WOOD SETTLE FOR A POINT DESPITE DOMINANCE
Boreham Wood 2-2 Solihull Moors
Saturday 27th February 2021, 3.00pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
Boreham Wood and Solihull Moors served up a classic at Meadow Park in a game that was dominated by the home side who eventually had to settle for a draw.
Boreham Wood’s starting XI was unchanged from Tuesday night’s draw against Bromley and couldn’t have got off to a worse start, as Moors took the lead in the first minute. Stephen Gleeson’s free kick was headed back across the goal and Alex Gudger was there at the back post to nod the ball past Nathan Ashmore in the Wood goal.
Following thew early goal, Boreham Wood controlled pretty much the rest of the first half. Kabongo Tshimanga could have scored after eight minutes but struck his shot just wide of Ryan Boot’s goal. Tshimanga then fed a ball through to Tyrone Marsh whose effort was tipped around the post by Ryan Boot. The fantastic relationship between the two strikers was evident again on twenty-two minutes when Marsh found Tshimanga who’s effort went just wide.
On the half an hour mark Tshimanga had another great chance when Callum Maycock’s sliced kick left him one on one with Ryan Boot but the Moors keeper saved Tshimanga’s tame shot. It was on forty minutes when Boreham Wood got the goal that their first half efforts deserved. James Ball brought down Jamal Fyfield in the penalty area and Tshimanga made no mistake from the penalty spot. The first half ended with The Moors applying a bit more pressure on the Wood goal and forcing a succession of corners but the teams went in level at the break.
On fifty-one minutes Boreham Wood took the lead that they’re dominance deserved. After a fantastic run from Keiran Murtagh, he played in to Junior Morias who finished well beyond Ryan Boot to register his first Boreham Wood goal since returning to the club in January. Solihull then equalised from the spot via Adam Rooney when Nathan Cameron was brought down in the penalty area by Kane Smith.
With over half an hour left, it didn’t look like the game would end 2-2 as both side showed enough attacking intent to snatch a winner. While Boreham Wood were much the better side in the last period, Solihull were always in the game and Joe Sbarra was denied by an excellent save from Nathan Ashmore on seventy-five minutes. Three minutes later Ryan Boot saved well from a Gus Mafuta free kick. On eighty-three minutes the dangerous Corey Whitely cut inside and shot just wide of the Moors goal. Tshimanga went close for Boreham Wood a couple of minutes later.
On eighty-nine minutes Solihull were reduced to ten men when Mitch Hancox was shown a straight red card following a foul on Tshimanga. When the fourth official indicated five minutes of added time, Boreham Wood with the one-man advantage went for the kill and Ryan Boot made a fantastic save from Jamal Fyfield’s header that looks like is was heading into the far corner.
It was easily the best league performance this season for the Wood at Meadow Park. Boreham Wood were much the better side and were unlucky to only get a draw.
Wood Manager Luke Garrard said “The performance was superb. We created chance after chance, and I’m gutted we didn’t win. I’m proud of the players though”
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield, Pearce, Ilesamni, Whitely, Murtagh, Mafuta, Morias, Tshimanga, Marsh
Subs not used: Huddart, Stephens, Francis-Angol, McDonnell, Woodards.
Solihull Moors: Boot, Williams, Gudger, Gleeson, Rooney, Maycock, Ball (Hudlin 70), Usher-Shipway, Hancox, Donawa (Sbarra 54), Cameron (Coxe 60).
Subs not used: Clayton, Piggott.
Man of the Match: Corey Whitely.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
