Match Report | Cards collapse at Wood

Boreham Wood 4-2 Woking
Vanarama National League
25th November 2023

Woking travelled to Boreham Wood on Saturday with both sides in desperate need of a win. Ian Dyer made five changes to the side beaten by Chesterfield on Tuesday, with Alexis Andre Jr missing out through injury, being replaced by Will Jaaskelainen. Greg Taylor, Alfie Pavey, Morgan Williams, and Charlie Wakefield all dropped to the bench, and in came the returning Luke Wilkinson, Zak Bradshaw, Rhys Browne and Reece Grego-Cox.

At a freezing Meadow Park stadium, Woking in their yellow away kit kicked off towards the North Bank, but a big chance fell the way of the hosts just five minutes in. A long throw from Chris Bush wasn’t dealt with, and a low shot from Tyrone Marsh fell just wide of the bottom right corner.

However, Woking were awarded a penalty after eight minutes when Bradshaw’s pass was well dummied by Grego-Cox, and Browne was taken out by Jack Payne inside the box. Grego-Cox slotted the ball down the middle and gave the Cards an early lead.

The Cards doubled their lead on 15 minutes in some style. Browne turned his man some 35 yards out and with options in front of him opted to go for goal. His effort flew over a sprawling Ashmore to leave most inside Meadow Park in disbelief.

However, the hosts had a goal back on 25 minutes when a cross from Tom Whelan was only half cleared, and Angelo Balanta was on hand to fire home into the near post. The action kept coming in an open first half, and it was Wilkinson who came close to the spectacular after half an hour when his volley flew just over the crossbar.

Another spectacular effort, this time for the hosts nearly levelled the game on 39 minutes. Another Bush long throw was met superbly by Whelan, whose bicycle kick smashed the inside of the bar and was well cleared.

Woking went into half time 2-1 up, despite a good end to the half for Boreham Wood, in an entertaining half which resembled a basketball match at times.

Half-time: Boreham Wood 1-2 Woking

The hosts kicked off the second half, with Woking shooting towards their away fans behind the goal. And Boreham Wood had an equaliser in 48 minutes, when a free kick was met by Billy Sass-Davies, who headed the ball onto the head of Tyrone Marsh. His looping header beat Jaaskelainen via the crossbar.

As the hosts upped the pressure on Woking, a great tackle was needed from Jaaskelainen to prevent the onrushing Lee Ndlovu from finishing after he was neatly played through by Marsh. There was a penalty awarded to the home side on 69 minutes after Whelan was fouled, and Marsh stepped up to slot into the bottom corner, completing the turnaround.

The Wood threatened to add to their lead, with Balanta well denied by Jaaskelainen at his near post on 83 minutes. But they had a fourth on 86 minutes, when great tenacity from Ndlovu saw him able to find Whelan, who slotted past Jaaskelainen to add more misery. It would end 4-2, a catastrophic second half for the Cards and yet another defeat to a side on terrible form.

An inquest will begin as to how a game that started so well could end as badly as it did, and how Woking will possibly arrest this run of form. They'll welcome high flying Gateshead to the Laithwaite next week.


Woking: Will Jaaskelainen, Dan Moss, Josh Casey, Scott Cuthbert, Luke Wilkinson (Taylor 68’), Tunji Akinola. Zak Bradshaw (Wakefield 72’), Rohan Ince, Padraig Amond, Rhys Browne, Reece Grego-Cox (Pavey 68’)

Unused subs: Williams, Habergham

Bookings: Moss 36’, Casey 48’, Akinola 53’

Goals: Grego-Cox 10’, Browne 15’


Boreham Wood: Nathan Ashmore, Femi Ilesanmi, Jack Payne, Chris Bush, Tom Whelan, Lee Ndlovu, Tyrone Marsh, Angelo Balanta (O'Neill 90+3'), Erico Sousa, Billy Sass-Davies, Charles Clayden (Stephens 80’)

Unused subs: Abayomi, Coxe, Abraham, O’Neil

Goals: Balanta 25’, Marsh 48’, 70’, Whelan 86'