Boreham Wood were defeated 1-3 at Meadow Park on Saturday, by a resurgent Havant & Waterlooville.
The away side started with a swagger and took a two-goal lead in just 17 minutes, through Matt Paterson and Andy Robinson.
Idris Kanu pulled one back for Luke Garrard’s side with 20 minutes to go, but it was in vein, as Hassan Jalloh sealed all three points for his side in stoppage time.
The Wood reverted back to their favoured 3-5-2 formation, with Sean Shields sitting behind forwards Justin Shaibu and Idris Kanu, and George Legg making his debut in goal.
Kanu and Shields linked up well, before sending the ball wide to Shaibu, however, his low cross was deflected wide.
Danny Woodards got in-front of his man at a free-kick and knocked Shields’ low ball towards Ben Dudzinski, but it was blocked.
The away side took the lead before the ten-minute mark, as a low cross pinballed around the area, before falling to the unmarked Paterson, who tapped home.
The Wood reacted through Shields, whose stinging effort from a tight angle on the right was deflected out.
The visitors doubled their lead inside 20 minutes, when Andrew Robinson curled a superb free-kick over the Boreham Wood wall and straight into the top corner.
Looking to break their day’s duct, Shields released Kanu into the box and the striker looked up, but thumped his effort over the bar, from a closing angle.
It was becoming an end-to-end affair, as Ricky Shakes fired an effort from distance which was blocked and sent Havant on the counter. Alfie Rutherford was on the end of the attack, but his effort was also blocked.
A marauding run from Jamal Fyfield took him down the left wing and into the box. He dragged the ball across the face of goal and several stabbed at it, but none could turn it home.
Kanu done superbly down the left to keep the ball in play and he pulled it back for Femi Ilesanmi. The wing-back curled a cross onto the head of Danny Woodards, but he could only nod narrowly wide.
The away side appeared content with their lead in the second half, and were making life difficult for the Wood. A cross towards the back post narrowly evaded the head of Sorba Thomas, and Havant & Waterlooville cleared.
Lee Bradbury’s side reacted and Rutherford went flying down the left, he couldn’t find a way past Champion though and fired wide.
The Wood sparked the game back into life in the second half, with a goal 20 minutes from time. Excellent work from Thomas down the right saw him beat his marker and drive the ball low across the goal, for Kanu to place home at the back post.
Excellent work once again from the young PASE Academy graduate saw the ball fall once again for Kanu at the back post, but this time his effort struck the side netting.
Bradley Ash was on once again in search of late drama and he done well down the left to find himself an opportunity, but his cross-cum-shot was punched away by the ‘keeper. Kanu weaved forward dangerously, before striking the ball into the hands of Dudzinski.
However, the match was all but ended in injury time, when Rutherford was brought down for a penalty by Legg, having nicked the ball from Champion.Legg done superbly to save Rutherford’s penalty, with a low dive to his left, but substitute Hassan Jalloh was on hand to stroke home the rebound.
The Wood: Legg, Woodards (Thomas 46’), Ilesanmi (Ash 75’), Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Fyfield, Kanu, Shields, Shaibu (Ugwu 61’)
Subs not used: Burbidge, Parry
Havant & Waterlooville, Dudzinkski, Williams ©, Fogden (Jalloh 67’), Lewis, Paterson (Frost 67’), Robertson, Robinson, James, Rutherford, Cordner, Paul (Rose 46’)
Subs not used: Woodford, Sekaija
Att: 511 (47 away)
Goals:
The Wood: Kanu 70’
Havant & Waterlooville: Paterson 9’, Robinson 17’, Jalloh 90+2’
