SHAIBU HAT-TRICK SEALS FA TROPHY PROGRESSION

Boreham Wood required extra-time to see off Torquay United at Meadow Park, in a 3-1 win.

Saikou Janneh had given the visitor’s a 1-0 lead shortly after the break, despite winger Ruairi Keating receiving a red card.

Torquay United captain Kyle Cameron was also sent off for the away side, with 12 minutes to go.

The Wood remained unchanged from their 1-0 win over Leyton Orient, with Bradley Ash, Gozie Ugwu and Sorba Thomas continuing up front.

There was an early sight of goal for the visitors, when Liam Davis teed off the free-scoring Jamie Reid, but he fired past the post.

The Wood then threatened with a chance of their own down the left, but Sorba Thomas couldn’t aim his effort on target.

Keating attempted to create a chance from nothing when he took the ball on the edge of the box. He cut inside, but could only lash past the right post.

Ryan Huddart was then forced into a good close-range save, as Asa Hall met a cross at the far post, but Huddart tipped it out for a corner, which came to nothing.

Keiran Murtagh reacted quickly to knock Shaun MacDonald’s goal-kick back to Thomas on the edge of the area, and the winger lashed an effort at goal, but it was blocked wide.

Keating and Reid exchanged passes deep into the Wood area and the latter fired an attempt at Huddart. The stopper spilled it, but Dave Stephens was there to clear.

With the game still very much at evens, Ugwu picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and fed Ash down the right, but his dragged shot was blocked wide.

The subsequent corner was headed back across the box by Tom Champion, but MacDonald plucked it from the head of Ash.

A fantastic counter attacking move nearly saw an opening goal for the Wood. The ball was zipped down the right to Ash, who drilled it low across the box, but Ugwu could only sweep it past the post.

The game began to get heated shortly before the break, when Ruairi Keating was given his marching orders, for a nasty sliding challenge on skipper Mark Ricketts.

The game’s opening goal came just a minute into the second half, as substitute Saikou Janneh met a low cross at the back post and fired past Huddart to put Torquay ahead.

Brentford loanee Shaibu was brought on from the bench to bring the Wood back into the game and he had an instant impact. Shaibu snapped up the ball following a defensive error and charged forward, before tucking the ball past MacDonald.

Thomas and Ricky Shakes exchanged passes before the latter crossed for the on-running Ricketts, but he could only send his diving header wide.

A cross-cum-shot from Thomas crashed against the post, the crossbar and the goal-line, before Torquay United somehow scrambled it clear.

Torquay then went close again themselves when Ben Wynter’s cross found Reid and an open goal, but the forward somehow fired it over the bar.

The game finished level after 90 minutes and extra time would be required to settle it.

The Wood hauled themselves in-front just five minutes into extra-time, as Shaibu picked up the ball on the edge of the box and lashes it low past MacDonald.

Torquay United were reduced to nine men for the final 12 minutes, when Kyle Cameron received a second yellow card and followed Keating for an early shower.

Justin Shaibu all but confirmed the win with five minutes to go, as he grabbed a hat-trick, to cap off a superb individual performance, having come on as a second half substitute.

The forward had seen his initial shot saved, before an effort by Thomas deflected into his path and he smashed it past MacDonald.

The Wood: Huddart, Ilesanmi, Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh (Parry 117’), Ash (Shaibu 57’), Fyfield, Thomas, Ugwu

Subs not used: Burton

Goals:

Boreham Wood: Shaibu 65’, 96’, 115’
Torquay United: Janneh 47’

Red Card: Keating 38’, Cameron 108’