The Bolt New Lawn was the scene of a pulsating encounter as Forest Green Rovers secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Boreham Wood. The match, characterised by attacking verve from both sides, ultimately saw the home team clinch the three points courtesy of a second-half penalty.
The opening period was a cagey affair, with both teams probing for an advantage. Forest Green Rovers broke the deadlock in the 34th minute. Jili Buyabu found the back of the net, giving the home support something to cheer about and putting his side ahead. Despite the goal, Boreham Wood remained resolute, and the half concluded with Rovers holding a slender lead.
The second half, however, witnessed a significant shift in tempo. Boreham Wood, spurred on by the introduction of substitute Luke Norris in the 60th minute, began to assert more pressure. Their persistence paid off in the 65th minute when Norris provided the assist for Matt Rush, who dispatched the equaliser. The goal swung the momentum, and Boreham Wood looked poised to build on their resurgence.
The narrative took another turn in the 75th minute. Forest Green Rovers were awarded a penalty, and Harvey Bunker stepped up to calmly convert the spot kick, restoring his side’s lead. This proved to be the decisive moment of the match. Boreham Wood pushed for a late equaliser, making several tactical substitutions in an attempt to find an opening. These included bringing on Cameron Coxe for Jeff King in the 57th minute, shortly after King had received a yellow card for a foul, and introducing Yahya Bamba and Neil Kengni in the 64th minute. Forest Green Rovers also made changes, with Christian Doidge entering the fray in the 69th minute and Abraham Kanu replacing goalscorer Buyabu in the 81st minute. Despite their efforts, Rovers held firm to secure a hard-fought victory.
The win sees Forest Green Rovers maintain their strong league position, moving to 32 points and sitting fifth in the table after 16 games. Boreham Wood, despite the loss, also remain high flyers, holding the same points tally but dropping to fourth due to goal difference after their 16th fixture. This result will be a significant boost for Forest Green Rovers as they continue their campaign, while Boreham Wood will be looking to bounce back quickly.