Wood Come Out On Top.
Vanarama Conference South.
Farnborough 0 Boreham Wood 3,
by John Mead.
This confidence boosting victory sends Wood back to the top of the table.
Ian Allinson rang the changes after two disappointing defeats, resulting eventually in a comfortable win against struggling Farnborough.
Out went Graeme Montgomery, Daryl McMahon, Jordan Brown and Ben Martin, with Scott Thomas, Josh Hill, Junior Morias and Tyrell Miller-Rodney the replacements, the latter making his debut for the club.
All four replacements contributed to the result. Hill, missing for the last six League encounters returned with a point to prove and duly delivered a fine performance, defending resolutely whilst contributing to Wood’s offensive play with some fine distribution. Thomas took up the role of Sam Cox, who featured at left back, with both players turning in dominant performances. Miller-Rodney played behind Lee Angol and until his withdrawal looked sharp and assured.
It was obvious from the kick off that both sides had struggled with results of late. A cagey affair ensued, although Wood had the majority of the possession.
Angol was played through down the right but his first touch was heavy allowing Dillon Barnes to comfortably save. Cox executed some superb blocking tackles in his changed role, denying the dangerous Matt Jones, who was the home sides best player on the night.
Jones got beyond Luke Garrard setting up Gus Sow but he fluffed his shot when dangerously placed.
A weak effort from Matty Whichelow, an off target effort from Miller-Rodney and a header straight at Barnes was the sum total of the rest of the first half chances from Wood, whilst some dangerous balls into the area from Jones failed to find a target man for Boro.
The game improved after the interval, Miller-Rodney headed high over the bar before James Russell made his first save of the night after 51 minutes diving low to palm away a shot from Jones.
Reece Beckles shot the wrong side of Russell’s post before Morias accepted a long ball from Hill, going through on goal before falling over at the crucial moment.
The game was about to change and it did so in dramatic style, thanks to an astute substitution. The introduction of Graeme Montgomery after 62 minutes changed the shape of the team. It allowed Morias to come in from the wings, with Allinson reverting to a 4-4-2 formation.
Whichelow saw two efforts saved shortly after, before Morias sprung into action. A tackle from behind by Sow stopped him in his tracks, the danger signs evident for the Farnborough defence.
The breakthrough came after 69 minutes. Another fine ball from Hill out of defence sent Whichelow down the right. His cross was knocked on by Angol to Montgomery on the left who lashed home his eleventh goal of the season with a stunning volley.
Wood looked for a second and it nearly came when Hill connected with a corner which fell for Morias whose effort was cleared off the line. A minute later the diminutive striker got his goal. The ball was played in from the left by Montgomery with Morias allowing it to run across his body before unleashing a powerful drive that left Barnes with no chance.
There was only going to be one winner now, with Boro limited in front of goal. Wood looked happy to see the game out in the closing stages, but with Angol now seeing more of the ball with Morias playing alongside him, there was time for a late third. The pair combined with Angol rounding Barnes only to be pulled down by the keeper.
It gave Angol the chance to become the first player in the Vanarama Conference South to reach 20 goals for the season, dispatching his spot kick to give the club a much needed boost going into the business end of the season.
It was for The Gaffer, “ Important that we did not find ourselves out of the game again at half time. We improved immensely after getting the first goal. We looked fragile after the Basingstoke defeat and took that into the Whitehawk game. It gave me the opportunity therefore to freshen things up and the changes we made showed the strength that we have within the squad. It enabled us to inject some energy into the performance. We earned the right to get on top and now move on to eleven massive games until the end of the season.”
Team : Russell, Garrard, Thomas, Cox, Hill, Reynolds, Whichelow ( McMahon 85), Shakes, Angol, Morias, Miller-Rodney ( Montgomery 62).
Subs not used: Brown, Martin, Courtnage.
Bookings: Angol.
Goals: Montgomery 69, Morias 76, Angol 90 +1 (pen).
Man Of The Match: Josh Hill.
