Boreham Wood maintained their unbeaten start to the National League season with a 3-1 victory over ten-man Kidderminster Harriers at Meadow Park, as Jay Bird struck twice inside the opening 16 minutes.
The league leaders went ahead after nine minutes when Kidderminster were caught in possession. Bird raced into the space beyond the Harriers defence before lifting his finish over goalkeeper Jack Wint to give the hosts an early lead.
Boreham Wood almost doubled their advantage three minutes later, with Richard Faakye and Cian Harries combining to prevent another goal, but the reprieve proved brief. A quick Wood move in the 16th minute ended with the ball being centred for Bird, who swept home from around 12 yards for his second of the evening.
Kidderminster struggled to contain the hosts during the remainder of the first half. Wint produced an excellent save to prevent Bird completing his hat-trick after good work from Ben Whitfield, while Harriers captain Angus MacDonald was forced off through injury before the interval and replaced by Luey Giles.
Harriers produced a much stronger response after the restart and pulled a goal back in the 55th minute. Lewis Walker chased down goalkeeper Luca Gunter, won possession from him and calmly rolled the ball into the vacant net to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Walker threatened again in the 69th minute when he appeared to break clear before going down on the edge of the penalty area, but no free-kick was awarded. Two minutes later, Kidderminster’s task became considerably harder when Faakye conceded a penalty and was shown his second yellow card, reducing the visitors to ten men.
Wint kept Harriers in the contest by producing an excellent save from the resulting penalty, but Boreham Wood scored from the corner that followed. Whitfield arrived at the far post to head home in the 73rd minute and restore the hosts’ two-goal advantage.
Kidderminster were unable to find another response with ten men and Boreham Wood saw out the remaining minutes to record their ninth league victory of the campaign. Manley Marshall-Miranda went close to adding a fourth late on, lifting an effort narrowly over the crossbar.
Boreham Wood remain top of the National League with 29 points from 11 matches, having won nine and drawn two, and are the division’s only unbeaten side. Kidderminster remain on 18 points after a third successive game without a win, following a goalless draw at Woking and back-to-back defeats against Yeovil Town and Boreham Wood.
