Match Report: Yeovil Town 2 Boreham Wood 2

Yeovil Town earned a hard-fought point in a pulsating game against National League leaders Boreham Wood at a chilly Huish Park.

The Glovers found themselves behind after just five minutes when Tyler Golden fired home after a defensive mix-up, but they roared back with two goals in three first half minutes with Archie Davies equalising before Slavi Spasov put them in front from the penalty spot.

Boreham Wood showed the class which has seen them go unbeaten in the season to date and levelled when substitute Lewis Richardson fired home with 12 minutes remaining.

There was a golden opportunity for Yeovil to win it four minutes later, Mason Obeng was fouled inside the box and won a penalty, only for the winger to slip at the crucial moment and skew his spot kick over the bar.

First half

The Glovers started with on loan West Ham United keeper Mason Terry between the post after first-choice stopper Jos Barker ruled out for “6-8 weeks” with a knee injury suffered in the FA Cup exit at Chesterfield seven days ago. In defence, Ben Radcliffe and Archie Davies both made immediate returns having served bans and Seb Naylor, on loan from Bristol City, was brought in to midfield with Zain Westbrooke dropping to the substitutes’ bench.

The opening exchanges were all Boreham Wood and with just five minutes on the clock the visitors took the lead. A corner found the division’s top-scorer Matt Rush inexplicably unmarked on the far post and he lashed in a shot which Terry could only push away and Tyler GOLDEN claimed the goal in a close range scramble.

Half-time: Yeovil Town 2 Boreham Wood 1

Second half

The opening ten minutes of the second half saw something of a role reversal with Yeovil enjoying some good spells of possession and on 55 minutes they had a great opportunity to extend their advantage. Spasov latched on to another loose pass from the Boreham Wood defence, burst in to the box, but the striker’s effort was straight at Ted Curd who was able to parry it aside. That was a glorious opportunity.

Just before the hour mark, former Yeovil loanee Ben Whitfield was furious that the visitors were not awarded a penalty after his cross was blocked by Glovers’ captain Joe Gubbins. A suspicion of handball there, Gubbins maybe lucky to get away with that one.

On 65 minutes, Whitfield was involved in creating another great opportunity as he whipped a cross in and Rush threw himself at it but could not make contact. Then, three minutes later, there was a carbon copy as Brunt picked out Whitfield down the right side again but his cross towards Rush did not find its way in to the net.

There was a double change for Boreham Wood with Allarakhia and Whitfield replaced by Lewis Richardson and Danny Cashman and with his first opportunity Richardson had a golden opportunity to draw his side level. A ball over the top from Bush picked out the substitute running forward with the Yeovil defence seemingly unaware of his run from deep, but Richardson dragged his effort across the face of goal.

But, three minutes later, the substitute did get his equaliser. More patient play from the visitors picked out Golden on the right and he fired a cross in to a crowded penalty box where Lewis RICHARDSON was to turn home the equaliser.

Eight minutes from time, a high ball over the top from James Daly picked out Mason Obeng, on as a substitute, was nudged in the back by Ollie Bainbridge and referee Hicks pointed to the spot again. Obeng grabbed the ball, but the winger slipped at the vital moment and his effort skewed over the bar. A golden opportunity missed to break the growing dominance on possession from Boreham Wood, who are getting the influential Brunt and Regan Booty on the ball.

As the game pressed in to injury time there was only one side which was pressing for the winner and it was the visitors. With two minutes of the five added on played, there was a goalmouth scramble with green-and-white bodies being thrown at the ball before Radcliffe booted it away from danger.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Boreham Wood 2

Substitutes: Mason Obeng (for Archie Davies, 74), Zain Westbrooke (for Slavi Spasov, 79), Owen Dean (for Ryan Jones, 90+4), Loick Ayina (not used), Charlie Lennon (not used), Ste Walker (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Boreham Wood: Ted Curd, Oliver Bainbridge, Chris Bush, Charlie O’Connell, Tyler Golden, Regan Booty (for Will Wright, 90+4), Tom White, Ben Whitfield (for Danny Cashman, 74), Zak Brunt (for Marley Marshall-Miranda, 90+3), Tarryn Allarakhia (for Lewis Richardson, 74), Matt Rush (for Jay Bird, 89).

Substitutes (not used): James Clarke, Ollie Kensdale, Will Wright.