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MATCH REPORT: WOKING VS BOREHAM WOOD
Woods winless run continued on Saturday afternoon at Kingsfield as once again Luke Garrard’s men were unable to find the back of the net, but as usual were solid defensively to return to Hertfordshire with another point and put Woking back into the bottom four.
Garrard tinkered with his personnel and formation, handing starts to Jason Williams, Kenny Davis and Danny Woodards replacing Jai Reason, Angelo Balanta and Ricky Shakes who were on the bench. Wood lined up in a 3 – 4 – 1 – 2 formation with Matt Paine being pushed up alongside Mark Ricketts at the heart of the Wood midfield.
In the first 45 minutes neither side managed to trouble the goalkeepers and it was no wonder the atmosphere inside Kingsfield was very sombre, despite the Wood Army trying their best to give the players a lift.
Chris Arthur managed to get himself some space down the left for Woking putting in a cross which was slightly over hit for Kane Ferdinand to reach.
Paine was fouled 30 yards from goal and Davis put a teasing ball into the box which Woodards got his head to, but was unable to get his effort on target.
Nunn, who put in another solid performance up and down the right for the Wood, got to the by-line after a one-two with Williams and produced a cross-cum shot which just went past home goalkeeper Michael Poke’s far post.
Femi Ilesanmi started a neat move for the Wood just before the break leading to Tom Hitchcock setting up Davis but he dragged his effort wide.
The second half improved slightly and Ilesanmi had an early shot which was blocked for a Wood corner.
Woking very nearly caught the visitors on the break following that corner when former Wood player Delano Sam-Yorke, who himself is in a fine vein of form, broke at pace and put a delightful ball across the box for Ferdinand. He just had Grant Smith to beat, but the Wood number one produced a fantastic save to keep Garrard’s men in the game.
Poor control from Ilesanmi then allowed Jake Caprice to capitalise and the Woking man forced a save out of Smith who tipped his effort over the bar.
Garrard then made a double sub, Bruno Andrade and Angelo Balanta were introduced in place of Hitchcock and Williams. Balanta had a great chance to make an immediate impact on the edge of the box but his left footed effort found the main road behind the goal.
Then came perhaps the best moment of the game. Captain Mark Ricketts, who joined the Wood in the summer after spending 5 years at the Surrey club, went down injured and was replaced by Shakes. Ricketts left the field to great applause from the home supporters to reflect the outstanding service he gave their club.
Both Andrade and Balanta made a difference off the bench and Andrade, who beat his man and got into the box, forced a save from Poke who could only palm into the path of Shakes who didn’t get a clean connection and his effort was cleared off the line.
With four minutes off added time added on Wood nearly nicked it at the death, a corner wasn’t cleared and a goalmouth scramble ensued and on another day it would have fell kindly to a blue shirt to tap home – but it wasn’t to be and a point returned to Hertfordshire.
Garrard’s men now turn their attentions to Dover Athletic who visit Meadow Park on Tuesday evening with a 7.45pm kick off.
