MARINERS JUST CAN’T FIND A WAY THROUGH
MUCH was expected of this clash of fifth-versus-seventh but, in truth, it petered out into a disappointing affair which didn’t do either side many favours in their respective play-off charges.
In a game of few chances, neither could find the killer touch, leaving Wood without a win in five games, while Grimsby slip down just outside of the play-off places.
“The positives are, we had a clean sheet but we have to wins games of football,” said Wood boss Luke Garrard. “The main thing is, we didn’t lose against one of our rivals in the playoff places.”
Grimsby enjoyed the better of things for most of the game and started very much on the front foot with John McAtee testing the paws of Wood keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond after six minutes.
Grimsby threatened again on 24 minutes but the dangerous McAtee was denied by a fantastic tackle from Will Evans in the penalty area, as he was about to shoot. If the tackle by the former Chesterfield defender was anything less than perfectly timed, he’d have conceded a penalty.
While there were no further chances in the first period, the Mariners applied the majority of the pressure, forcing a number of free-kicks around the Boreham Wood area.
Wood were grateful to some excellent defending by Evans and Dave Stephens, in particular, with the hosts mightily relieved to have gone in scoreless at the break.
Grimsby started to turn the screw in the second half and came close to opening the scoring again on 52 minutes when an excellent Erico Sousa cross to struck narrowly wide by Michee Efete. A minute later, Danny Amos had a shot well saved by Ashby-Hammond.
Still Grimsby kept coming as Wood struggled to click into gear. Amos’s shot on 53 minutes was blocked by Evans and fell into the path of Luke Waterfall but the former Lincoln City defender only succeeded in shooting over the bar.
Nine minutes later, the home side conjured up their first real chance of the game when Jamal Fyfield’s header from a Josh Rees corner when narrowly wide of Max Crocombe’s goal.
This should have inspired Wood into a rousing finale but instead it only helped power up the Mariners.
McAtee’s shot was brilliantly saved by Ashby-Hammond when but through by a delightful ball by Harry Clifton.
A succession of substitutions by both sides started to limit the Mariners’ firepower and gave Wood an opening.
Indeed, it was Wood who had a great chance for an undeserved victory in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Josh Rees found Scott Boden, who couldn’t get his shot on target when well placed.