WOOD WIN DESPITE A LATE SCARE
Altrincham 2-3 Boreham Wood
Saturday 20th February 2021, 3.00pm
Broadhurst Park, Vanarama National League
It was tense towards the end, but Boreham Wood held on for three valuable points in Greater Manchester against Altrincham despite seemingly coasting with a 3-0 lead against ten men.
Boreham Wood made one change from the starting line-up against Yeovil Town with Junior Morias coming in for the injured Matt Rhead. Wood set their stool out early on when Kieran Murtagh’s long range free kick was tipped over the bar by Tony Thompson in the Robins goal. Boreham Wood took the lead after six minutes of play when after an excellent run from Jamal Fyfield down the left was finished with a great cross in which was found by Kane Smith to tap the ball home. Soon afterwards, Gus Mafuta tried his luck from a distance but was denied by Thompson in the Altrincham goal. The home side might have drawn level when former Wood forward Byron Harrison just failed to get on the end of Yusifu Ceesay’s cross.
On twenty-nine minutes Altrincham’s Connor Hampson received his second yellow card in three minutes, both for fouls on Kane Smith and was sent for an early bath. The away side quickly made the numerical advantage count when Kabs Tshimanga flicked the ball home following a pass from Junior Morias. Jamal Fyfield might have added a third before half time, but he shot just over the bar.
Boreham Wood came out for the second half smelling blood and a sweetly struck volley from Corey Whitely made it 3-0 after forty-seven minutes. At this point, it was a question of how many Boreham Wood would win by. The Robins defence had no answer for the fantastic interplay between the likes of Whitely, Morias and Tshimanga. Soon afterwards, Morias nearly added a fourth but his effort was well saved by Thompson.
On fifty-nine minutes Matty Kosylo gave the hosts a lifeline when his well struck shot beat Nathan Ashmore in the Wood goal to make it 3-1. The dangerous Ceesay nearly made it 3-2 a minute later but his effort went just wide. On seventy-two minutes, Morias had another chance to score but his well struck effort hit the underside of the crossbar and went straight into the arms of Tony Thompson in the Robins goal. On eighty-five minutes Altrincham made it 3-2 when Tom Peers converted a Joel Senior cross. Despite a lot of Robins pressure, Boreham Wood held out for the much needed three points.
For most of the game, it was an excellent attacking performance from Boreham Wood and in truth, by the time Altrincham scored, Wood should have been more than three goals in front. However, they were then guilty letting the hosts back into the game which became a repeat of Tuesday night’s game against Yeovil when one side held a three-goal lead, only to be pegged back to 3-2. Fortunately, this time, Boreham Wood came out on top.
Altrincham: Thompson, Senior, Sutton, Hannigan, Hampson, Moult, Smith, Colclough (Peers 5), Kosylo (Mullarkey 73), Ceesay, Harrison (White 31).
Subs not used: Piggott, Densmore.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield, Pearce, Ilesamni, Whitely, Murtagh, Mafuta, Morias (Coulthirst 80), Tshimanga, Marsh.
Subs not used: Huddart, Woodards, Stephens.
Man of the Match: Corey Whitely.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member).
