WOOD PEGGED BACK
Boreham Wood 2-2 FC Halifax Town
Tuesday 14th September 2021, 7.45pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
After an impressive first half in which they dominated, Boreham Wood had to settle for a draw in a hard-fought game against a good FC Halifax Town side who had the better of things after the interval and might consider themselves unlucky not to snatch all three points.
For the fifth match running Luke Garrard names an unchanged line up and the way they started the match, it didn’t leave much room for anyone else to break into the side. Buoyed by their dramatic injury time winner at Bromley on Saturday, Wood came out of the blocks with real confidence and quickly set about their Yorkshire opponents. Defender Will Evans had a half chance after three minutes, but his effort was blocked by Tom Bradhsaw. Femi Ilesamni had a similar effort soon afterwards which was also blocked. At this stage Mendy Mendy and Ilesamni were a constant attacking threat for Wood. However, The Shaymen’s back line were superb at dealing with this threat. After the fifteen-minute mark, the visitors started to grow into the game and won a series of free kicks in the Wood half. On twenty-three minutes they took they lead with their first chance when an excellent teasing ball from Billy Waters was turned into him own goal by Jamal Fyfield. With the goal coming against the run of play, Boreham Wood then started to enjoy a sustained period of pressure, this time with more of an end product. On twenty-seven minutes, Josh Rees scored his second goal in consecutive matches after good work from Frankie Raymond to give Boreham Wood a deserved equaliser. Seven minutes later, Scott Boden played an excellent one two with Frankie Raymond before producing a shot that Halifax keeper Sam Johnson saved well. On thirty-eight minutes, a bullet header from Boden gave Wood the lead. This was the former Chesterfield striker’s second goal in two matches. Two minutes later, a long range effort from Kieran Green went just wide for Halifax. Then Josh Rees forced an excellent save from keeper Johnson when in on goal before Mendy Mendy, also stung the hands of the Shaymen goalkeeper before the break.
The second half was a different game and after Ilesamni forced a good save from Johnson after fifty minutes, it was pretty much all Halifax. Wood seemed to sit deep to protect their lead and surrendered a lot of possession to the visitors. Despite their dominance, it wasn’t until the seventieth minute that the visitors created a good chance. The dangerous Waters produced an excellent save from Nathan Ashmore who tipped the former Torquay United forward’s effort onto the post. With just eleven minutes of normal time left, the Shaymen got their equaliser when Waters slotted home at the far post from a corner. As the match continued, it was played more and more in Boreham Wood’s half where the visitors forced a serious of corners. It looked like a later winner for Halifax was inevitable before referee Scott Tallis brought proceedings to an end after four minutes of injury time.
After a dramatic victory at Bromley on Saturday and an impressive first half tonight, Luke Garrard will see this as two points dropped. However, in the end, he will feel relieved at securing a point against a good Halifax Town side and will be quite happy with Boreham Wood’s unbeaten start to the season after six games.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Ilesamni, Ricketts, Evans, Rees (Stephens 90), Boden (Clifton 83), Marsh, Raymond (C Smith 77), Fyfield, Mendy Mendy, K Smith.
Subs not used: Green, Munns
Halifax Town: Johnson, Bradbury, Green, Warburton, Waters, Swaby-Neavin, Gilmour (Vale 69), Tyrell, Slew (Allen 75), Woods (Spence 75), Maher.
Subs not used: McDonagh, Tear.
Star Man: Femi Ilesanmi.
Match report written by Wood Army member Brett Lewis.
