It was a game of two halves as Boreham Wood came from behind to knock Maidstone United out of this season’s FA Trophy and claim a home tie with Alfreton Town in the Second Round.

Ben Greenhalgh, restored to the starting line-up, had given the Stones a 20th minute lead as the home side punished mistakes by the Boreham Wood defence.  It should have been at least 2 before the interval as Bobby-Joe Taylor headed wide at the back post, but as good as the Stones were in the first half against a Boreham Wood side pushing for the National League playoff places, they were as poor in the second.

Anthony Jeffrey headed into an empty net on 47 to level matters and from then on, there really was only one side in the game.  Bruno Andrade gave Boreham Wood the lead on 56, with Jeffrey rifling in his second with 12 minutes remaining.  There was enough stoppage time for Jamar Loza to grab a consolation, but it was with the last kick of the game.

Maidstone’s manager, Jay Saunders, admitted he is struggling to work out why his team have been so inconsistent, but added “it probably sums up our season so far.  I thought we played well up there on Saturday, we were in control first half and could have been two, possibly three up.  We haven’t taken our chances and then come out in the second half looking a different side.  Once they score it was as if we gave up and I’m now probably the most frustrated since I’ve been here.”

“We’ve got a lot of games coming up and I thought both Ben (Greenhalgh) and Ach (Anthony Acheampong) did well having been out for a while.  I felt we looked quite dangerous going forward and we wanted to keep it tight second half as we knew they would come hard at us.  I just felt they got stronger once they scored and we’ve gone on to let in two sloppy goals.”

An even opening saw half-chances for both sides.  Boreham Wood, with three pacy forwards, earned a couple of right wing corners that were headed wide by David Stephens and Matthew Paine respectively.  Meanwhile, Jamal Loza was enjoying the freedom of the Maidstone left wing to tease the right-back Danny Woodards, and Loza had a shot blocked by Stephens before the first effort of the night on target from Jack Evans; but straight at Grant Smith in the Boreham goal.

Both sides were making mistakes as a misplaced Dan Sweeney header went into the patch of Angelo Balanta, but Lee Worgan was quickly off his line to save his midfielder’s blushes.  The visitors weren’t averse to errors of their own and one on 20 minutes led to the opening goal.  A weak throw from the left back position was intercepted by Callum Driver’s header.  The ball dropped to Ben Greenhalgh, who played a one-two with Loza, before the ball was played back into his path to unleash a low left foot drive into the bottom right corner from 20 yards.

Almost immediately after the kickoff, Loza picked up the ball and rampaged forwards through the heart of the Boreham Wood midfield.  His eventual shot deflected off the heels of Stephens and landed comfortably in the arms of Smith.  Greenhalgh fired a freekick into the building works for the new stand at the Springfield End of the ground, before arguably Maidstone’s best chance of the half; the goal included.  Another good run by Loza released Greenhalgh on the left.  The winger’s dinked cross was stood up perfectly for Bobby-Joe Taylor who somehow headed wide from 6 yards.

Worgan finally had a shot to save on 32, holding a low skimming shot well from Bruno Andrade and his opposite number Smith had to make a similar save from a deflected Evans shot.  Both sides were looking far more comfortable going forward, the Stones in particular finding space in behind the Boreham Wood full-backs.

Maidstone were looking the more likely at the end of the half.  Taylor waited for the over-lapping Driver, whose back post cross wasn’t cleared convincingly by the Boreham defence.  The ball ran loose to Evans 25 yards out, whose shot swerved viciously forcing Smith to push it away for a corner.  Once again, the visitors failed to clear a set piece and Taylor floated a cross in for Anthony Acheampong, who glanced a header past the left post.

For all of their chances in the first half, Maidstone were caught cold two minutes into the second, once again a poorly cleared set-piece their undoing.  Kenny Davis’ ball into the box was cleared straight to Bruno Andrade, who was given time and space to hit a shot that swerved left to right away from Worgan.  The Stones keeper was able to get a hand on the shot to push it onto the right post, but the rebound bounced kindly for Anthony Jeffrey who could head into the empty net.

Boreham Wood’s formation change to 4-4-2 was causing Maidstone problems.  Jeffrey found space on the left to cross, with the ball finding its way towards Andrade, whose left foot shot through a crowd of players was well held by Worgan.

Andrade, who had appeared lost on the wing, but was revelling in a more central role, gave Boreham Wood the lead on 57.  Worgan’s goalkick was headed forward by Davis, cutting both Kevin Lokko and Tom Mills out of the game and allowing Andrade to show his speed, bursting into the area and firing a composed finish into the left corner of the Stones’ goal.

Maidstone brought on Yemi Odubade for Taylor to try to utilise the forward’s pace, but it was Andrade running the show for Boreham Wood.  The forward curled a freekick from the right side towards the back post, where Paine slid in with Acheampong to turn the ball goalwards; Worgan down well to parry behind.  From the corner, Joe Devera had a free header over.

Whereas Maidstone found space behind the Boreham Wood full-backs in the first half, now it was Jeffrey on the left gaining ground beyond Driver and Evans.  Jeffrey’s skimmed pass into the middle allowed Angelo Balanta a shot at goal, which flew wide right.

The Stones’ first effort of the half came from a Lokko header after Loza had patiently worked space on the right, but once again, the visitors’ pace was telling in their third goal with 12 minutes left.  Ben Nunn’s hopeful ball split a stretched defence and Jeffrey’s run left Driver treading water, and the forward lashed his shot past Worgan for his second.

Femi Ilesanmi took his chance to push down the left wing and found a cross that substitute Ricky Shakes headed down into the ground with Worgan forced to tip over for a corner.

Despite controlling the play in the second half, Boreham Wood were undone in stoppage time by a quick Stones’ counter attack.  Jack Paxman and Paine both misjudged their headers in the middle of the visitor’s half allowing Yemi Odubade to break forward.  Odubade slid a pass into the path of Loza, who rifled his shot past Smith at the near post, but it was too little, too late.

MAIDSTONE UNITED: 1- Lee Worgan; 2- Callum Driver, 15- Anthony Acheampong, 5- Kevin Lokko, 3- Tom Mills; 11- Alex Flisher (10- Jack Paxman 76), 8- Dan Sweeney (6- James Rogers 84), 12- Jack Evans, 16- Bobby-Joe Taylor (23- Yemi Odubade 65); 17- Ben Greenhalgh, 25- Jamar Loza.

Subs not used: 4- Jamie Coyle, 26- Nathan Parsons.

Goals: Ben Greenhalgh 20, Jamar Loza 90+3

BOREHAM WOOD: 1- Grant Smith, 3- Danny Woodards (9- Jamie Lucas 90+2), 6- David Stephens, 33- Joe Devera, 15- Femi Ilesanmi; 4- Mark Ricketts (2- Ben Nunn 70), 5- Matthew Paine, 8- Kenny Davis; 11- Bruno Andrade, 19- Angelo Balanta, 14- Anthony Jeffrey (7- Ricky Shakes 82).

Subs not used: 20- Daniel Uchechi, 24- Rhys Murrell-Williamson.

Goals: Anthony Jeffrey 47 & 78, Bruno Andrade 56

Attendance: 538

Referee: Mr Rob Whitton
Assistants: Mr Daniel Bonneywell and Mr Paul Saunders
Fourth Official: Mr Jack Packman