Despite the difficult conditions and the goalless scoreline, it was an entertaining game at Meadow Park, with both sides trying to play football. Boreham Wood were made to settle for a point in a game where they had the upper hand.

Luke Garrard made three changes to his starting line-up from last Saturday’s FA Trophy win against Felixstowe & Walton, with Jack Payne and Tom Whelan replacing Mo Sagaf and Gus Mafuta in midfield and Kwesi Appiah starting instead of Junior Dixon up front.

It was a lively opening, with both sides going full throttle and playing some nice football. Wood had the first effort on goal on seven minutes when Charles Clayden fired over from outside the area. On 13 minutes, a lovely move involving Clayden and Tom Whelan ended with Jon Benton shooting just wide for Boreham Wood. Five minutes later, Clayden fired just wide for Wood, with Gulls keeper James Hamon beaten.

On 21 minutes, Omar Mussa forced a good save from Nathan Ashmore. A minute later, Jon Benton had a shot blocked, and when the ball ricocheted back to him, he somehow fired wide with the goal at his mercy. Four minutes later, Torquay’s Will Jenkins-Davies tried his luck from distance, but it was narrowly wide. Almost immediately, Whelan’s well-struck shot was well saved by Hamon. Wood continued to play some nice football but were just lacking the killer instinct in front of goal. In the build-up to half-time, the match quietened down, but just before the interval, Clayden’s cross just needed a touch from Lee Ndlovu to give Boreham Wood the lead.

HT: Boreham Wood 0-0 Torquay United

Torquay came out for the second half on the front foot and had a good chance to take the lead five minutes after the restart when Sam Dreyer headed over from a good position. On 55 minutes, a Josh Hare cross was struck wide by Clayden. Six minutes later, a Clayden cross was just out of Appiah’s reach. On 68 minutes, an excellent Benton cross was met by Ndlovu, who forced a good save from Hamon. Five minutes later, an excellent Benton pass picked out Jayden Richardson, who tried to take it around Hamon, but the Gulls’ keeper did well to gather the ball. Almost immediately, Ndlovu fired high and wide after a good run.

On 75 minutes, Cody Cooke fired over the bar, and three minutes later, Lirak Hasani shot straight at Ashmore in the Wood goal. The visitors started to get the upper hand in the closing stages and forced a succession of corners. From one of these, Dreyer forced Ashmore into a good save. With three minutes left on the clock, a Whelan pass picked out Richardson, who went wide again before finding the side netting. Soon afterwards, Jack Payne’s shot was saved by Hamon before referee Josh Crofts called an end to proceedings.

FT: Boreham Wood 0-0 Torquay United

Boreham Wood played well, but Luke Garrard will be frustrated that his side couldn’t pick up three points against one of their promotion rivals at home.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Richardson, Clayden (Ilesanmi 90), Bush, O’Connell, Hare, Payne, Whelan, Benton, Ndlovu, Appiah.

Subs not used: Sagaf, Marsh, Abdulmalik, Mafuta.

Torquay United: Hamon, Thomas, Foulston, Dyer, Dreyer, Trelkeld, Mussa (Hasani 66), Hayfield, Jenkins-Davies (Carson 69), Young (Jeffers 84), Cooke.

Subs not used: Carson, Palmer, Tonks.

Player of the Match: Charles Clayden.

Match report written by Brett Lewis.