Boreham Wood resurrected their hopes of survival with a thoroughly deserved 3-0 victory against high-flying Dover Athletic yesterday.

A brace from Jamie Lucas and a headed goal from Danny Haynes completed the Easter story for Wood, who had been subjected to a perfectly-executed 4-1 drubbing just three days earlier by Cheltenham Town. The reverse can be said for Dover, who had just delivered their best win an impressive campaign to date with a 5-0 thumping of Torquay United.

This was Wood's biggest win and best performance of the season against a side that were previously unbeaten in six matches and left manager Luke Garrard understandably delighted.

He said: “To be fair to the players they all came in on Sunday after our disappointing trip to Cheltenham. We [the management team] went off to Dover on Saturday and I told the players, forget the result, they were gifted four of the five goals. I then told them all simply, go and show me what you are made of and how we can stay in this league. Thankfully to a man they bought into it.

“We were up against a side that man-marked across the pitch today and we dealt with that fantastically. They were all superb, but for me Clovis Kamdjo was a real giant today, easily his best performance of the season.”

Lucas formed one of four changes on the afternoon as Garrard completely changed the shape and dynamic of his side to the one who had suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign just three days earlier. He formed part of a revamped two-pronged attack alongside Junior Morias, with Ben Nunn preferred at right-back to Joe Devera. Callum Reynolds replaced David Stephens in the heart of defence.

Lucas has failed to replicate his earlier season form since returning on loan from Bristol Rovers, but Garrard's faith was duly repaid with just two minutes and 35 seconds on the referee's watch.

Nunn stormed out of defence with the ball glued to his feet as he ran down the right channel. He picked out the run of Ricky Shakes, who had used the full width of the pitch to good measure. Shakes in turn found Kamdjo on the edge of the area and his superb left-footed pass into the danger area was perfect for Lucas to drill home beyond Mitch Walker.

It was a dream start and one that Wood continued. Their pressing, pace and desire to win was evident for all to see. The Whites were under the cosh defensively with Lucas and Kamdjo driving forward with meaning.

Scott Doe was on hand to ensure the first Dover attack of the afternoon came to nothing, forcing Ricky Miller to shoot wide. Wood were soon back on the offensive with Kamdjo supplying Morias, whose shot on the turn led to a corner. The Whites could only half-clear, allowing Haynes the chance to loft a superb cross to the far post from the right which led to another Wood corner.

Kamdjo epitomised the desire that was oozing through Garrard's side, his cross looking for Morias causing more panic in the Whites defence, before going it alone into the penalty area where Chris Kinnear did just enough to thwart the danger.

Wood continued to push for a second goal as Haynes embarked upon a central run and his well-struck shot needed a good stop from Walker diving low to his left.

The tempo of the game was briefly interrupted when referee Brett Huxtable succumbed to a calf injury, replaced by Sarah Garratt. In those precious four minutes of added time, Wood struck again, a deserved reward for the period of pressure imposed upon the visitors. With the Whites defence already tested Conor Clifford sent in a fine cross from the left which was headed home at the far post by Haynes just six yards from goal as the Ebbsfleet loanee netted his third goal in successive matches.

A more even contest broke out after the interval, with Haynes and Clifford seeing efforts blocked, before Nick Deverdics supplied Stefan Payne, who took a touch before striking a shot bound for the top right-hand corner of the net. James Russell made the first of his crucial saves of the game, acrobatically tipping the effort over the bar.

Payne did get the ball into the back of the net from a corner, but it was ruled our for his foul on Lucas. The Wood defence weathered the brief storm and got back to attacking duties when Haynes won a corner after 69 minutes. Nunn met the Clifford delivery from the right with a fine stooping header that tested Walker.

Payne continued to be the main threat for the visitors and when he beat Russell to an aerial ball it needed a goal line clearance from Doe to preserve the clean sheet. The 16-goal forward went even closer after 76 minutes. He rose to meet a Craig Braham-Barratt cross from the left with a superb header that produced the save of the afternoon from Russell, who, like his teammates was in scintillating form.

The contest was decided on 81 minutes when Morias lofted a ball over Richard Orlu, who in his attempt to atone turned and cluttered into Walker, leaving Lucas the simple task of slotting the loose ball home.

Thereafter it could have been more for Wood as Kamdjo got beyond Orlu, only for the defender to recover and block a certain fourth. Then Morias burst through and with only Walker to beat he shot straight at the custodian, but it mattered little as Wood had already done enough to climb three places and out of the drop zone.

Boreham Wood: Russell, Nunn, Woodards, Doe, Reynolds, Clifford, Shakes, Kamdjo, Lucas (Devera 87), Morias, Haynes ( Sam-Yorke 79). Subs not used: P White, B Clifford, Stephens.