Boreham Wood drew 4-4 with Dagenham & Redbridge in an astonishing game of football at Victoria Road, on Saturday.
The Wood were 3-0 up against their National League rivals in just 34 minutes, Thanks to goals from Idris Kanu, Ricky Shakes and Justin Shaibu.
However, a mad five-minute period saw the Daggers peg it back to 3-3, with goals from Conor Wilkinson, Liam Gordon and Angelo Balanta.
Goals were harder to come by in a still highly entertaining second half. The home side took the lead through Gordon once more, before Bradley Ash netted a late equaliser.
Luke Garrard made two changes to the side who drew away to Barnet, with Friday’s new signings Kanu and Sean Shields both coming into the side, in an altered 4-3-3 formation.
Dagenham had the first attack of the game, as Wilkinson met a ball over the top from Ben Nunn, but Jamal Fyfield was back to make a solid intervention.
Keiran Murtagh reacted with an effort from distance, that was deflected over. The midfielder then met Shields’ corner, but his header was narrowly wide.
The Wood’s closest early chance came within 10 minutes, when Tom Champion leapt highest to meet a corner, but saw his header blocked wide.
Kanu then proved exactly why manager Luke Garrard was so keen to bring him into the club, netting his debut goal, just 13 minutes in.
Femi Ilesanmi swept the ball low across the box and Dagenham failed to deal with it, instead poking it to Shaibu, who touched it to Kanu, and the striker powered it past Justham with confidence.
Murtagh was forced off for the Wood before the half-hour mark through injury, but it made no immediate impact, as the Wood continued to press forward.
The first of a quick-fire double came as Ben Nunn played a cross straight to the unmarked Shakes on the edge of the area, in a move reminiscent of the pair’s time together at Meadow Park. Shakes took a touch and thumped it past Justham for the Wood’s second.
The next came just two minutes later, thanks to some excellent work by Shaibu. The attacker beat Ben Goodliffe on the edge of the area and drove it home, from 20-yards.
It wasn’t long before the game had its next goal. The dangerous Dagenham attack suddenly seemed to click and Balanta found Wilkinson on the edge of the box, who took no chances and fired it past Ryan Huddart.
Their second came within two minutes, as Gordon received the ball inside of the box and wrong-footed substitute Danny Woodards, before slotting past Huddart.
The comeback was complete on the 45th minute, when Balanta rose above Fyfield to head Nunn’s cross into the bottom right corner, with pinpoint accuracy.
The home side returned for the second half in much the same vein, as Gordon played a one-two with Balanta, before blazing over the bar.
Shields reacted with a shot from range, but it failed to find the target, much to his frustration.
Dagenham failed with their clearance though and Shields was then found again at the back post with a cross. His first touch was excellent, but he was unable to finish from an extremely tight angle.
Wilkinson and Jack Munns linked up on the left-side for Dagenham and the former cut inside and fired a shot low, but Huddart made a good save.
A cross from Munns then caused chaos in the Wood box, but skipper Mark Ricketts scrambled the ball off the line and away to safety.
The Wood countered through Shields and his cross was heading for Shaibu, but former Wood academy player Goodliffe got a block in.
On the attack once more, Wilkinson wriggled his way through two challenges and played in Alex McQueen, but Fyfield was back to make an outstanding interception.
Kanu and Shields exchanged neat passes down the right-channel before crossing for Shaibu, but his header was blocked.
However, the fourth Dagenham goal did come. Balanta found Gordon down the left who raced forward and took aim at goal. Woodards looked to have blocked his shot, but it squeezed ahead of his foot and past Huddart.
Wood gaffer Garrard then made a double change, with Sorba Thomas and Ash both taking to the field.
Champion once again beat his marker at a corner and headed at goal, but it drifted inches wide.
Substitute Ash was then the hero for the third time in four matches. The former Barnsley forward met the ball in the centre of the box, took a touch, dragged it left, and nestled it past Justham to the elation of the traveling Wood Army.
The in-form forward could have then had a winner, thanks in part to the skill of winger Sorba Thomas, who done superbly down the right to beat his marker and cross. Ash stabbed at a shot, but could only find the side netting, while surrounded by Dagger’s defenders.
There would be one final chance for the away side, which again fell to Ash, who took down a headed ball in the box and twisted an effort into the hands of Justham.
The Wood: Huddart, Ilesanmi, Ricketts ©, Stephens, Shakes, Champion, Murtagh (Woodards 27’), Fyfield, Kanu (Thomas 77’), Shields (Ash 77’), Shaibu
Subs not used: Burbidge, Parry
Dagenham & Redbridge: Justham, Nunn © (Hoyte 88’), Gordon, McQueen, Clark, Balanta, Goodliffe, Wilkinson (Kandi 90’), Wright, Munns (Harfield 90’), Onariase
Subs not used: Moore, Adeloye
Goals:
Boreham Wood: Kanu 13’, Shakes 32’, Shaibu 35’, Ash 87’
Dagenham & Redbridge: Wilkinson 41’, Gordon 43’ 75’, Balanta 45’, Gordon
Att: 1,043 (76 away)
