Meadow Park (Boreham Wood) Saturday, February 27th, 2010   Isthmian Premier Division Attendance: 385         Boreham Wood 0-1 Dartford
2009 /10

Comments :

BOREHAM WOOD DARTFORD 1 Tony Tucker 1 Andrew Young 2 Bradley Fraser (sub 76) 2 Billy Burgess 3 Daniel Brathwaite 3 Adam Gross 4 Leon Hunter 4 Adam Flanagan (sub 75) 5 Ryan Moran 5 John Beales 6 Luke Garrard 6 Ryan Johnson 7 Mario Noto 7 Danny Harris 8 Lee Allinson 8 James White 9 Jamie Richards (sub 79) 9 Carl Rook (sub 71) 10 Greg Morgan 10 Lee Burns 11 Chris Watters 11 Elliott Bradbrook (18) (sub 77) 12 Jay Brett 12 Ryan Hayes 14 Inih Effiong (sub 79) 14 Rob Haworth (sub 71) 15 Shane Bambridge 15 Lee Noble 16 Ryan Kirby 16 Danny Dafter (sub 77) 17 Jon Wordsworth (sub 76) 17 James Coyle (sub 75) Runaway League leaders Dartford showed all of the qualities that have led to their lofty League position. Having led the table for literally the whole Season, this victory leaves them thirteen points clear of the chasing pack, with three games in hand. Wood remain third just two points behind Kingstonian who also lost on the afternoon, whilst Hastings United drew level with Wood on 46 points after picking up a point on their travels. The Darts gave Wood little freedom on the ball all afternoon and their string of business like tackles and interceptions all over the park left Ian Allinson''s side chasing the game. It appeared a pre requisite for playing for the Champions elect was a minimum height of six feet with a minimum build of thirteen stone, which gave the impression that the visitors had a man over throughout the game. Wood welcomed back Jamie Richards after injury, yet the lone striker was shackled out of the game by a ruthless defensive display from the visitors led by their hulk like Captain Adam Flanagan. After nine minutes Richards produced one of Wood''s best chances of the game. Chasing down a fine forward ball from Daniel Brathwaite he out muscled a defender only for ‘keeper Andrew Young to judge the angle well saving at the near post. Darts Manager Tony Burman had obviously done his homework on Wood, with Greg Morgan sometimes tracked by three defenders as he tried to create for the home side with his probing runs and crosses from the wing. His opposite number Chris Watters had an even less productive time thus limiting Wood''s threat to hopeful balls into very limited spaces. Lee Burns managed a tame shot at Tony Tucker before going ahead after eighteen minutes with a well worked goal. Sweeping forward through the centre of the park Elliot Bradbrook was picked out on the left. His side step left Luke Garrard red faced and the Darts winger found himself in acres of space with just Tucker to beat, which he did with a well struck low drive. Mario Noto managed a twenty-five yard effort which failed to trouble Young seriously, before Billy Burgess almost capitalised on the now constant Darts pressure on the Wood goal. His diving header from Bradbrook''s curling free kick flew just wide of goal. Wood managed to survive until the interval, before the second half began in almost the same vein. Bradbrook got the better of seventeen year old Bradley Fraser who for the first time this Season looked under threat from a visiting attack, forcing Tucker to make a save. He was not alone however as the visitors excelled all over the park. However left back Brathwaite and central defender Ryan Moran came through the afternoon with flying colours and between them kept the score line respectable. James White carried out the counter attack that the Darts are so threatening with to good effect, travelling fifty yards before brilliantly releasing Burns who drilled his shot across goal and just wide of Tucker''s right hand post. Wood to their credit started to get back into the game and besides some poor choices of pass from Noto in the middle of the park, they gave the visitors a real scare at the end. The return of Jon Wordsworth in his first appearance of the Season after 75 minutes was a welcoming sight to the Wood faithful who made up the minority of the 385 crowd. His first towering header away from danger signalled that all was well and he would be surely challenging for a place in the starting lineup. Wood bombarded the Darts goal mouth throughout the four minutes of stoppage time, with the hard working Morgan going just wide with a header from Brathwaite''s delivery. Even the arrival of Tucker in the opponents penalty area failed to phase the visitors whose workmanlike afternoon gathered them another three points towards their inevitable title come the end of April. Afterwards Wood boss Ian Allinson declared, “We were beaten by a very strong side today. First half we failed to come to terms with them, yet towards the end of the second half especially in the last twenty minutes I thought we were the better side without really carving them open. I cannot fault the effort of my players, although it was clear that Dartford had the measure of us today.” Man Of The Match: Daniel Brathwaite. Referee Mr A Field