'We did not do ourselves justice' (From Borehamwood Times)

Boreham Wood thrashed by Welling United

3:15pm Thursday 7th February 2013 in Sport

Boreham Wood boss Ian Allinson admitted his side did not do themselves justice after being thrashed 4-0 at second-placed Welling United on Tuesday night.

The Wings issued Allinson’s side a reality check with a ruthless performance to haul themselves to within three points of Conference South leaders Salisbury City with games in hand.

Allinson, who recently signed Watford midfielder Piero Mingoia on loan until the end of the season, said: “It was never a 4-0, but we did not do ourselves justice and made mistakes we have previously not made.

“I did get it slightly wrong tactically first half but that was not the main cause for giving away two goals from headers.

“I thought second half we were the better side for periods but we failed to punish their keeper and we should have done better with the chances we created.”

He added: “We were guilty of giving the ball away cheaply and they punished us severely for that. We must not get carried away by this result however, bearing in mind we faced an excellent and very settled side. I feel we are approaching where we need to be with our squad if you see how Welling are performing.”

Approaching half-time the match was very much still an open affair. Then Wood conceded a second goal from a left sided corner, a mistake that was to cost them dearly. They were punished again with two goals in as many minutes after the interval on a disappointing evening.

The opener came when Ben Martin’s header was excellently tipped onto the bar by James Russell, who could not keep out Lee Clarke’s follow up from close range at the near post.

Graeme Montgomery then set up Michael Thalassitis whose header was pushed over the bar for a corner by Jamie Turner, deputising for Sam Mott who was on England duty.

Wood’s best effort of the rest of the half came from a Montgomery blockbuster that Turner plucked out of the air.

A lack of concentration at the back allowed Fraser Francis a totally free header in the last minute of stoppage time from another corner which left the visitors with a mountain to climb.

Leading scorer Ross Lafayette brought the best out of Russell with a curling drive that was excellently pawed to safety in the second half.

A superb run by left back Jack Obersteller took him past three Wood defenders. His dangerous cross from the left was set up for Kiernan Hughes-Mason, yet it was Mark Jones’ desperate intervention that diverted the ball beyond Russell.

Two minutes later and Wood were again flat-footed in defence. Clarke’s ball down the left sent Joe Healy dancing round Charlie O’Loughlin and Hughes-Mason side-footed the ball home.

Wood will be looking for an immediate response this weekend when they host Bath City.

Allinson said: “We will take it on the chin and will need to regroup as I feel this is the first time this season we have genuinely let ourselves down.”