TOPB1NS
English National League •31 October 2026 •KO 15:00
Boreham Wood badge
Boreham Wood
4:3
Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United badge
FORM
W W W W W
#1 0
44 PTS GD: 27
PLAYED: 16
#21 +1
15 PTS GD: -9
PLAYED: 16
FORM
L W W L L

Boreham Wood 4-3 Hartlepool United

Matt Rush scored a stoppage-time winner as unbeaten National League leaders Boreham Wood recovered from 3-2 down to beat Hartlepool United 4-3 in a remarkable seven-goal encounter at the Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park. Luke Garrard’s side had led 2-0 at half-time before Hartlepool scored three times in 12 second-half minutes, including an extraordinary long-range effort from Jamie Miley, but late goals from Zak Brunt and Rush secured a ninth successive league victory. Boreham Wood made one change following their midweek win at Woking, with Danny Cashman replacing Ben Whitfield in the starting line-up, while Hartlepool welcomed goalkeeper Max Merrick and midfielder Jack Nolan back into the side. The visitors created an early opportunity when Maxim Kouogun headed Cole Deeming’s free-kick wide in the seventh minute, before Jay Bird went close for Boreham Wood following a move involving Cashman and Brunt. The hosts were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute after Cashman went down under a challenge inside the area, a decision Hartlepool manager Pete Wild later strongly disputed. With Brunt having missed his previous three spot-kicks, Cashman took responsibility and sent Merrick the wrong way to give Boreham Wood the lead. Hartlepool threatened an equaliser when Brooklyn Ilunga’s low cross narrowly evaded Will Harris, while the defender later produced an important block to deny Cashman at the other end. Merrick also saved from Oliver Bainbridge after the full-back had been released by Brunt, but the hosts doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time when captain Tom White advanced towards goal and finished beneath the goalkeeper for his first goal of the season. Hartlepool emerged from the interval with renewed purpose and reduced the deficit in the 47th minute when Nolan delivered a corner and Kouogun rose to head into the far corner beyond Ted Curd. Five minutes later, Deeming capitalised on a defensive mistake, intercepted possession and finished past Curd to score his first goal for the club and level the match at 2-2. The visitors completed a remarkable turnaround in the 59th minute when Miley collected a loose ball near the halfway line, spotted Curd off his line and launched an audacious long-range effort into the net to give Hartlepool a 3-2 lead. Boreham Wood attempted to respond, with Brunt forcing Merrick into a save before Garrard introduced Whitfield and Rush from the bench. Bainbridge went close in the 75th minute, but Merrick produced another important stop to preserve Hartlepool’s advantage. The visitors then had an opportunity to extend their lead in the 82nd minute when substitute Chris Popov threatened inside the penalty area, only for Curd to make a crucial save. That intervention proved significant as Boreham Wood equalised five minutes later. Bainbridge reached the byline and pulled the ball back for Brunt, who finished from close range to make it 3-3 and set up a dramatic conclusion. With the match entering stoppage time, Whitfield delivered a cross into the Hartlepool penalty area and Rush arrived unmarked to finish into the far corner beyond Merrick in the 92nd minute. It was the substitute’s 10th National League goal of the season and completed Boreham Wood’s second comeback victory of the week, following their 2-1 success at Woking. The victory extended Garrard’s side’s unbeaten league start to 16 matches, comprising 14 wins and two draws, and secured their ninth consecutive league victory. Hartlepool suffered a second successive defeat after also surrendering a lead at AFC Fylde in midweek, leaving Pete Wild’s side on 15 points from 16 games despite producing one of their most impressive attacking spells of the campaign.
Edgy Eddie

TopB1ns Edge

By Edgy Eddie

Right then, you beauties! Boreham Wood and Hartlepool United served up a proper seven-goal thriller, finishing 4-3 to the Wood. The bookies had Boreham Wood as banker odds on at 1.25, and fair play, they got that bang on with the TopB1ns Edge predicting a home win.

Now, for the goals. TopB1ns Edge nailed the Both Teams To Score shout at 1.70 – yes, it was always going to be a goal-fest. It also called Over 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 goals, which all landed comfortably. However, it did get a bit cocky predicting Under 3.5 goals, which was a bit of a howler given the final score! Same for Over 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5 – they all went over, but the Edge thought they’d be tighter. Still, for version 1 of the TopB1ns Edge, it’s not a bad day’s work. A decent return on the 1X2 and BTTS bets, even if the over/under was a bit of a mixed bag. These teething issues will be ironed out, mark my words!