After a heroic second-half comeback, Boreham Wood were knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by League One side Leyton Orient in a thrilling encounter at Mangata Pay UK Stadium, Meadow Park.

Luke Garrard made four changes to his starting line-up following last Saturday’s defeat at Eastbourne Borough, with Jayden Richardson in for Cameron Coxe at right wing-back, David Agbontohoma for Josh Hare at centre-back, Tyrone Marsh in for Abdul Abdulmalik further forward, and Lee Ndlovu coming in after a long injury layoff to replace Junior Dixon up front.

The visitors started on the front foot and controlled the early possession. On seven minutes, the O’s skipper Dom Ball tried to place the ball into the corner of Nathan Ashmore’s goal, but it went just wide. Three minutes later, Sonny Perkins forced Nathan Ashmore into a good save with his feet.

On 12 minutes, Perkins gave Orient a deserved lead with a fiercely struck shot from just outside the area. Three minutes later, Daniel Agyei shot just wide for the visitors. On 20 minutes, Agyei shot straight at Ashmore with the goal at his mercy. Jack Simpson fired just wide from a Ball cross on 33 minutes. Just before the break, Perkins fired over for the O’s. There were signs of encouragement for Boreham Wood at the end of the first half when they started to control possession, a sign of things to come.

HT: Boreham Wood 0-1 Leyton Orient

Wood came out for the second half with a determined mindset. This was dented four minutes after the restart when the O’s scored with their first attack of the half, with Daniel Agyei finishing from close range. With the tie seemingly over, Wood went on the attack with the outstanding Erico Sousa giving the Orient defence many problems. Two minutes later, Charlie O’Connell delightfully chipped keeper Josh Keeley in the O’s goal, but the Tottenham loanee managed to tip the ball over. Nine minutes later, another Spurs loanee, Jamie Donley, saw his header clip the top of the Boreham Wood crossbar.

On 69 minutes, Boreham Wood pulled one back. Sousa played the ball to Femi Ilesamni, whose inch-perfect cross was tapped home by Tyrone Marsh. Seven minutes later, Jayden Richardson’s powerful shot went just wide of Keeley’s post. Boreham Wood equalised on 85 minutes when an inch-perfect Tom Whelan corner was headed in powerfully by O’Connell for a deserved equaliser. This goal sent Meadow Park into raptures. However, it could have been so different a minute later but for an unbelievable save from Nathan Ashmore. A Charlie Kelman cross was kicked goalwards by Dallong Jaiyesimi, but Ashmore somehow kept it out, with the O’s fans behind the goal already celebrating. Boreham Wood had the ball in the Orient net again in the third minute of stoppage time, but it was immediately flagged for offside.

FT: Boreham Wood 2-2 Leyton Orient

Boreham Wood continued to control possession in extra time, and with five minutes left in the first period, the visitors were down to ten men when Jayden Sweeney received a second yellow card following a foul on Whelan. Wood were unable to capitalise on the one-man advantage, and apart from Josh Hare going close with two minutes left, they were unable to trouble Keeley’s goal.

AET: Boreham Wood 2-2 Leyton Orient

The penalties were taken at the away end, which may have influenced the outcome. It also didn’t help that Boreham Wood’s main penalty takers, Sousa and Marsh, were off the pitch. Whelan stepped up first and forced Keeley into a good save. Jaiyesimi then scored for the visitors. Chris Bush hit the crossbar for Wood. There was a lifeline, though, when Ashmore produced an excellent save to deny Ollie O’Neill from the spot. Josh Hare then scored for Wood before former Swansea City midfielder Darren Pratley did likewise for the O’s. Unfortunately, Junior Dixon’s miss and Ethan Galbraith’s goal sent Leyton Orient through to the Second Round.

Penalties: Boreham Wood (1) 2-2 (3) Leyton Orient

It was a fantastic effort from Luke Garrard’s men to come back from two goals down against a team three divisions above them in the pyramid. However, with Farnborough to play at Meadow Park on Wednesday night in the Vanarama National League South, his team may pay the price for playing extra time and sustaining injuries to Jack Payne, Erico Sousa, and Jayden Richardson, who were all forced to leave the field.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Richardson (Hare 114), Sousa (Clayden 109), Ilesamni, Bush, Agbontohoma, Payne (O’Connell 39), Whelan, Marsh (Dixon 79), Ndlovu (Sagaf 79). Subs not used: Goddard, Morley, Cnacoshi, Isaac.

Leyton Orient: Keeley, James, Sweeney, Simpson (Happe 87), Cooper (Brown 66), Agyei (Kelman 72), Ball (Pratley 109), Donley (Obiero 66), Perkins, O’Neill, Galbraith. Subs not used: Hemmings, Warrington.

Man of the Match: Erico Sousa.

Match report written by Brett Lewis.