LUKE OUT, WE’RE THE REAL DEAL!
BOREHAM WOOD are in the National League play-off conversation – and boss Luke Garrard says they have every right to be.
Top scorer Bruno Andrade found the net twice in Tuesday’s 3-2 win against Dagenham & Redbridge to make it one defeat in 20 games and move up to fifth in the table ahead of this weekend’s FA Trophy break.
And Garrard says they’re showing why they’re so hard to beat.
“If you take away the 4-0 defeat to Sutton at home – I sound bitter now, but two penalties that shouldn’t have been given, a sending off for Kieran Murtagh that got rescinded, you take that out of the equation and we’re unbeaten in 20,” Garrard said. “That’s no mean feat.
“We’ve had five clean sheets away from home in our last eight games and were unfortunate to concede two against Dagenham.
“So I feel we have a chance. When there’s a belief in a dress- ing room you have to make sure that’s managed and that you don’t get above your station. But we have to have the confidence to kick on now.”
Wood’s summer shopping saw the arrival of some experienced players including Tom Champion, a play-off winner with Cambridge United, and the loan signing of former England C captain Jamie Turley.
Self-policing
“We’ve got good experience – our recruitment was very much about bringing that in,” Garrard said. “It was about balance. We’ve got young Kane Smith, who we’ve brought up two levels, Tom Champion has come down a level, Keiran Murtagh knows this level inside out.
“Alex Davey is 23, Kane Smith 21, so there’s people in the dressing room start- ing out in their careers, but then we’ve got players with experience – Keiran Murtagh, Angelo Balanta, Jamie Turley, Tom Champs, it’s massive for a group. You need to pull on that to steady the ship at times if it’s not going well or manage it when it is.
“I like people self-policing because I don’t always want to be the bad guy and we have that in our dressing room 100 per cent.
“There’s a group in there that want to play for each other. They want to play for me and the club. I trust them and that’s half the battle. “In terms of kicking on, it’s about not being complacent or dropping standards. Against Dagenham we didn’t do that and we were fortunate enough to win a game of football.” Andrade was the stand-out performer in the Daggers’ voctory with the former Woking winger’s switch to a more central position paying off. “To have 17 goals on January 9 – you could say as a makeshift striker because he’s not naturally a forward – is a great return,” Garrard said. “We’ve had him 18 months and he’s a pleasure to work with. He’s bubbly, energetic and he lifts the group. “I honestly think when he’s on his game he’s one of the best in the league. I said that in pre-season away at Wingate because I honestly believe in his ability.”