Boreham Wood once again failed to record consecutive National League wins as they slipped back into the relegation zone with a 1-0 loss to basement side Torquay United.

Last time at Meadow Park it was the turn of Kidderminster Harriers to grab all three points while bottom and, a fortnight on, nothing much has changed for Luke Garrard's men.

After collecting four points from six on the road much was expected of the home side going into this game, but the Wood fans were left largely disappointed.

A bright start from Wood soon gave way to Gulls domination either side of the interval.

Their goal, scored after 58 minutes, was a long time coming.

But for their far superior attacking threat they were almost made to pay when Delano Sam-Yorke struck the crossbar for Wood on the stroke of full time. Had that have gone in Wood would have avoided slipping back into the National League relegation zone on goal difference.

Manager Garrard preferred Billy Clifford over Ricky Shakes from the side that had done so well in their last two outings.

Margins for error are tight in a tense relegation battle and that pressure showed on both sides in what was for large parts a messy battle for dominance.

Wood started with intent with the visitors slow out of the blocks after their journey up from Devon.

Joe Devera saw his header cleared off the line from a fourth minute Conor Clifford corner. Seconds later Jamie Lucas span inside the area to shoot high after Conor Clifford had supplied the pass.

Thereafter Lucas drifted out of the game, marshalled by 19-year-old Nathan Smith. The teenager, who is on loan at Plainmoor from Port Vale, turned in a performance to suggest he will go far.

The Gulls threatened after nine minutes when Josh Rees pounced on a loose ball and played a fine pass for Nathan Blissett.

The giant forward, who failed to impress whilst on loan at Tranmere Rovers earlier this season, left Devera standing as he burst through to shoot. Luckily for Wood James Russell was in fine form all afternoon and this was to be his first save of many.

The visitors enjoyed the lion’s share of the attacking play but found the Wood defence impassable on numerous occasions.

Their dominance was helped by a rather disjointed and somewhat pedestrian showing from Garrard's men who were not allowed to settle by the determined visitors.

The defence was breached after 32 minutes when Toby Ajala found Shaun Harrad in space inside the area, the legs of Russell coming to the rescue.

Wood somehow survived the final minutes of the half without conceding. Firstly a Lucas clearance from a corner hit Conor Clifford, spiralling back towards goal. Blissett made contact from six yards out but could not find a way past Russell.

Then referee Wayne Barratt waved away a strong penalty shout as David Stephens and Blissett came together.

The pressure on the Wood goal continued with Ajala playing Harrad through. The experienced striker curled towards goal only for Blissett to deflect the ball wide.

Ajala was then denied twice in quick succession by Russell, his superb double save seeing his Wood through to a much needed interval.

It was more of the same in the second half.

Russell got down sharply to palm away a free-kick that curled around the wall from Harrad.

The breakthrough finally came after 58 minutes. Billy Clifford gave away possession in the middle of the park to Daniel Butler. He fed Durrell Berry whose cross to the far post picked out Blissett to cushion a header past Russell.

It was almost two in quick succession for the visitors when Ajala's shot took a deflection that sent the ball dangerously close to the target.

Billy Clifford tried his luck with a run and shot that went as close as Wood had come to scoring a goal since the opening five minutes of the game.

That led to a corner and Wood were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Danny Woodards' low drive back into danger resulted in Sam-Yorke being upended in what was the beginning of a late Wood fight back.

When Clovis Kamdjo was introduced as a makeshift striker late on Wood were almost playing a 4-2-4 formation.

The Forest Green loanee, a midfielder by trade, sent a ball out to the left for Anthony Jeffrey whose cross was met superbly by Sam-Yorke. His header beat keeper Daniel Lavercombe but not the crossbar.

It was desperately unlucky for Wood, whose late flurry failed to produce the goal that would have been harsh on the visitors, who recorded only their second win in 14 outings.

Boreham Wood: Russell; Devera, Stephens, Doe, Woodards (Kamdjo 90); Jeffrey, Cox, Howell, C.Clifford (Sam-Yorke 62), B.Clifford; Lucas (Shakes 74)

Subs: White (GK), Nunn.