Boz's Fruit & Veg
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 25th NovemberNov 2023
Meadow Park

Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood
4 - 2

Woking
Woking

Match Preview and Guide | Boreham Wood (A)

William Bewsey
9:46am, Thu 23rd Nov 2023
Boreham Wood v Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 25th November 2023
15:00 Kick-Off


Woking face a tough task on Saturday when they travel to a Boreham Wood side struggling for form and confidence.

After defeat to Chesterfield, Ian Dyer will be hoping the likes of Luke Wilkinson and Dennon Lewis are available after the former could potentially rejoin the squad following injury, whilst Lewis went off on Saturday against Oldham with an injury. Woking will also be boosted by the return of Rhys Browne from international duty with Antigua and Barbuda.

This could potentially be Dyer's last game in charge with the hunt for a new manager ongoing, so he will hope to leave his caretaker position on a high against a side who like Woking find themselves at the opposite end of the table to last season.

Opposition Watch
Boreham Wood were dramatically edged out by Notts County at Meadow Lane by a 3-2 scoreline after extra time in last season's playoff semi final following an impressive 2-1 away win at Barnet in the eliminators. Much of the same was expected from Luke Garrard's side this season, after a summer in which as usual there were multiple outgoings and incomings. Out went the likes of Woking legend and Boreham Wood hero Mark Ricketts, defender Will Evans, midfielder Josh Rees, forward Danny Newton and of course Dennon Lewis, who were replaced by players like Timmy Abraham from Walsall, striker Kwesi Appiah from Crawley, Tom Whelan from Chesterfield as well as Mo Sagaf and Angelo Balanta from Dagenham.

However, much like the Cards, the Wood have struggled with injuries thus far, meaning Garrard has had to invest further in the likes of former Woking loanee Billy Sass-Davies and wing back Charles Clayden, as well as Matt Robinson on loan from the Cards. Results have reflected this struggle, with the Wood in 20th place, having won just four of their 21 games so far, drawing nine and losing eight. This has put pressure on the popular Garrard, who gave a very glum interview after defeat to Eastleigh in midweek, citing a lack of fight from his squad as a reason why they are on poor form.

Picking up just 10 points from their 10 home games this season, winning twice, the Wood will look to their key players such as the in form Erico Sousa, who has scored four in his last six games, whilst Lee Ndlovu is top scorer with five so far this season.

Last Time Out
A Rhys Browne double gave the Cards a share of the spoils in February of this year as the sides drew 2-2 at the Laithwaite. Josh Rees scored twice either side of half time to put the Wood in a commanding position, but Browne's equaliser led to a stalemate finish.

The reverse fixture was won 1-0 by the Cards at Meadow Park in November 2022 thanks to an early Reece Grego-Cox strike, the same scoreline they were victorious by in Darren Sarll's first game in charge in March 2022 thanks to a Max Kretzschmar penalty.

Since 2010, there have been twenty games between the sides, with the Cards winning six, Boreham Wood winning six and eight draws.

Around the Ground

Meadow Park is located about 15-20 minutes from Elstree and Borehamwood train station, served by Thameslink trains from Wimbledon and London St Pancras. The town has a couple of pubs, including a Wetherspoons, but the Wellington just a few minutes from the station is recommended.

Woking fans will be segregated and will have to use the away turnstiles located off Brook Road, which also has a pay and display car park for away fans to use. Fans will be housed in part of the seated West Stand as well as the South Terrace behind the goal.

Ticket prices are as follows:

Adult – £20.00
OAP – £18.00
U16 – £12.00
U12 – £6.00

Please note that tickets are subject to a £2 increase on the gate, so online purchasing is recommended.
Tickets can be purchased here.

The Cards Trust are running a coach to the game, details are available here.

Match Report | Cards collapse at Wood

William Bewsey
4:57pm, Sat 25th Nov 2023
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'
Boreham Wood LINEUP
1Nathan Ashmore
5Chris Bush
22Billy Sass-Davies
3Femi Ilesanmi
23Charles Clayden ('81)
4Jack Payne
7Tom Whelan
19Érico Sousa
14Ángelo Balanta ('90)
10Tyrone Marsh
9Lee Ndlovu
BENCH
13Koju Abayomi
2Cameron Coxe
6David Stephens ('81)
17Liam O'Neil ('90)
11Timmy Abraham
WOKING LINEUP
22Will Jaaskelainen
2Dan Moss
3Josh Casey
6Luke Wilkinson ('67)
4Scott Cuthbert
24Rohan Ince
16Tunji Akinola
20Zak Bradshaw ('72)
9Reece Grego-Cox ('67)
14Rhys Browne
10Padraig Amond
BENCH
5Greg Taylor ('67)
28Sam Habergham
25Morgan Williams
19Charlie Wakefield ('72)
29Alfie Pavey ('67)

Boreham Wood 4-2 Woking | Ian Dyer Interview