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Steve Harris – @steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Torquay United vs Boreham Wood – National League South

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Saturday 1st March 2025

Kick-off: 3pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Torquay: 6

Draw: 4

Boreham: 8

RECENT FORM (LAST 6)

Torquay – W2 – D2 – L2

L 0-1 Maidstone A

W 2-0 Eastbourne H

D 2-2 Worthing A

W 2-1 Hornchurch H

L 2-3 Chelmsford A

D 1-1 Weston SM A

Boreham – W4 – D0 – L2

W 4-3 Hemel Hempstead Town A

L 0-1 Weston Super Mare H

L 1-2 Hornchurch A

W 3-0 Eastbourne Borough H

W 3-1 St Albans City A

W 1-0 Chelmsford City H

TOP SCORERS

Torquay: Cody Cooke (13)

Boreham: Kwesi Appiah (26)

BOREHAM FACT FILE

Year founded: 1948

Nickname: The Wood

Last season’s league finish: 21st in National League

Notable Honours:

National League South:

Play-off Winners: 2014-15

Isthmian League Division One:

Winners: 1976-77, 1994-95, 2000-01

THE MANAGER – LUKE GARRARD

Luke Garrard took charge of the Wood for a second time earlier this season following the brief reign of Ross Jenkins. In his first spell in charge, Garrard turned out a number of competitive sides on a regular basis after he succeeded Ian Allinson as manager of the Wood in October 2015. In his first season in charge, the 2015-16 campaign, he steered the Wood to safety, which was followed by an 11th place finish in 2016-17.

In the subsequent 2017-18 campaign, the Wood enjoyed arguably their finest season under his reign when they reached the National League play-off final, where they were beaten by Tranmere Rovers. In the 2019-20 season, Garrard led the Wood to the play-offs again, where they were eliminated by FC Halifax Town in the quarter finals.

In the 2021-22 campaign, he famously guided the Wood to the fifth round of the FA Cup, after beating AFC Wimbledon and AFC Bournemouth on route, before they were eliminated by Everton.

PLAYER TO WATCH – KWESI APPIAH

Kwesi Appiah began his career in the youth set up at Ebbsfleet United before earning a move to Peterborough United in 2008. After two seasons with the Posh, including loan spells with Weymouth, King’s Lynn Town and Kettering Town, Kwesi departed London Road in 2010 returning to Non-League to sign for Thurrock. Just a season later in July 2011, Appiah signed for Margate, where he would enjoy the most prolific spell of his career. Kwesi’s impressive start to life at Margate, scoring 22 goals in 24 appearances, quickly caught the attention of sides much further up the pyramid and in January 2012 Crystal Palace won the race to his signature.

Across a five-year spell with Crystal Palace, Kwesi would enjoy loans spells away from Selhurst Park with the likes of Aldershot Town, Yeovil Town, Cambridge United, Notts County, AFC Wimbledon, Reading and Viking FK of Norway, however in the summer of 2017 following the expiration of his contract, Appiah would join one of his former loan clubs, AFC Wimbledon, on a permanent basis. Kwesi would spend three seasons with the Dons, scoring 15 goals in 71 total appearances, but a move abroad was next on the cards for Appiah, signing for Northeast United in the Indian Super League in October 2020.

Less than a year later, Kwesi returned to England, signing for League Two Crawley Town in August 2021. Following the mutual termination of his contract at the Broadfield Stadium in the summer of 2023, Kwesi would put pen to paper on a two-year contract with Boreham Wood in July 2023. Kwesi also boasts seven senior appearances and two goals for Ghana, including scoring in the 2015 African Cup of Nations quarter final 3-0 win over Guinea. Despite losing on 9-8 penalties to the Ivory Coast, Kwesi started for the Black Stars in the AFCON final.

APPIAH STATS – Position: Striker – Date of Birth: 12/08/90 – Height: 1.80m – Previous Clubs: Ebbsfleet, Peterboro, Weymouth, Kettering, Brackley, Thurrock, Margate, Crystal Palace, Aldershot, Yeovil, Cambridge, Notts County, Wimbledon, Reading, Viking, NorthEast Utd, Crawley, Colchester – 24/25 NLS Stats: Appearances 28, Goals 23, Yellow/Red Cards 2/0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Boreham: Tyrone Marsh

POSSIBLE LINE-UPS

Torquay United (4-2-3-1): James Hamon; Matt Carson, Jordan Dyer, Sam Dreyer, Jordan Thomas; Oscar Threlkeld, Dan Hayfield; Lirak Hasani; Jordan Young, Matt Jay; Cody Cooke

Boreham Wood (5-3-2): Nathan Ashmore; Jayden Richardson, Chris Bush, Charlie O’Connell, Jozef Yarney, Femi Ilesanmi; Mohammed Sagaf, Tom Whelan, Jon Benton; Matthew Rush, Kwesi Appiah

LAST MEETING

Last meeting: Saturday 23th November 2024, Boreham Wood 0 Torquay United 0

In windy and rainy conditions in Hertfordshire, the spoils were shared as United drew 0-0 with Boreham Wood. In a first half of very few chances and a swirling wind, which the Gulls were facing into in the opening period, it took until the 24th minute for United to carve out their first good opportunity, as Jordan Young won the ball before Will Jenkins Davies took the ball and ran through towards goal, shooting from just outside the area and narrowly past Nathan Ashmore and his post in the Boreham goal.

Boreham reacted and had a shot fizz narrowly past the post themselves minutes later as Jon Benton drove his shot narrowly wide, before in the 27th minute a Tom Whelan effort was parried behind by James Hamon, with the resulting corner dealt with by the United defence.

With no changes made by either side at half time, and with United now having the wind at their backs, Dan Hayfield won a free kick for United in the 51st minute, and Omar Mussa’s delivery bobbled around the area before, after being flicked in the air, was met by the head of Sam Dreyer who could only direct it over the bar.

The hosts thought they had made the breakthrough in the 68th minute as Benton’s ball to the backpost was met by Lee Ndlovu, but the reactions of Hamon thwarted the chance and the game remained goalless. Hamon was again the United saviour as Jayden Richardson ran through and as he tried to round the United keeper, Hamon managed to take the ball off his foot.

United went close again in the 85th minute as Dyer’s headed effort was deflected behind for a corner, before Boreham broke with Richardson who pushed the ball too far and fired his shot into the side netting.