Boreham boss is set for his dream final
BOREHAM WOOD are one game away from being promoted to the Football League for the first time in their 70-year history. Victory over Sutton United in the semi-finals of the National League play-offs set up Boreham Wood’s first visit to Wembley in the final against Tranmere this Saturday. A strike from Angelo Balanta and an own goal by Ross Lafayette put them 2-0 up before a frantic last 10 minutes. Tom Bolarinwa gave the hosts hope, heading in after 82 minutes but Watford loanee Michael Folivi restored Boreham Wood’s two-goal lead. Lafayette scored Sutton’s second in added time but Luke Garrard’s side managed to hold on. Garrard, 32, is the second youngest manager in England’s top five divisions at a club that has the lowest average attendance in the National League of only 796. While he understands how tough it will be to beat Tranmere — who finished second in the table — he insists promotion has always been the aim. ‘I’m getting goosebumps now. It’s my dream to manage this club at Wembley,’ said Garrard (below). ‘We’ve said all along we want promotion. Now it’s about doing everything to achieve that.’ Tranmere reached the final by beating Ebbsfleet on Saturday and manager Micky Mellon will now have another shot at the final, having lost out to Forest Green at Wembley last season. ‘We obviously know the magnitude of the game but we feel a lot calmer this year,’ said Mellon.