WOOD SURRENDER TWO GOAL LEAD
Boreham Wood 2-3 Wrexham
Saturday 15th May 2021, 3.00pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
It was a classic example of a game of two halves here at Meadow Park as Boreham Wood surrendered a two goal half time lead to lose 3-2 against play-off chasing Wrexham.
Wood made one change from last week’s victory at Halifax Town with Gus Mafuta returning to the starting lineup in place of Momodou Jallow. There was no sign of what was to come in the first half as Wood created numerous chances and dominated proceedings. After eight minutes, some excellent interplay between Corey Whitely and Keiran Murtagh lead to a chance for Jamal Fyfield but was headed slightly wide. Six minutes later a fabulous defence-splitting pass by Murtagh picked out Wood’s top scorer Kabs Tshimanga whose effort went just wide of Rob Lainton’s goal.
I was then only four minutes later Boreham Wood took a deserved lead after some excellent interplay between Whitely and Murtagh lead to a cross from Femi Ilesamni which was well finished by Kane Smith. On the stroke of half time, Wood doubled their lead when another excellent Murtagh pass picked out Tshimanga who did well to outmuscle the Wrexham defender before finishing past Rob Lainton to ensure Boreham Wood were sitting pretty going into the interval.
Red Dragon’s boss Dean Keates made two changes at the start of the second half with Jordan Ponticelli and Dan Jarvis replacing Gold Omotayo and Paul Rutherford. Immediately there was an improvement in the performance of the Welsh side, and they controlled proceedings from the off.
Reece Hall-Johnson shot narrowly wide on fifty-three minutes when well placed. At this time, the home defence looked comfortable and restricted the visitors to long-range shots from Dior Angus and Theo Vassell. However, on the hour mark, Wrexham halved Boreham Wood’s lead when Hall-Johnson struck an excellent shot into the corner of Nathan Ashmore’s goal.
Another significant incident happened on seventy-four minutes when Wood’s Tom Champion received his marching order following a second yellow card leaving the home side really up against it. Boreham Wood were then camped in their own penalty area trying to stem the tide of Wrexham attacks. They nearly held out too but on eighty-seven minutes, an excellent back post header from Ponticelli drew the away side level. As the fourth official was about to signal four minutes of added time, Hall-Johnson scored his second goal of the match with a fantastic header to give the away side all three points.
The relief and jubilation among the Wrexham players and officials were there for all to see as these vital three points will go a long way towards securing a spot in the play-offs.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield, Pearce, Champion, Ilesamni, Ricketts, Murtagh (Stephens 87), Mafuta, Tshimanga, Whitely.
Subs not used: Green, Woodards, Marsh, Jallow.
Wrexham: Lainton, Hall-Johnson, Vassell, Pearson, Kelleher, Green, Rutherford (Jarvis 45), Young, Davies, Omotayo (Ponticelli 45), Angus.
Subs not used: Dibble, Marsh-Broan, French.
Star man: Mark Ricketts.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
