GARRARD SO PROUD OF WOOD BRAVERY
PROUD Luke Garrard says he takes “nothing but positives” from Boreham Wood’s latest FA Cup run which ended with the slenderest of defeats at Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.
Tommy Leigh’s penalty in the seventh minute of extra time ensured a sterling performance came to nothing for Garrard’s side and earned Stanley a glamour home tie with Premier League Leeds United yesterday lunchtime.
“I’m just so proud of the group, and proud of that performance,” Garrard, inset, told Wood TV after leading his side to the third round for a third successive year. “To take a side like that, in League One, to extra time and concede a penalty like we did, the boys have left everything out there and that’s all I can ever ask.
“The fans were outstanding, they sung for the whole 120 minutes. I’ve got nothing but positives. Those men put on a performance for their manager, their football club and their fanbase, unfortunately it wasn’t enough.
“We were in the ascendancy when they got the pen, which is frustrating, but that happens. We didn’t really have many clinical chances but I can’t really question what we’ve delivered and what we’ve done. To lose 2-1 on aggregate over 210 minutes to a League One side, that group of players in there have given everything.
“They deserve all the plaudits this evening because they didn’t give us until the last knockings.” It could be argued that Wood edged a cagey affair at the Wham Stadium, although chances were at a premium. George Broadbent and Lee Ndlovu both tested keeper Toby Savin, after Sean McConville had gone closest to opening the scoring for Stanley.
But the all important moment came just as Wood were beginning to get some joy – Zak Brunt taking out Shaun Whalley and Leigh duly converted from the spot to settle it.