Staines Town delivered in their must-win game at a Boreham Wood side with precious little to offer in front of goal, hauling themselves from second bottom out of the relegation zone following their 2-1 victory.

Luke Garrard returned from suspension to bolster the midfield, while Inih Effiong was recalled from his loan spell to fill the void in front of goal left by Mauro Vilhete and the injured Omer Riza.

It was a void that remained unplugged on the afternoon though, with both Effoing and Simeon Akinola offering no threat to a focused Danny Gordon and his co-defenders ,who provided the safety cushion the Staines strikeforce needed to deliver the goods.

Wood started the livelier of the two sides and Graeme Montgomery went agonisingly close with a rasping drive from a free-kick that crashed off the crossbar, with Danny Potter beaten in the Staines goal.

Marc Charles-Smith then attempted to take the ball around Michael Jordan in the Wood goal, with the custodian doing just enough to avert the danger.

A sweeping move involving Charlie Hunter and Garrard led to a fine cross from Montgomery for Akinola but his marker did enough to ensure there was no end product.

Mark Jones then picked out Akinola with a fine cross-field ball but his shot found only the roof of the net.

Staines opened their account in some style after 26 minutes.

From a throw-in on the left, Kyle Vassell threaded a ball through for Mark Nwokeji, who hit a superb shot over Jordan, who was stranded off his line from 20 yards out.

Wood should have levelled two minutes later when David Bryant embarked upon a central run at the defence, with his ball forward not defended and allowing Effiong to steal in with only Potter to beat. His shot lacked pace and the keeper gratefully smothered.

Montgomery continued to be the main outlet for Wood, delivering from the right and finding Charlie O'Loughlin, who knocked on for Callum Reynolds, whose shot was deflected for a corner.

Osei Sankofa then did well to get a cross over from the right which Potter punched out weakly to Montgomery. His lobbed effort was cleared off the line by a defender.

Staines offered the main threat in front of goal in what was an abject second-half performance from Ian Allinson's men.

A cross from the left found Gordon totally unmarked and he squared for Will Antwi-Agyei, who saw his effort clawed off the line to safety by Jones.

The visitors carried their impetus forward and were duly rewarded when Charles-Smith's cross was headed down by David Wheeler for Vassell to blast home after 51 minutes.

Wood suffered another blow when Jones picked up an ankle injury. Hunter reverted to left-back, with David Hutton providing the spark hitherto missing going forward as Jones' replacement.

Wayward balls from midfield did little to help the Wood forward line, until the 79th minute when Hutton's corner from the left was played into the path of Montgomery. His first shot struck Effiong before he collected the rebound, hitting a low drive through a sea of players to find the back of the net.

Wood finally had the chance to play with some authority and looked the likelier to increase their tally in the frantic final stages. Staines substitute Ali Chaaban fired weakly at Jordan when well placed, before Effiong skied a theatrical effort from a Montgomery corner.

Hutton's free-kick picked out the outstanding Reynolds, whose back header was easily gathered by Potter before Wood were denied a certain late penalty.

Hutton was again the provider with a telling ball from the left. It was perfect for O'Loughlin, who was hauled down by two defenders but they somehow got away with it, leaving Wood beaten for the second time in three days.

Wood boss Ian Allinson was left to rue “the missed chances that cost us three points again today, coupled with some poor defending for their second goal.

“We are now looking seriously at next season and will be finding out who wants to be with us,” he continued. “We will be speaking to a number of players that we have targeted within the squad, whilst we face decision time on some of the others,”.

However, Allinson delivered some great news for Wood fans when he declared “Mario Noto, Sam Cox and Omer Riza should all be back in action for us next Saturday against Farnborough”.

Boreham Wood: Jordan, Sankofa, Jones (Hutton 65). Garrard, Reynolds, O'Loughlin, Akinola, Hunter, Bryant, Effiong, Montgomery. Not used: Beckles, Scott-Morris, Yala and Putnins.