League champions

Boreham Wood claimed the league title by the narrowest of margins after this draw on Saturday.

A point was enough at the Vic Couzens Stadium to pip Corby Town on goal difference. It is the fourth time Wood have made the step up to Premier division level.

The players were made to wait to get their hands on the championship trophy until their end of season dinner back in Borehamwood on Saturday night. The club will now play in either the Southern League Premier or Ryman Premier division.

Nearest rivals Corby Town needed Wood to lose to have any chance of pinching the title from the team who have led for most of the season.

The result suited both teams, with Stamford reliant on a point to secure home advantage in the play-offs.

But Wood were well worth a point, dominating the game with the front two of Ian Cooper and Leon Archer in devastating form.

Kieren Adams, operating on the right wing, exchanged passes with Cooper who wriggled into the penalty area before unleashing a fierce drive that keeper Ayden Duffy stopped well after just two minutes.

Duffy was then very lucky to stay on the pitch four minutes later. Cooper burst through the defence only for the keeper to body check the forward some 20 yards outside his area, but the referee gave a yellow card.

Wood continued to dominate with sharp passing and pace. Challenges from Duffy saved his side on several occasions. Marvin Samuel guided a looping ball forward into the path of Archer, with Duffy's block falling for Chris Watters, who was also denied by the keeper.

Cooper continued to threaten, sending a fine cross from the right to Watters, who teed up a fierce volley that Danny George managed to block. Then, as so often of late, Wood's opponents took the lead against the run of play. A cross from the left was headed down by Kevin Childs ito the feet of Martin Wormall, who was well positioned to curl a shot beyond Noel Imber for 1-0.

Chris Bangura's header then forced a diving save from the busy Duffy, before George was again on hand to block, this time from Cooper. Wood pressure then paid off after 32 minutes, when Michael Black and Archer combined down the middle. Watters held up play to coincide with Archer's run into the penalty area where he was hauled down by Jim Neil. Archer stepped up to score his 14th penalty of the season, taking his end of season tally to 31 in all competitions.

Minutes later Archer turned provider threading a fine ball for Cooper who sprinted through to shoot. Duffy somehow repelled the shot with his legs, only for Cooper to bury the rebound, sending the visiting Wood fans into raptures.

Stamford continued to play attacking football, which almost reaped rewards when Wormall provided for Mark Foster who shot just wide on the stroke of half time.

The Daniels emerged for the second half chasing the elusive equaliser they required, not only for play-off home advantage, but also to preserve their magnificent unbeaten home record. It looked a tall order with Wood in devastating form on the break.

However, it did come in the 68th minute, courtesy of a defensive gaffe by Samuel. Foster broke free of the defence feeding Garath Pritchard wide on the left when shooting seemed the obvious course of action to take. Pritchard crossed finding Childs who couldn't control, only for Samuel to knock the ball straight into the path of Foster who made no mistake second time around.

Neither side creating any further clear chances until Wood keeper Imber slowed things down to a snail's pace with some tactical time-wasting with eight minutes of the season remaining.

At first the reaction from the home fans was one of disgust, yet as the Stamford forwards warmed to the idea of preserving the perfect result for both sides, Imber was soon a fans' favourite. The home supporters cheered and applauded every time the Wood keeper was given the ball. The antics then spread through both teams like wildfire.

The final whistle sparked mass celebrations on the pitch for Steve Cook's men, while on the terraces both sets of fans sportingly converged to congratulate each other on their respective achievements. With both sets of supporters applauding the league champions off the pitch it was a strange but enchanting way to end a gruelling yet remarkable season for the local side.

Relieved to finally bag the title, Wood manager Steve Cook said: "I was disappointed we didn't win the game today as we looked great in front of goal.

"However our solidity at the back let us down on occasions.

"We have scraped over the line, yet fully deserve our efforts that started way back in August.

"We are deserved champions, an accolade that is reward for all the hard work that both the players and the back room staff have contributed throughout the nine months."

The club must now choose between playing in the Southern League Premier division or the Ryman Premier next season. A final decision is expected by June.

Cook said the Ryman league would be easier for travelling to away games but that the Southern League offered a more realistic chance of winning promotion to the Conference South.

The Wood players and staff earned themselves a holiday to Spain following the successful conclusion of the season, arriving in Malaga on Wednesday morning for a few days on the Costa del Sol.

BOREHAM WOOD: Imber, Samuel, Moran, Williams, Smith, Black, Adams, Cooper, Bangura, Archer, Watters.

Subs not used: Stevenson, O'Brien, Hart, Paratusic, Hazell.

Bookings: Cooper, Archer, Samuel.

Goals: Stamford: Wormall 23, Foster 68.

Wood: Archer 33 pen, Cooper 38.

Man of the Match: Ian Cooper.