Trophy Failure Angers Allinson.
F A Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round.
Boreham Wood 0 Gloucester City 1,
by John Mead.
Wood ended their association with the competition at the first hurdle, a result that Manager Ian Allinson found very difficult to bear.
Wood could have easily gone in 3-0 ahead at half time, yet a disallowed goal and two clear chances spurned by David Moli let the visitors back into the game. Their winner came courtesy of a defensive clanger, a blow from which Wood failed to respond. The game had controversy aside of the goal that was chalked off. Raheem Sterling-Parker was handed a straight red card just eleven minutes after coming on as a second half substitute, a decision that angered Allinson.
“ The challenge on Greg Morgan after ten minutes was identical, I have watched them both on the video. I made my feelings known to the referee who should have been more consistent. It is easy to send a player off at the end of a game, yet failing to deal out a similar punishment with ten minutes played is not good for the game.”
Wood bossed the first half and were in total control. Yet some superb defending by the visitors served to frustrate. That and a debatable refereeing decision after just 7 minutes. Callum Reynolds swung a free kick goalwards from the halfway line. Charlie O’Loughlin rose with keeper Mike Green and headed home. It appeared a goal had been awarded, yet the fans celebrations were halted when Mr Ross cited an infringement. In truth the custodian slipped when rising to challenge and from that the goal was controversially ruled out.
Two minutes later Wood should have scored again. Moli was played in down the right and lifted his shot over the stranded Green only for it to bounce just wide of the target.
A long range effort from Graeme Montgomery and a forty yard run from Moli that was well defended continued the theme of the half, with James Russell a spectator for long periods in the Wood goal. He watched a effort fly just over from the head of Connor Waldon but that was from an offside position.
With eight minutes of the half remaining Austin Lipman played Moli through on goal. Again he beat the keeper taking the ball round him, but his finish lacked pace to allow right back Michael Green to execute a quite brilliant goal line clearance.
Montgomery then picked out Morgan with a long ball. The winger controlled superbly crossing from the left for Moli who fluffed his shot on a poor afternoon for the Wolves youngster who could conceivably have been celebrating a hat trick.
Allinson warned his troops at half time that, “Only a bad mistake or a worldy goal will see us not winning today,” and his prediction came back to bite.
Starting the half sloppily a poor clearance by O’Loughlin came fortunately back to him. However upon turning to pass back to Russell he caught the ground leaving the pass short. Waldon, on Loan from Swindon Town made it three goals in two games merrily dancing round Russell to claim what was to be the winning goal.
City defended their slender lead well as Wood lost their way in the tie. Allinson made a treble substitution on 73 minutes and the passing improved without causing the Tigers custodian too much trouble. Sterling-Parker’s red card for what was a bad challenge ended Wood’s hopes as the minds wandered to the trip to Carlisle.
O’Loughlin was thrown up field and won every header before a late free kick for a foul on Matty Whichelow curled agonisingly just over the bar from Matthew Ball.
The result left Allinson, “Very disappointed. I felt we could have had a decent run in this competition. We bowed out to an average side and things need to be addressed about the afternoon but unfortunately we need to forget it for now and prepare for Carlisle. My main concern remains with the forward line and the need for a proven goalscorer, other than that we are looking a solid outfit. In terms of commitment and work rate we were superb again today but that does not take away the disappointment.”
Team: Russell, Nunn, Jibodu, Garrard (Ball 73), O’Loughlin, Reynolds, Morgan, Cox, Moli (Whichelow 73), Lipman (Sterling-Parker 73), Montgomery.
Subs not used: Hastings, Courtnage.
Bookings: Garard, Sterling-Parker sent off 84.
Goals: Gloucester City: Waldon 57.
Man Of The Match: Charlie O’Loughlin.
