Boreham Wood secured their third consecutive draw against Football League opposition tonight with a credible 1-1 against Championship outfit Watford.

The visitors took the lead when Piero Mingoia tapped in from close range but Boreham Wood equalised midway through the first half with a lovely chip by David Hutton.

Joe Garner had the chance to win the contest for Watford from the penalty spot in the second half but his effort was saved by James Russell.

Watford were on the back foot immediately at Meadow Park as Inih Effiong saw a 20-yard shot go narrowly wide inside the opening minute.

The visitors took the lead soon after though when Mingoia tapped in from close range from Prince Buaben’s low cross.

This was followed by a period of pressure from Boreham Wood. Elliott Buchanan curled an effort from 20 yards narrowly wide and then Hutton tried an ambitious chip from distance in a matter of minutes.

But Hutton bettered that effort two minutes later when Jonathan Bond was caught out of position and the midfielder, who was part of the Glenn Hoddle Academy in Spain, found the top corner with a chip from wide left, despite the best efforts of David Mirfin.

Watford could have gone behind not long after when Boreham Wood were through two-on-one against Nyron Nosworthy. The defender held up Wood’s strikers but Bond had to be at full stretch to deny Effiong’s first-time strike.

It was a poor first half from the Hornets and one of the few bright points was the performance of Mingoia, who forced James Russell into a routine stop midway through the half.

Buaben had a shot deflected over and Forsyth also headed wayward but the first half ended with little excitement.

Watford were more solid defensively after the break but it was another uneventful half on the whole.

Garner had a shot saved at the near post ten minutes after the restart and also had the best chance of the second half around the hour mark when he was bundled over in the box.

The striker struck his spot kick powerfully but it was too close to Russell and he parried it away.

Yeates had a free kick deflected wide and Abdi had a shotblocked by Garner’s face but Watford had to wait until the final ten minutes before really testing Boreham Wood again when Matty Whichelow’s well-struck effort from distance was gathered at the second attempt by replacement keeper Daniel Lewis.

Boreham Wood found chances harder to come by in the second half but had a couple of decent efforts late on.

Substitute Sam Doolan headed over from a dangerous Graeme Montgomery cross and then with five minutes left, captain Mario Noto sent a free kick narrowly wide.

Boreham Wood: Russell (Lewis 75); Ferrell (Close HT), Garrard, Reynolds (Doolan 80), Nunn; Hutton (Hastings 75), Noto, Isaac, Montgomery; Buchanan (Riza HT), Effiong (Hastings 63).

Watford first half XI: Bond; Hodson, Nosworthy, Mirfin, Dickinson; Eustace, Buaben, Forsyth; Massey, Iwelumo, Mingoia.

Watford second half XI: Bonham; Bennett, Hoban, Taylor, Pudil; Hogg, Abdi, Yeates; Thompson, Garner, Whichelow.