afterward. Boreham Wood controlled the final period of the match. In fact, they could have added a fourth on 67 minutes when Richardson forced a good save from Turner in the Boro goal. 10 minutes later, Kwesi Appiah headed over the bar when well-placed. In the final few minutes, Richardson went on an excellent run through the midfield before forcing another good save from Turner.

FT: Boreham Wood 3-1 Farnborough

It was a welcome three points for Luke Garrard’s men. For the first time in several weeks, they took their chances and seemed to score at the right time. The victory was even more satisfying, coming three days after a gruelling FA Cup tie against Leyton Orient and with Wood being without Tom Whelan and Erico Sousa, their two best players this season. The next game is away at bottom-of-the-table Aveley, where Luke Garrard will fancy his chances of another three points.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Richardson (Coxe 90), Clayden (Hare 68), Ilesanmi, Bush, Agbontohoma, O’Connell, Sagaf, Marsh (Mafuta 80), Dixon (Appiah 63), Ndlovu (Goddard 82).

Farnborough: Turner, Robinson, Hollis (Mason 60), Chin (Casey 60), Pruti, Haigh, Holmes (Acey 60), Kuhl (Oyeleke 46), Young (MacArthur 60), Matthews-Lewis.

Man of the Match: Femi Ilesanmi.

Match report written by Brett Lewis.