UMERAH AT DOUBLE AS BOLD WOOD FIGHT BACK

BOREHAM WOOD came from behind to secure a vital second victory of the campaign.

The comeback was led by Charlton loanee Josh Umerah, who netted a 20minute brace, including a 94th-minute penalty.

Boreham Wood manager Luke Garrard said: “We were on the back of a late goal against Gateshead here not long ago, which didn’t allow us to take maximum points.

“So, to be on the other end of that and to score in the 94th minute to win a game of football is very pleasing.

“To go a goal down and not really be registering goals at the moment, you fear the worst, but I felt that Ricky Shakes going down the right channel and Sorba Thomas coming on up top brought a real energy and enabled us to get on the front foot a bit more.

“And the fact that Josh (Umerah) fired us level quite early on after their goal helped hugely in us getting three points.”

Halifax’s Jamie Fullarton said: “We are coming away from home, but we would have been disappointed with just getting a point, because we have taken the lead with 1520 minutes to go.

“But, if you get a point away from home against the beaten finalists in the play-offs then it shows that – although we would have been disappointed – we have made great strides.

“But then we have also got to manage the game, to make sure that when they do equalise, that we do leave with a point.” Halifax went into the match full of confidence, having made an excellent start to the season. The Shaymen looked set for another victory when Nathan Clarke leaped above his marker at a corner to head home Ben Tomlinson’s corner in the 70th minute. Garrard’s side responded well to going behind and nearly carved open an instant reply, when Keiran Murtagh sent a venomous 25-yard volley at Sam Johnson’s goal, only for the stopper’s fingertips to deny him. They wouldn’t take long to level the scores though, with the Wood pushing forward. Ricky Shakes and Murtagh interchanged the ball between them down the wing and Shakes curled the ball into Umerah.

The striker took the ball down perfectly and sent it flying past Johnson, with a rocket of a shot.

From then on the Wood were on top, however Halifax’s stubborn defence was proving tough to break down.

With the game heading for a draw in the dying moments, Tom Champion was brought down in the penalty area. Umerah stepped up in confident fashion and fired past Johnson.