Boreham Wood stretched their unbeaten run to four matches as they rose to third in the table, following a 2-2 draw with Tranmere Rovers.
Strikes from Bruno Andrade (53) and Angelo Balanta (68) put the Wood ahead in the second half, but late goals from Andy Cook (82) and Andy Mangan (90) in the final ten minutes pulled the Rovers level.
The Wood continued with their usual 3-5-2 formation, as Danny Woodards slotted into the back three in place of Jamie Turley.
The Wood should have taken the lead inside two minutes when a defensive mix-up in the Rovers’ box was pounced upon by Shaun Jeffers, but Scott Davies was off his line to blast clear.
Liam Ridehalgh collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled it across the box, but his cross sailed over the head of James Alabi.
Tranmere had switched to a 3-5-2 formation for the clash with the Wood, and Ridehalgh was revelling in his new wing-back role. He got forward once more and snapped a low shot at Grant Smith, but the stopper saved comfortably.
Woodards lofted a long free kick into the home side’s box that was met by Jeffers, but the striker could only blast his volley at the defence.
Kane Smith darted past his marker and swung a cross into the box, but it brushed the wrong side of the post and sailed out of play.
There had been little to separate the two sides in the first half, with the ball locked in the middle of the park.
However, Keiran Murtagh won the ball in the middle and powered forward, before feeding it between Stephen McNulty and James McEveley, but the duo recovered before Jeffers or Andrade could react.
Smith received the ball on the wing and cut into the middle, but was hauled down by Oliver Norburn before he could strike. The resulting free-kick was blocked and cleared by Tranmere, ensuring that the two sides entered the break level.
The two sides returned from the break desperate to spark some life into the game and Smith tore down the wing once more. The wing-back snapped the ball beneath the legs of the Rovers defender before driving it low across the box, but Davies gathered.
Norburn then inched past Smith in the area and lashed a shot at goal, but his effort crashed against the crossbar, struck the head of Tom Champion and was thrashed clear.
The Wood then countered, catching the home side off guard and in a desperate attempt to keep the scores level, McNulty dragged Andrade down.
The forward had netted four times in as many matches prior to the Tranmere fixture, and made it five-in-five from the spot, slotting the ball to the right of Davies.
Andy Cook had been brought on for Alabi and chased down a loose ball; he looked to have beaten Smith to it in goal, but the stopper smashed it clear at the vital moment.
Balanta then broke forward unchallenged, the attacker cut inside and curled a stunning effort past Davies to double the Wood’s lead.
Needing a reaction, Norburn broke into the Wood box, but he couldn’t twist or turn his way past the back three and blasted an effort against the leg of Stephens in frustration.
A one-two between Jeffers and Smith sent the wing-back free down the right, but Smith was unable to keep his cross in-play.
Tranmere were still trailing, but they continued to push forward as Norwood dazzled his way past Woodards, but he then curled his shot straight at Stephens who headed clear.
With seven minutes remaining, Tranmere pulled one back, Cook rising highest to nod Ridehalgh’s cross past Smith.
The Wood fought for their lives in the final seven minutes, but Tranmere found a way through, Cook broke free into the area and dragged the ball back for Mangan to drive past Smith.
The Wood: G Smith, K Smith, Woodards, Ricketts, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh, Andrade, Jeffers (Benson 81), Balanta.
Tranmere Rovers: Davies, Ridehalgh, Sutton, McNulty, McEveley, Norwood, Jennings (Mangan 67), Alabi, Norburn, Duggan, Hughes (Harris 74). Subs not used: Pilling, Buxton.
Attendance: 4295.
Goals:
The Wood: Andrade (53), Balanta (68)
Tranmere Rovers: Cook (82), Mangan (90)
