KABS IS CLINICAL AS WOOD COME TO LIFE
Boreham Wood 5-1 King’s Lynn Town
Monday 3rd May 2021, 3.00pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
Some clinical finishing from Kabs Tshimanga and an excellent second half performance ensured a welcome 5-1 victory over Kings Lynn Town at Meadow Park.
Wood made one change from last week’s defeat against Stockport County with Krystian Pearce replacing Tom Champion at the back. Luke Garrard tried a different formation with skipper Mark Ricketts playing right side centre half with Femi Ilesamni reverted to his previous left wing back position. This enabled the dangerous Corey Whitely to play further forward behind the strikers.
The match started at a frenetic pace and before we knew it, the visitors had taken the lead. A Sonny Carey corner was cleared into the path of Michael Gash who struck a fine shot past Nathan Ashmore in the Boreham Wood goal. After six minutes Wood equalised following a fantastic strike from Gus Mafuta.
Despite having equalised Wood were fairly lacklustre in the first half and if anything, the struggling Norfolk side had the better of things as the impressive Andrew Kiwomya pulled the strings in midfield. Wood had a good chance on twelve minutes when a searing Femi Ilesamni run created a chance for Whitely whose shot cannoned off Tyrone Marsh before going wide. On twenty-two minutes the visitors had a good chance to take the lead when Kiwomya went on a mazy run before picking out Michael Gyasi who rounded Nathan Ashmore before falling over as he was about to shoot.
Just before half time came a significant change for Boreham Wood. Mafuta was injured and replaced by Tom Champion. This enabled Ricketts to return to his familiar midfield role, not that he did badly at the back but there is no doubt Boreham Wood missed his poise and control in midfield.
It may have been this enforced change or a half time rollocking from Luke Garrard that meant the Wood players come out for the second half with a completely different mindset and immediately started to control proceedings against the Norfolk side. Three minutes after the restart, a fantastic dipping shot from Tyrone Marsh hit the Linnets crossbar.
Three minutes later Wood took the lead when following an excellent Ilesamni run, Tshimanga finished well past Theo Richardson in the visitor’s goal. On fifty-eight minutes Tshimanga doubled Boreham Wood’s lead with a similar finish past Richardson. A minute later Whitely should have extended Boreham Wood’s lead when he rounded the goalkeeper, but his effort went into the side netting. On sixty-one minutes Kane Smith skyed his shot from the edge of the area. And just six minutes later, Smith made no mistake when he finished well following an excellent move involving Marsh and Whitely. On seventy-three minutes Tshimanga completed his hattrick when he rounded the keeper and some ball watching Linnets defenders before slotting home. Three minutes later Tshimanga could have added a fourth but his shot was expertly tipped onto the post by Theo Richardson in the Linnets goals.
It was a welcome performance and victory for Boreham Wood. While the play off dreams are over, it is important for Luke Garrard’s side to keep up good habits, especially as many of them are contracted for next season and one or two others will be fighting to earn a new contract !!
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield (Stephens 90), Pearce, Ilesamni, Whitely, Ricketts, Murtagh, Mafuta (Champion 43), Tshimanga (Jallow 83), Marsh.
Subs not used: Green, Woodards.
Kings Lynn Town: Richardson, Callan-McFarden, McAuley (Payne 78), Clunan, Gash, Gyasi (Babos 63), Kiwomya (Jackson 63) Carey, Denton, Baggott, Howard.
Subs not used: Fleming, Gascoigne.
Star man: Kabongo Tshimanga.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member)
