WOOD BOW OUT OF THE TROPHY
Boreham Wood 0-4 Torquay United
Tuesday 19th January 2021, 7.00pm
Meadow Park, FA Trophy Fourth Round
Boreham Wood succumb to a disappointing FA Trophy Fourth Round defeat against a clinical Torquay United side who took advantage of some uncharacteristically poor defending from the home side at Meadow Park.
Piero Mingoia and the suspended Gus Mafuta made way as Wood welcomed back skipper Mark Ricketts after two months out injured, as well as Matt Rhead, who both featured in the starting line up.
There was no hint of what was to come in the first half which Boreham Wood had the better of proceedings. The impressive Corey Whitely had two half chances with both shots going wide of Shaun MacDonald’s goal, Kabs Tshimanga also had a chance to put Boreham Wood in front. Former Wood striker Josh Umerah went close for the visitors. There was some excellent interplay between Femi Ilesanmi and Corey Whitely which constantly opened up the Gulls defence, but Boreham Wood lacked the killer instinct to go in front. Tshimanga should have given Wood a deserved lead just before half time but was unfortunately denied by MacDonald in the Torquay goal.
Boreham Wood came out with the same positive mindset in the second half but it was the visitors who took the lead after fifty minutes. After a couple of attempts to clear the ball, Wood were undone by Gulls Skipper Asa Hall, whose fantastic volley found the corner of Nathan Ashmore’s goal. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Umerah went close for the visitors, as did Sam Sherring whose header went narrowly wide of Ashmore’s goal. On sixty-eight minutes Kabs Tshimanga had a good chance to equalise, after a fantastic through ball from Junior Morias carved open the Gulls defence, Kabs was left one-on-one with the Torquay goalkeeper but was denied again by MacDonald.
The visitors settled the game as a contest after eighty -three minutes in what was the start of a calamitous five minutes at the back for Luke Garrard’s men. Substitute Billy Waters made it 2-0 after good interplay between Armani Little and Ben Whitfield in the Gull’s midfield, when Wood failed to clear the ball on numerous occasions. Randall then finished well a minute later to make it 3-0 before Lemonheigh-Evans completed the scoring after eighty-eight minutes.
It was a disappointing night all round for Boreham Wood and the 4-0 scoreline suggests a one sided encounter. However for the majority of the game Wood played well, though they lacked the killer instinct against a solid Torquay defence. The collapse in the final 10-minutes of the encounter was the result of some clinical finishing and poor defending from a team with the best defence this season in the National League. Fair play to Torquay who did a thoroughly professional job and deservedly advance into the 5th Round where they will meet Southport after they dispatched of National League rivals FC Halifax Town 2-0 this evening. With two cups exits in the past 10 days, Wood will now focus on league proceedings and the push for a play-off position.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Smith, Fyfield, Stephens (Francis-Angol 88), Ilesanmi, Ricketts (Coulthirst 79), Murtagh, Whitely, Morias, Rhead, Tshimanga (Mingoia 84).
Subs not used: Huddart, Woodards.
Torquay United: MacDonald, Cameron, Warren, Lemonheigh-Evans, Hall (Andrew 85), Randall, Sherring, Moxey, Nemane (Little 67), Whitfield, Umerah (Waters 67).
Subs not used: Collings, Street.
Man of the Match: Corey Whitely.
Match report written by Brett Lewis (Non-League Paper & Wood Army member)
