Boreham Wood endured a frustrating afternoon after they were held to a goalless home draw by Chester City.

The hosts continued to show they possess a mean defence in the National League, but struggled to convert a number of chances created in the opposition’s penalty area. The statistics speak for themselves and on a better day Wood would have opened up a nice gap on the bottom four.

However, this stalemate leaves Wood in 20th spot, one above the drop zone, a position they have ‘comfortably’ occupied for the last ten matches.

In truth neither goalkeeper had any saves of note to make, yet visiting custodian Jon Worsnop was made to cover some ground, often rushing out to the edge of his area to clear decisively for his team.

Wood boss Luke Garrard reflected: “Before the last two games I would have been happy with three points. However to get the job done at Bromley the hunger for six points was there.

“It was only down to our application in front of goal that we were not celebrating back-to-back wins, which is something we are capable of, but have yet to achieve. That said, four points from two games is a return that will guarantee safety for us this season.

“We will now move on very quickly to the task in hand on Monday night. Northwich Victoria arrive [in the FA Cup] having scored 11 goals since we met them just over a week ago.

"We will not be underestimating the task in hand and will simply be looking to get the job done to earn the right to play Northampton Town on December 5.”

Garrard named an unchanged side following the win at Bromley in midweek and they had the assistant referee to thank after just 17 seconds when Ross Hannah's effort was ruled out for offside.

A Ricky Shakes through ball looked to have set Charlie MacDonald through on goal, yet the ball fizzed off the surface away from the striker. Wood won a corner from which Conor Clifford delivered with Shakes selling a dumm, allowing Luke Howell licence to shoot but his effort flew high over the target.

Both sides looked to build meaningful attacks and after 33 minutes a spirited run from James Roberts down the right led to a good low cross to the feet of Callum Dyson, but the on-loan teenager from Everton was denied by a superb block from Scott Doe.

Wood crafted the best chance of the half through some exquisite play from MacDonald. Played in by Joe Devera down the right, he held up play well before turning to lay into the path of Shakes who saw his low shot squirm past the left hand post.

Both sides continued to pay with an intensity after the break, with Wood again shading possession and creating the majority of the half chances on offer. However there was an early scare when John Rooney's corner from the left had the beating of James Russell, needing a goalline clearance from Danny Woodards to keep the game even.

Mauro Vilhete embarked upon a jinking run yet he failed to muster a shot for his efforts before Ben Heneghan, who turned in a fine performance for the visitors, did well to prevent MacDonald crossing into danger after a fine run down the right flank. Vilhete then found space to shoot, running across goal but sent his shot the wrong side of the post.

Chester manager Steve Burr rang the changes after an hour, sending on the fresh legs of Jordan Chapell and Craig Mahon, with Anthony Jeffrey entering the field of play for Wood, replacing Howell a minute later.

His impact was almost immediate, picking up the ball and cutting inside from the left. He worked the ball to Vilhete, who in turn found Shakes but just yards from goal failed to apply the finishing touch that the move warranted.

Doe, who was influential throughout, lofted a ball forward for MacDonald, who lost out in a shoulder challenge by Heneghan, before twice having shots blocked from a Wood corner.

Heneghan almost allowed Vilhete some glory when his aerial attempted clearance fell at the feet of the diminutive on-loan Barnet striker, but his disappointing afternoon was compounded when his first touch let him down, feebly shooting at Worsnop.

With the clock running down Junior Morias was introduced by Garrard and he provided a much needed rarity in the shape of a shot on target, albeit an audacious 35-yard low drive, that had Worsnop scrambling to gather at the send attempt.

Doe had the last word, preventing Hannah from shooting to leave Garrard to reflect upon a precious point.

Boreham Wood: Russell, Doe, Woodards, Stephens, Doe, Kamdjo, Shakes, Clifford, MacDonald (Morias 85), Howell (Jeffrey 62), Vilhete.

Subs not used: Cox, Reynolds, Edwards.