Boreham Wood boss Ian Allinson warned the hard work has only just begun after the Wood reached the National League for the first time

Wood will face the likes of Tranmere Rovers, Cheltenham Town and Torquay United next season in the re-branded National League after a 2-1 win over Whitehawk at Meadow Park in the Conference South play-off final.

Lee Angol put the hosts in front with a well-placed free-kick in the second half but the Hawks levelled from the penalty spot via Sam Deering with just nine minutes remaining.

However, within two minutes of the start of extra time Wood grabbed the clincher as Junior Morias crashed a half-volley beyond goalkeeper Craig Ross to settle the tie and send Wood up to step one of the non-league structure for the first time in the club’s history.

And speaking afterwards, a restrained Allinson said: “It is one of those things where I will probably wake up in the morning and think ‘what are we going to do next?’ “This is where the hard work starts now for us because we have got to make sure we have a team which can compete in this division,” he warned.

The Wood only reached the Conference South for the first time in 2010 after winning the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs and will now take a further step into the unknown next season.

Reflecting on the achievement, Allinson enthused: “I am a bit emotional but I have calmed right down now. The players are really pleased and I am just pleased for the club, chairman, players and everybody in Boreham Wood; for me it is a fantastic achievement for a club this size to get into the Conference.”

The former Arsenal winger, 57, added: “It is amazing, especially [when you consider] where we were seven years ago when we actually did get relegated to the Isthmian Division One North – it was only Halifax’s demise which kept us up – so it has been an amazing period for us all.”

Picture: Sean Hinks

And unsurprisingly, steering Wood to their highest-ever league standing ranks as Allinson’s best achievement with a club he has been involved since 2004 across two spells.

“I think this has to be the best by far,” he stated. “Promotion to the Conference South was a massive achievement but we have had one or two spells in this league where we have really struggled and been in the relegation for quite a long period but each time we have reacted and come good.

“From day one, we have set our stall out to get promotion and we have actually maintained it and gone and done it.”

He added: “It has not sunk it yet and it will probably only sink in over the next few days. The chairman is taking us all away on Wednesday for a few days so we will have a nice four or five days away and I will sit down with him when we are out there and decide what we are going to do next season because it will be a massive challenge for us.”

You can read the match report from Meadow Park by clicking here.