MATCH REPORT: Boreham Wood 2-1 Blackpool

A Dan Holman goal a minute from time helped non-league Boreham Wood dump Blackpool out of the FA Cup in the first round.
It was a bad day at the office for Gary Bowyer's menIt was a bad day at the office for Gary Bowyer's men
It was a bad day at the office for Gary Bowyer's men

The National League side came from a goal down to secure their first ever win over a league side, with substitutes Blair Turgott and Holman proving to be the home side’s heroes.

Danny Philliskirk had put the Seasiders ahead with his third goal in a week but Gary Bowyer’s men found themselves on the wrong end of a major cup upset.

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The Seasiders made a good start to proceedings, dominating the early possession and making the hosts work hard just to win the ball back.

They should have taken an early lead through Callum Cooke, but he could only fire wide of the far post after playing a neat one-two with Danny Philliskirk. The midfielder had more time than he thought but still came close to finding that bottom corner.

Boreham Wood grew into the game as the first half wore on and they managed to create an opening came for their lone striker Shaun Jeffers, but his effort was tame and Blackpool recovered to clear.

In fact they immediately launched an attack of their own which saw Cooke played through for his second clear opportunity of the game, but the loanee’s shot was well stopped by the feet of goalkeeper Grant Smith.

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The opening period remained a very cagey affair, although cumbersome centre back David Stephens came close to breaking the deadlock with a header that narrowly missed the bottom corner of Ryan Allsop’s goal.

That man Cooke was denied yet again on the stroke of half time, this time the woodwork coming to Boreham Wood’s aid with his drilled shot rebounding off the foot of the post.

The Seasiders were presented with a priceless opportunity to test the Boreham Wood goalkeeper early in the second half when they were awarded a free-kick just two yards outside the box. But the hosts managed to survive after Andy Taylor’s low effort was deflected out for a corner.

Angelo Balanta tried his luck from range from but his ambitious volleyed effort was lashed over the bar.

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The visitors managed to work some space down Boreham Wood’s right-hand side which saw Ollie Turton find Philliskirk inside the box, but he was unable to convert from the pullback.

The forward atoned for the missed opportunity when a couple of minutes later he broke the deadlock with a neatly-taken strike on his weak foot after running clear of his man.

Boreham Wood ‘keeper Grant Smith managed to get a fingertip on his effort but it wasn’t enough to stop Gary Bowyer’s men from taking the lead.

But Pool weren’t ahead for long, as substitute Blair Turgott scored within three minutes of coming off the bench to get the non-league side back in it.

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The striker found space inside the Blackpool box to get on the end of Kane Smith’s pullback, which he calmly managed to side foot into the top corner.

The home side then won it at the death with Holman bundling home on the line after Nick Anderton had failed to clear his lines, causing mass pandemonium in the home ends as they celebrated their first ever win over a league side.

Boreham Wood: G.Smith, K. Smith, Woodards, Ricketts, Wells, Stephens, Champion, Murtagh, Andrade, Jeffers (Holman), Balanta (Turgott)

Subs not used: Shakes, Benson, Bozkurt, Turley, Thomas

Blackpool: Allsop, Turton, Aimson, Anderton (Gnanduillet), Taylor, Spearing, Ryan (Longstaff), Cooke, Mellor, Delfouneso, Philliskirk (Solomon-Otabor)

Subs not used: Williams, D'Almeida, Clayton, Quigley

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: x

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