ASH IS A SMASH TO DENY SPIREITES
AN INSIRED display from goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore kept Boreham Wood in the play-off hunt, while hammering another nail in Chesterfield’s title hopes.
Ashmore pulled off a string of fine saves to deny Paul Cook’s Spireites with substitute Josh Rees ensuring the points went the way of Wood with the winner midway through the second half.
“He deserved to be on the winning team,” boss Luke Garrard said of his prized shot-stopper. “If this was on the World Cup or Champions League stage, people would be talking about his performance for ages, especially that triple save. We weren’t at our best today but got the job done in the end.”
Cook’s men threw everything they had at Wood right from the off with Ashmore forced into the action straight away.
On 10 minutes, an incredible triple save denied Armando Dobra once and Liam Mandeville twice and, from the resulting corner, he somehow kept out a Jamie Grimes header that seemed destined for the net.
Danny Newton volleyed wide for Wood but the Spireites kept coming. Five minutes later, following an excellent run, Colclough had a shot that finally beat Ashmore but just about beat the far post too.
Both Darren Oldaker and former Wood striker Joe Quigley were both denied by some resolute Wood defending before Zak Brunt fired just wide from the edge of the box for the hosts.
While Wood were better after the break, the visitors still had the better of things in the second half. Liam Mandeville fired over soon after the restart and, on 56 minutes, Ollie Banks had a shot well save by Ashmore.
Four minutes later, Wood almost took the lead when Tyrone Marsh was denied by some excellent defending from Ash Palmer before Femi Ilesamni played the ball to Newton whose effort was somehow cleared off the line by Branden Horton with goalkeeper Lucas Covolan beaten.
But Garrard’s men weren’t to be denied on 63 minutes. Following some excellent approach play involving Marsh and George Broadbent, Ilesamni had a fierce shot that Colovan saved, but he could only spill the ball out to Rees who had the easy job of tapping the ball home.
Chesterfield went close to equalising four minutes later but Grimes’ header hit the post before falling kindly into the grateful hands of Ashmore.
Quigley fired over from close range as the Spireites upped the ante and when Liam Mandeville was put through one-onone, Ashmore was predicably there in a flash to foil him.