HANDBALL IS ‘HARSH’ SAYS BOSS STREVENS

BOREHAM WOOD came away with a deserved point courtesy of a contentious penalty awarded three minutes after Harry Pritchard had fired Eastleigh ahead on the half-hour.

Referee Steven Copeland made the call when a shot struck the slightly outstretched arm of Eastleigh defender Joe Low.

The Wirral official immediately pointed to the spot and Scott Boden drilled his spot kick past Eastleigh goalkeeper Joe McDonnell.

Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard described the decision as “brave.” Ben Strevens, his Eastleigh opposite number, felt it was “harsh.”

Boden’s penalty wiped out the 25-yarder Pritchard scored to give Eastleigh the lead and kept the visitors in fourth.

Garrard was happy to take a point against a side who “will cause a lot of sides problems”.

He said: “We began and finished strongly, but Eastleigh played with a real impetus in the second half and stuck it on us. This was a big point for us, especially after the results Eastleigh have enjoyed of late.”

Boreham Wood, with away wins at Weymouth, Dover and Bromley chalked up early on, called the tune early on with the influential Marsh cutting in from the left and rolling a shot across the face of the goal.

Mendy saw a shot parried by McDonnell, who was relieved to see Marsh send the rebound wide.

Eastleigh gradually got into the game, with Nathan Ashmore saving a Low header and then denying the lively Ryan Hill.

Midway through the first half Danny Whitehall rose to send a header against the post, but Pritchard was unable to net the rebound.

Five minutes later Eastleigh got their deserved equaliser – Pritchard rifling a 25-yarder that Ashmore was only able to turn into the far corner.

But Eastleigh’s joy was short lived – referee Copeland penalising Low and Boden scoring his third of the season to send the teams in at 1-1.

“A few of our players said Low had moved his arm towards the ball, which would suggest a penalty, but it was brave of the referee because if he didn’t give it there wouldn’t have been too many grumbles,” Garrard added.

The game became a little anti-climatic after a lively opening 35 minutes, with Eastleigh pressing forward, without threatening a winner.

Low and Ben House had efforts saved and Hill shot wide before Wood countered with a strong finish, without managing to break the deadlock.

Strevens said he was “frustrated”. “Conditions were difficult, but it was a game we had the chances to win in the first half, he said.”

He picked out to returning Danny Hollands for praise, adding: “It was his first game of the season after a knee operation and he led us in midfield. It was very positive for us.”

STAR MAN: Harry Pritchard (Eastleigh) ATT: 1,797 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Steve Copeland