Weymouth Vs Boreham Wood
National League South, Bob Lucas Stadium, Saturday 15 March, 3PM
Looking forward to today, Terras fans?
After a damning 2-0 loss at home to promotion-hopefuls Weston-super-Mare, we take on Boreham Wood who, under Luke Garrard, sit just three points off table-toppers Worthing.
The Wood have already beaten us twice this season, starting with a 3-0 hammering on their turf in August, followed by a narrow 2-1 FA-Trophy defeat in Dorset two months ago.
HOW TO FOLLOW…
We are delighted to announce that the ever-brilliant Ben Ashelford will be on commentary this afternoon; click HERE to access his in-game thoughts.
Updates will be provided across all social media platforms throughout the game, followed by post-match reaction after the final whistle.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Having faced The Wood only six times throughout our existence, the first being in the COVID-19-hit 2021/22 season, this is hardly a historical contest defined by rivalry.
However, this doesn’t mean that we have our own point to prove in this fixture, with our one draw and five losses in comparison to a far more impressive Hertfordshire side.
The last time we faced each other was in our first home game of this calendar year, in the Isuzu FA Trophy fourth round.
Perhaps uncharacteristic of this season, we headed into the game with a bit of confidence – despite, as we have been almost all season, in the relegation zone, we were unbeaten in Warren Feeney’s first three games in charge.
Not to mention that we had dumped out Weston-super-Mare and this other team in Somerset (all we know is that they play in green) in the preceding two rounds – both away from home!
But coming to the Bob Lucas Stadium were unbeaten in their last 12 in all competitions, winning 10 and scoring 26 in the process.
A little impressive…
Though, despite The Wood’s impressive form, we held on during the first half, as both sides headed down the tunnel goalless.
But, once the second half progressed, Garrard’s side showed why they’re title-challengers, establishing a two-goal lead through Matt Rush’s 25-yard screamer just after the hour mark, followed by Jon Benton’s first goal for the Hertfordshire side six minutes before stoppage time.
We clawed one back via Andy Robinson, who replied with a thumper of his own, but it was not enough to stop The Wood from marching into the next round.
MUCH-LOVED LUKE
The form that today’s opponents have shown, both before our last meeting and since, is perhaps typical of a Garrard-led side, his first spell, which included promotion to the National League and FA-Cup wins over Blackpool and Bournemouth, forever in the memories of the club’s supporters.
So when he parted company from the club where he had spent 14 years, both as a player and manager, a new and daunting era was beginning.
But under Ross Jenkins, things started brightly, as they hammered us 3-0 on only the fourth game of the season.
Though for Jenkins, that would already be his final win as the Boreham Wood manager.
A subsequent 2-1 loss at Salisbury two days later then began a four-game winless run, which was enough for the gaffer, now back at Oxford City where he led them to a promotion of their own in 2023, to be relieved of his duties in mid-September.
For everyone at The Wood, there was only one man worthy of sitting back in their dugout, as Garrard returned shortly after.
Unsurprisingly, his return looks to have paid off – with The Wood in 10th spot after Jenkins’ departure, the club immediately began firing again in their first league game back under Garrard after they smashed a sorry Welling United 6-0 at home.
Their praiseworthy performances didn’t stop there, as they only lost twice before facing us in January, in a run which included their previously-mentioned form.
After their win at our ground, they continued their push to promotion, a couple of uncharacteristic 4-1 losses failing to prevent today’s visitors from being just three points off table-toppers Worthing…
