WOOD HOLD ON FOR A POINT
Dover Athletic 1 -1 Boreham Wood
Tuesday 12th January 2021, 7.45pm
The Crabble Stadium, Vanarama National League
After Boreham Wood’s Emirates FA Cup run came to an end with a defeat at home to Millwall on Saturday, it was back to the bread and butter of the Vanarama National League tonight with an entertaining 1-1 draw against bottom of the table Dover Athletic.
Boreham Wood made two changes from Saturday with Mingoia and Whitely replacing Thomas and Rhead in the starting line up. Wood came out of the blocks early on and really took the game to The Whites, forcing two corners early on and enjoying having most of the possession int he first half. Wood took the lead after thirteen minutes when some excellent work by Whitely set Tshimanga free, where he took on two defenders and finished brilliantly behind Yusuf Mersin in the Dover goal.
The home side were better after the Wood goal and started to get more of a foothold in the game including a freekick on the edge of the Wood area, but was blazed over the bar. Corey Whitely soon forced a good save from Mersin after an excellent run and shot, Kane Smith could have also added to Boreham Wood’s lead but was denied again by the Whites goalkeeper. As Dover increased the pressure before half time they had a penalty shout turned down and Will De Havilland’s effort went just wide of Nathan Ashmore’s goal as the referee blew for half time.
The home side started the second half in the same vein as they ended the first and were controlling possession, after sixty minutes Dover then equalised when a fantastic ball by Oscar Gobern was finished off by TJ Bramble and hit the back of Ashmore’s net. Munns could have put The Whites ahead soon after when he rounded Ashmore in the Boreham Wood goal but the angle was too tight and his effort was seen off over the top of the bar.
Luke Garrard replaced Piero Mingoia with Matt Rhead at sixty seven minutes of play and almost immediately Morias went on to see his shot just over the bar. Kabongo Tshimanga was then played through by Murtagh but Mersin in the Dover goal was out quickly to block his effort. Despite these chances, Dover were also on the attack as Azeez had a good chance to give The Whites the lead. Gus Mafuta was sent off for Boreham Wood after eighty four minutes following his second yellow card, Wood were able to hold out for the draw despite finishing the game with 10 men.
Overall, it seems a disappointing night for Boreham Wood after such a positive start, but Dover’s performance belies their lowly league position and once again shows that there are no easy games in the Vanarama National League.
Dover Athletic: Mersin, Wood, Gobern, De Havilland, Rose (Collins), Munns (Mussa), Bramble, Ransom, Azeez, Spencer-Adams, Hanson (Cumberbatch).
Subs not used: Wratten, Smith.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield, Stephens, Ilesamni, Murtagh, Mingoia (Rhead), Mafuta, Morias, Whitely, Tshimanga (McDonnell).
Subs not used: Huddart, Woodards, Coulthirst.
Man of the Match: Kane Smith.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member)
