TOWN'S ROAD TO WEMBLEY CLOSES - BOREHAM WOOD THROUGH IN FA CUP

Enfield Town were beaten 3-1 at Blue Square South side Boreham Wood yesterday in a game which with 15 minutes left looked in the balance. Having said that Boreham Wood, being two divisions above the Town in the football pyramid, were the better side and probably deserved to go through to the 4th Qualifying round with two late goals that won the match.

The home side controlled the early part of the game putting the Town back line under pressure from the off forcing a succession of corners and having a shot cleared off the line by Craig McKay. Both teams played a good passing style on Meadow Park's brilliant surface which made for an exciting cup tie. It was a close run thing in the first half with, for all their possession and pressure, Wood not really troubling Rob Blackburne in the Town goal. The goal machine Mark Kirby unluckily put a header wide of goal from a corner and Jordan Lockie had a long range shot saved comfortably by Wood keeper Ashlee Jones.

The second half was more open and Wood took the lead in the 64th minute through Luke Garrard. This is where other team's heads may have gone down with them settling for a 1-0 or 2-0 defeat against a team two division's above them. To their credit Enfield Town didn't and showed what a quality team they are by fighting back to level the game at 1-1.

Mark Kirby, who put in another immense performance for Town yesterday, got hold of the ball on the edge of Town's penalty box and passed to Dan Forward who played in Sam Byfield at the edge of the Wood area. Sam expertly beat his man by dribbling the ball into the area before putting over a cross for the grateful Bryan Hammat to head home to the delight of the Town fans who had travelled in big numbers across to Hertfordshire yesterday. This was Sam paying Bryan back for the goal he scored on Tuesday night at Maldon - The roles were reversed with Sam the provided and Bryan the scorer.

Town had a good spell of about ten minutes after that where with a little more luck the game could of been a different story. Andy Jones looping shot which his namesake Ashlee in the Wood goal saved well was Town's best chance.

Wood sealed the game with about ten minutes of the game left when following some good work by the impressive Greg Morgan, Joe Benjamin found himself unmarked with only Rob Blackburne to beat which he did causing mass-celebration by the Wood fans gathered behind the goal.

The final kick of the game put some gloss on the scoreline for Boreham Wood when substitute Lee Allinson lobbed Blackburne from the edge of the box to make the score 3-1.

All Enfield Town's squad were a credit to the club today and with a little more luck could of came away with a draw or even a victory. Centre back Lee Kersey performed a great clearance with Liam Hope in on their keeper had he not intervened. This was with the game at 1-1....less than a minute later Benjamin had scored his first goal form Boreham Wood to win the game for the home side.

GOOD LUCK TO BOREHAM WOOD IN THE NEXT ROUND!!

The Wood had some quality players on display with the cold end impressed by Ryan Moran who looked a very good and composed centre back. Coupled with the pace and skill of Greg Morgan, Leon McKenzie and Joe Benjamin going forward the cold end has no doubt Ian Allinson's side will move up the Blue Square South Division over the next few months. Wood even had 6ft 7inch Nigerian Fola Onibuje on then bench who came on to make his debut for the home side late on in the game. His pen-picture will read "well travelled" as he counts Preston North End, Huddersfield Town, Barnsley, Peterborough United, Cambridge United, Swindon Town, Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers, Shrewsbury Town, St Albans City, Macclesfield Towm, Accrington Stanley, Woking, Weymouth, Grays Athletic, Gillingham and Southport amongst his former clubs.

So for Town the magic of the FA Cup is over for another year but there is still one road to Wembley still open with the Trophy tie against Walton Casuals next Saturday at Goldsdown Road.

As stated there was a large contingent of Enfield Town fans present at the game yesterday with some old faces making appearances which was great to see!!

MATCH PICTURES-

Paul Campbell on the ball for Enfield Town

Ryan Moran and Lee Kersey jump for the ball

Adam Wallace fighting for the ball

Andy Jones out-jumps everyone to get his head to the ball

Boreham Wood's vocal support gathered behind the goal in the second half.

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The team's lining up for FA Cup action.

This picture shows the main stand at Meadow Park and the first class condition of the pitch

Enfield Town 'behind the goal' fans - A good percentage of the 361 crowd was made up of away supporters.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDING A GREAT VIEW OF BRYAN'S GOAL (WITH APOLOGIES TO BOREHAM WOOD FANS FOR NOT CAPTURING YOUR FIRST TWO GOALS ON CAMERA!!!) -