Boreham Wood beat Welling United to secure National League status

Goals from Luke Howell, Clovis Kamdjo and an own goal made it the perfect day for the club, the squad and the travelling Wood army who turned Park View Road into a ‘home’ venue for the evening.

Just three weeks ago Wood were staring at relegation after a run of three games yielded just one point. It left the club needing three wins from their last three games to guarantee safety, a very tall order given the side had failed to secure back-to-back victories throughout the whole season. Yet Wood boasted the fifth best defensive record in the division, effectively making their goals against column worth a precious point.

Having secured a 2-1 victory at Aldershot Town, the club were suddenly back out of the drop zone, with other challengers faltering. Then followed a monumental effort to secure a narrow 1-0 victory against Guiseley a week later. It was a result that lifted Wood above the West Yorkshire side and dumped them into the relegation zone for the first time this season. It left Wood in the box seat in a three way battle for survival. The task was simple: beat the side bottom of the table to avoid joining them in Conference South next season.

Chairman Danny Hunter has a simple mantra that everybody associated with Wood - from the scholars to Garrard to the catering staff - are taught. It involves three elements: attitude, discipline and desire. That is precisely what was on show across the park on an afternoon that will live long in the memories of those present.

Whilst Garrard fielded an unchanged side, his opposite number Mark Goldberg made eight alterations from the Welling side thrashed 5-0 the previous week at fellow strugglers Altrincham. It was Goldberg's second and final look at the squad he will potentially inherit, with individuals keen to impress.

Wood took the game to their hosts from the first whistle. In the fourth minute Conor Clifford's ball into danger led to a nervy clearance behind for a corner. Clifford swung over a delivery that Joe Devera headed onto the crossbar, with Howell sending a rising drive inches over the target from the resultant loose ball.

Welling harried and pressed and made life difficult for Garrard's men and with early news filtering through that Guiseley had stormed into an early-two goal lead it meant victory was paramount to stay above their rivals.

Delano Sam-Yorke delivered a fine cross for Harry White but his contact was minimal and the effort ran tamely across goal to safety. The pattern of the game continued unchanged with Wood firmly on the front foot. The intensity dropped momentarily with the Wings getting into the Wood penalty area and winning their first corner but Kamdjo's decisive clearing header settled the nerves.

Back came Wood with White's curling cross-field ball from the left allowing Ricky Shakes a run beyond his marker. He played in Howell whose well-struck shot was kept out by Mike McEntegart at full stretch. The resultant corner was another fine delivery from Clifford finding Kamdjo who saw his effort cleared off the line at the near post by a defender.

Wood were getting closer and their nerves were settled somewhat when the pressure on the Wings defence led to Kevin Lokko sending his defensive header from an innocuous cross beyond a wrong-footed McEntegart to gift Wood the lead after 31 minutes.

Michael Chambers, alongside the unfortunate Lokko, steadied the defensive ship for the Wings who then created their first chance of the game when Kadell Daniel sent a low curling ball into the area from the right which needed a quick reaction save from James Russell to prevent it crossing the line.

However Chambers was helpless in preventing Wood's second, the stand-out piece of skill of the entire half. His half clearance was snapped up by Howell in a central position and he utilised the space before him beautifully. A drop of the shoulder, a burst of pace and a brilliant exchange of passes with White sent the former Dagenham and Redbridge man through on goal to steer his shot beyond the custodian after 41 minutes. Park View Road erupted and Wood sensed they were edging towards safety.

Wood continued to play with the same intensity after the break. Man-of-the-match Clifford's deliveries were a menace to the Wings defence throughout the game and in the 48th minute both Devera and Kamdjo had efforts cleared off the line after McEntegart failed to cleanly take Clifford's free-kick.

The home side were prone to errors and clearly lacking a collective belief and it was a comedic error that led to Wood's third goal after 61 minutes.

Ibrahim Kargbo attempted an unnecessary overhead clearance right on the edge of his own penalty area, which he missed completely, leading to a corner. Clifford was on fire at this stage and he picked out Kamdjo at the far post and his bullet header left McEntegart absolutely no hope whatsoever of saving.

The result was now beyond doubt. Wood were staying up and the conga of celebration began in earnest along the terraces. Back on the pitch the two sides remained committed with Daniel possibly at the front of the queue outside his new manager’s office at the final whistle with his relentless running and trickery. However Supporters Player of the Year Russell did not have a single save to make in the whole second half and the final whistle sparked scenes of jubilation, the likes of which has never before seen at Boreham Wood Football Club.

The small club had its doubters but proved their worth in the National League. Whilst a certain school PE teacher was grabbing the headlines at the other end of the table, Wood had written their own, with chairman Hunter and his young gaffer the last two men to leave their adoring and jubilant fans who all went off to party into the night.

Boreham Wood: Russell, Nunn, Doe, Devera, Reynolds, Kamdjo, Shakes, C Clifford, White (Lucas 73), Howell (Morias 83), Sam-Yorke (Haynes 78). Subs not used: B Clifford, Stephens.