Boreham Wood 1 Woking 0
Vanarama National League
30 November 2019

The Cards’ recent revival in form came to an end this afternoon at the hands of a capable Boreham Wood side. The home team started brightly and took the lead in the 15th minute with a superbly-worked goal. The Cards clawed their way back into the game and their second-half performance probably deserved a share of the points, with Glen Rea unlucky to see his effort cannon down off the bar and away to safety. In added time Woking suffered the further misfortune of having Jamar Loza sent off for a second yellow card.

Missing the suspended Godfrey Poke and the injured Kane Ferdinand, Dowse drafted in Max Kretzschmar in what was otherwise an unchanged team from the side which started in the midweek victory over Bromley.

The Wood started strongly, with quick, probing passing among their mobile forwards testing the Woking defence. Star striker, Tshimanga, broke clear in the 5th minute but his misplaced pass let the Cards off the hook. Woking responded with a characteristic surging run from Loza. Cutting inside, he shot narrowly wide of the far post.

But the early Boreham Wood dominance paid off in the 15th minute. A Woking attack broke down when Dave Tarpey was hustled off the ball. It was quickly transferred forward to Tshimanga. Up against Ben Gerring, he created enough room for a fantastic cross to the onrushing Marsh, who slid the ball into the net to give the Wood a 1-0 lead.

The Cards refused to buckle and began to get more into the game. Tarpey had a cross blocked. Casey made a fine run, with Loza winning a corner, which led to Rea curling an effort not far wide of the far post. Another attack saw Casey, Loza and Kretzschmar combine well to force another blocked effort.

At the back, the hugely impressive Moussa Diarra repelled most of Boreham Wood’s forays, although Marsh was able to get down the byeline at one point from a throw-in, pulling the ball back to Thomas, who skied over the bar.

That ‘let off’ was followed by more Woking attacks. The Wood keeper, former Fleet stopper, Nathan Ashmore, briefly fumbled a cross but no Woking player was near enough to take advantage. He then tipped a deflected Tarpey cross over the bar. A goalmouth scramble ensued from the corner, with Jake Hyde unable to get the ball from under his feet and a couple of efforts blocked.

The best chance of all, though, fell to the usually reliable Tarpey in the 38th minute. A goal looked certain as Loza did wonderfully well to get down the byeline and pull the ball back to his team mate but, as with Hyde’s chance earlier, Tarpey seemed to get the ball stuck under his feet, allowing Ashmore to make an easy save from close quarters.

The half ended with both sides creating further chances before the referee blew for the break.

Half-time: Boreham Wood 1 Woking 0

Both sides continued to threaten in the early stages of the second half. In the 53rd minute the Cards came frustratingly close to grabbing an equaliser. Tarpey and Kretzschmar created an opening for Rea. The on-loan midfielder took deliberate aim, only to see his shot bounce down from the crossbar and away to safety.

Two minutes later the Wood ought to have made the game safe. Thomas got the better of Jack Cook and set Tshimanga free. A rather extravagant flicked effort with the outside of the boot saw the ball fly wide of Ross’s goal.

The Cards surged forward again. Hyde bulldozed his way into the box but ran out of space. A free-kick earned by Loza led to Kretzschmar’s free-kick flying narrowly over the bar. Casey and Loza fashioned a fine move, with a one-to-one move in the box, giving Kretschmar a sight of the goal but his strike hit the side-netting. That was his last contribution as Paul Hodges then came on in his place, quickly followed by Jake Gray coming on for Rea.

The ever-dangerous Tshimanga – surely destined for a Football League side – continued to threaten, getting the better of Diarra on the byeline and forcing a save from Ross. The same fate befell Diarra’s centre back partner, Gerring, shortly afterwards, but the striker’s shot was blocked.

With 90 minutes on the clock beckoning, another Woking attack saw Hyde cross, with Cook rising to head wide. In added time Ross did well to deal safely with an awkward back pass before Loza’s eagerness led an over-zealous referee to award him a second yellow card. The game ended with all 10 Woking players in the Wood box as they sought to profit from a final corner. Ross got closest but couldn’t quite connect as the ball beat everyone and rolled out of play, signalling the final whistle.

This was a decent performance against a very useful side. The team, as we have come to expect, showed a lot of character and determination to get back into the game after going behind and, on another day, would have shared the points against a side who played an attractive and effective passing game.

The Cards play Chertsey Town at home in the Surrey Senior Cup on Tuesday before taking on Hartlepool United at home next Saturday in the League.

Boreham Wood: Nathan Ashmore, Adam McDonnell, Tom Champion, Femi Ilesanmi, Mark Ricketts, Sorba Thomas, Dave Stephens (Jamal Fyfield 48), Kane Smith, Justin Shaibu (Ricky Shakes 75), Tyrone Marsh, Kabongo Tshimanga

Unused substitutes: Danny Woodards, Piero Mingola, Jordon Thompson

Goalscorer: Tyrone Marsh (15)

Booked: Adam McDonnell, Mark Ricketts

Woking: Craig Ross, Jack Cook, Ben Gerring, Moussa Diarra, Josh Casey, Max Kretschmar Paul Hodges 75), Shaun Donnellan, Glen Rea (Jake Gray 82), Dave Tarpey, Jake Hyde, Jamar Loza

Unused substitutes: Nathan Collier, Ibrahim Meite, Christian Paulat-Brigg

Booked: Max Kretschmar

Sent off: Jamar Loza (two yellow cards)

My ‘man of the match’: A lot of good displays but Moussa Diarra (pictured) was more consistent and influential than most.

Attendance: 682