MATCH REPORT: SOUTHEND UTD (H)

Boreham Wood 1-1 Southend Utd
Mangata Pay UK Stadium Meadow Park
28th October 3.00pm, Vanarama National League

It was an excellent performance from Boreham Wood against an in-form Southend United side but Wood had to make do with a point due to an inspired performance from The Scrimpers on-loan Ipswich Town goalkeeper Nick Hayes. Jack Bridge penalty gave the visitors the lead on twenty minutes before an Erico Sousa equaliser early in the second half ensured a share of the points. Luke Garrard named an unchanged starting line up following Tuesday night’s excellent win at Dagenham and Redbridge.

It was Southend who came out of the blocked and controlled a lot of early possession. Recent Boreham Wood target Daniel Kanu had a chance on three minutes but scuffed his shot. Seven minutes later, Oli Coker’s shot was blocked by Jamal Fyfield. Wood had their first chance on thirteen minutes when a lovely move involving Femi Ilesamni and Lee Ndlovu, created a chance for Tyrone Marsh but he shot straight at Scrimpers keeper Nick Hayes. On twenty minutes Kanu dispossessed Jamal Fyfield, before being brought down in the penalty area by Nathan Ashmore. Jack Bridge made no mistake from the penalty spot to give Southend the lead.

Buoyed on by their goal, Southend continued to control proceedings, but a stubborn Boreham Wood defence kept them out for the rest of the first half. Wood were denied an equaliser on forty minutes when a well struck Marsh free kick was tipped over by Hayes in the Southend goal

HALF TIME: BOREHAM WOOD 0-1 SOUTHEND UTD

Boreham Wood came out of the blocks at the start in the second half like an express train and immediately Angelo Balanta struck an excellent volley but was denied by Hayes. A minutes later Wood did get their equaliser when Erico Sousa cut in from the right and finished superbly in the corner of Hayes’s goal. It was the first match running that Sousa has scored and an example of the influence he is having on Luke Garrard’s side. Two minutes later, Wood might have taken the lead but Marsh’s point blank header was expertly tipped over by keeper Hayes. The hosts then controlled a lot of possession in search of the winner, but it was Moor Husin who might have scored for the visitors but shot wide on sixty-three minutes.

Four minutes later Matt Robinson played in Ndlovu, but his effort was brilliantly saved by Hayes. Femi Ilesamni fire wide on seventy-one minutes. Soon after the fourth official signalled five minutes of added time, Chris Bush cross was headed just wide by Fyfield for Boreham Wood. Soon afterwards, Hayes produce another outstanding save to deny Ndlovu who got on the end of a flowing move involving Sousa and Cameron Coxe.

With the quality of this performance and others in recent weeks, there is a genuine sign that the poor early season form was just a blip. They were unlucky not to get all three points and will go into next week’s FA Cup tie at Eastleigh with genuine confidence.