SHOOT-OUT HEARTBREAK FOR WOOD

BOREHAM WOOD were knocked out of the Irn-Bru Cup on penalties by Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic.

Keiran Murtagh, Joshua Umerah, Jamal Fyfield, Femi Ilesanmi and Recco Hackett-Fairchild all scored their penalties in a tense shoot-out.

Robbie Muirhead scored the sixth penalty for Dunfermline, before Connor Smith crashed the Wood’s final spot kick against the crossbar.

Wood manager Luke Garrard said: “I felt that first half we were nowhere near the races and we were off the boil. Our shape didn’t deal with their fullbacks and I had to change it at half-time.

“I felt that the boys embraced the change, they adapted to what I asked of them and in fairness, we looked like the team to go and win a game of football.

“For me, another clean sheet, that is six games now unbeaten. I don’t care what you say, we played 90 minutes and didn’t get beaten; penalty shootout or not. That is six games unbeaten here, three wins, three draws, three cleans sheets and a hell of a lot of positives.

“It was a game of few chances, with neither side truly taking control of the affair – the first match between a National League team and a Scottish Championship side in the Scottish Challenge Cup.

Wood’s new signing Hackett-Fairchild started after his loan from Charlton Athletic and curled an effort from 20-yards, but Lee Robinson held it.

Smith then made an outstanding sliding block, as Louis Longridge struck a shot from close range.

Ryan Huddart kept the Wood in the game with an excellent save in the 88th minute, getting down low to deny Aidan Connolly.