WOOD SHOW OTHER SIDE TO THEIR CUP REPERTOIRE
GOALKEEPER Taye Ashby-Hammond was the hero as Boreham Wood experienced life on the other side of the giantkilling fence and held off brave National League South side Maidstone United.
Seven days ago, Luke Garrard’s Wood knocked out AFC Wimbledon in the third round of the FA Cup to earn a tie with Championship high-flyers Bournemouth.
This week, though, their job was to hold off a Maidstone side looking to cause an upset of their own on the march to a Wembley final.
Tyrone Marsh looked to have put Wood in a comfortable position with an 18th-minute opener but the Stones hit back and forced a tense penalty shoot-out courtesy of Michael Phillips’ leveller.
“These players have given me everything,” said a relieved Garrard. “We were up against a good side today and its great to be into the fifth round.”
Wood started brightly and thought they had taken the lead on the quarter-hour mark when Danilo Orsi put the ball in the Stones net only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
But after knocking on the door for a long period, Wood finally took the lead three minutes when Josh Rees went down under a challenge in the penalty area and Marsh made no mistake from the spot.
The Stones didn’t lie down, however, and four minutes later were almost level but Ashby-Hammond produced an excellent point blank save to deny Joe Ellul.
Roarie Deacon fired wide and Joan Luque stung the hands of Ashby-Hammond as the Stones piled forward, although Orsi should have done better at the other end, missing the target when it looked easier to score.
Ashby-Hammond did well to keep out Luque’s free-kick early in the second half but Orsi should have put the game to bed for the hosts but he was denied by goalkeeper Tom Hadler.
Indeed, that miss was punished on 72 minutes when the visitors got their equaliser. Substitute Christie Pattisson’s cross was deflected off a Wood defender into the path of Philips who slotted home.
The Stones then started to turn the screw. Luque and Regan Booty had half chances to add a second, while Wood should have nicked it late on when Josh Rees created a straightforward chance for Scott Boden who somehow struck his shot over the crossbar.
Penalties it was with the Stones trio of Booty, Dominic Odusanya and Jack Barham held their nerve for the visitors before Hadler saved from Boden’s kick.
Ashby-Hammond then saved from Philips and after Maidstone’s Joe Ellul hit the crossbar, Kane Smith scored the winner.