Boreham Wood (0) 1 Ndlovu 76
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Nelson 71
Attendance: 713
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 165/4,059
It is less than half a mile from Elstree Studios where last week, Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland took the dancing honours. Jay Saunders’ men waltzed the 60-odd miles around the M25 to take the lead role in Strictly Come Scrooges and in the weekend before the Christmas festivities, for just a few minutes, the bells were ringing out for a Fairy Tale of Meadow Park.
It was a dogged performance that restricted the National League South’s form team to a single first half chance and a second period that saw the Angels take the game to their hosts to earn a 72nd minute lead through Ronnie Nelson, only to be pegged back four minutes later.
Jay reflected after the match, played out in persistent rain, “It’s a good point away from home. In general you take a point away, but to come to Boreham Wood, for me, one of the best sides in the league, it was a good test for us today. But when you are in the lead in the 75th minute, especially after a really good team performance, it is disappointing to have conceded in the way we have from a set piece but it is a good point for us, especially on the back of two home wins.”
One change was made from the starting XI that beat Chesham United on Tuesday evening with Sean Shields niggling ankle injury sidelining him for Scott Wagstaff to step iin.
Boreham Wood came into the game on the back of five straight wins, no defeats in nine and an in-form striker in Kwesi Appiah who had scored eight times in the last five games.
The noisy, boisterous Blue Army were in fine voice but that was probably masking a nervousness as the home side put the Angels under expected early pressure. Matt Rowley needed to be alert to turn over the bar a cross-cum-shot from Jon Benton and, in the fifth minute, he made a superb, low save to his right to thwart Appiah adding to his impressive tally.
As the rain started to fall more heavily, the visitors began to grow into the game and whilst the Boreham Wood goalkeeper, Nathan Ashmore, was largely untested, the threat of the hosts was being comfortably resisted.
Rowley was brought into action again on 38 minutes saving well from Jayden Richardson, before the Angels supporters left the comfort of the covered North Bank to brave the elements at the open end, buoyed by their favourites resolute display.
Jay’s half-time team talk had asked his side to show more belief and in the opening seven minutes of the second half two great chances had been created. After two minutes, Trevan Robinson who had continuously stretched a mountainous back three, broke clear and his pass into the box found Mo Dabre but a goal saving challenge denied an effort on goal.
Five minutes later, a free kick from Liam Vincent was narrowly wide of Ashmore’s left hand post, and when the goalkeeper spilled a cross from Vincent, it was the Angels who were knocking at the door.
Boreham Wood wrested back the momentum and the Angels back line were desperately throwing bodies in the way of shots from Benton and Appiah before Jack Payne fired over from 20 yards.
On 72 minutes, the Christmas tree lights shone brightly when Vincent’s cross was fumbled by Ashmore and there was Nelson to stab home his first goal for the club.
Sadly, the joy was short-lived. A corner saw a clearance rebound into the path of Lee Ndlovu who finished from around six yards.
A big finish from the home side was only to be expected but, although Rowley was asked to turn over a shot from Tom Whelan, Tonbridge saw the game out without any undue alarm and it was Ashmore that needed to make an added time save from Vincent.
“You’ve got to believe was the general message to all of them at half time. Defensively, first half we were excellent, they had one shot and then second half we were a little bit better on the ball and asked a few more questions, got into some good areas, maybe cold have nicked another goal . I’m not saying they didn’t get chances but for the majority of the game, it was a good, disciplined away performance,” Jay summed up with a final message to the supporters; “Fantastic again today, and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.”
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