Boreham Wood 3 v 1 Fleet

FA Trophy Second Round

FLEET bowed out of the FA Trophy in the second round to a lively Boreham Wood side three leagues and some 50 places below them, writes Rachel Willett.

The match started evenly as Charlie MacDonald's cross was caught by Wood keeper Noel Imber and from his clearance the hosts broke clear but their attack was snuffed out.

In the 14th minute Fleet were grateful to Justin Skinner for an excellent challenge denying Wood a goalscoring chance.

After half an hour Wood were beginning to gain the ascendancy and another good attack was thwarted by a combined effort from Smith and Danny Slatter.

Moments later Fleet conceded a free-kick in their own half and when the loose ball fell to Leon Archer, Holloway had to be alert to block.

The opener came on 42 minutes when, after a Fleet corner, Wood staged a counter-attack and although Archer's shot was blocked by Holloway, Chris Watters converted the rebound.

At half-time boss Liam Daish made a change as Skinner was replaced by Jimmy Jackson.

But just two minutes into the second half Boreham Wood doubled their lead when Smith allowed Archer to get goal side and then brought the striker down inside the area.

Archer easily slotted the kick past Holloway.

It took Fleet 10 minutes to find their feet until a shot from Jackson was cleared for a corner from which McCarthy's header was cleared off the line.

Daish went for broke bringing on Luke Moore for Hodgson and playing with three up front and it almost paid immediate dividends but Slatter's header was narrowly wide.

The match was over on 63 minutes when a McCarthy back pass bobbled on the bumpy pitch and was completely missed by Holloway who was then helpless as Archer followed up to tap the ball home.

MacDonald pulled a goal back for Gravesend on 69 minutes when a free kick taken by Bowry was headed into his path by Moore.

Then a shot from MacDonald hit the inside of Imber's left upright and the rebound was fired just wide by Drury.

Wood's Chris Bangura was booked for a foul on Drury and two minutes later Bangura saw red after a high challenge on Jackson.

In the final 10 minutes Omari Coleman blazed two good chances over the bar.

MATCH FACTS: FLEET: Holloway; Skinner (Jackson, 45); R Smith; McCarthy; Protheroe; Bowry; Hidgson (Moore, 58); Slatter; Drury; Coleman; MacDonald.

SUBS NOT USED: Kerr; Gooding; J Smith.

ATT: 462.