A breathtaking game that somehow finished goalless keeps Boreham Wood out of the bottom four on goal difference, as visiting league-leaders Cheltenham dropped points for the first time in six matches.

Reflecting on a hard-earned draw against the Robins, manager Luke Garrard said: “It was a result I would have taken hours before the kick off.

“Cheltenham Town have a phenomenal record in this league but after today we should not fear anybody.

“I tried to keep the team out there as long as possible but I felt we were there for the taking in the second half and made the change.

“At the death we could easily have won it after keeping out a raft of good scoring chances from them.”

One negative for Wood was the loss of debutant Jordan Chiedozie to injury on his debut.

“Jordan rolled an ankle early on and desperately wanted to stay on,” explained Garrard. “We have a ten day break now and I am hopeful he will be ready to go again for us.

“I will be on the phone in the coming hours and days as we are looking to strengthen our attack even further.”

There was a new look to Garrard's side with Chiedozie arriving in midweek from Cambridge United to make his debut.

Reverting to a 4-5-1 formation to face the team with the best goalscoring and meanest defensive records in the National League, there were starts for both Sam Cox and Clovis Kamdjo.

The result was determined by the heroics of both goalkeepers. James Russell made four defining saves for Wood whilst the block from Dillon Phillips at the other end was as good as any seen at Meadow Park.

From kick-off the contest was end-to-end with Wood edging the opening ten minutes. Chiedozie supplied a fine cross for Anthony Jeffrey which he failed to convert before the latter shot at Phillips.

The Robins threatened when Ryan Jennings supplied a cross from the right for leading scorer Danny Wright, who failed to add to his 13-goal haul, heading wide of goal.

Then came Wood's best chance of the half. Ricky Shakes played in Conor Clifford down the right and his low delivery was perfect for Chiedozie who was inches away from converting at the far post.

It would have written Chiedozie – the son of former Spurs player John – into Wood folklore but it was not to be.

He then sustained an ankle injury that was to limit his influence on the game further, finally being replaced after 56 minutes.

Town began to make their presence felt in the Wood penalty area. Jack Munns shot straight at Russell before Aaron Downes headed wide from a Munns cross.

Russell managed to punch to safety when Munns delivered a free-kick into danger before Ben Nunn was on hand to read a telling through ball from Wright which was shepherded to safety.

With 34 minutes played a superb free-kick delivery from Conor Clifford found the head of Scott Doe who guided his header just over at the far post.

The Robins finished the half the stronger and it was time for Russell to mirror the excellent work of his defence. Munns was again the provider, from the left, his cross flicked on for Jennings whose cushioned header needed a fingertip save to see it over the crossbar.

With the half-time whistle imminent Billy Waters let fly with a fine shot from a central position which drew a flying save from Russell.

Some excellent skill from James Rowe down the left led to one final corner which was somehow scrambled to safety by Danny Woodards acrobatic clearance.

The second half was played, in the main, in the Wood half and it felt only a matter of time before Gary Johnson's talented side would take advantage.

Rowe played a clever ball beyond the defence that found Wright onside. Russell misjudged the flight of his cross but the combined efforts of Callum Reynolds and Nunn saw the danger cleared.

Billy Clifford then replaced Chiedozie – his first action since the end of November – with Jeffrey picking up the lone striker role.

Downes had a header from a free-kick ruled out by the assistant referee for offside before Johnson rang the changes to his line-up with 20 minutes remaining.

Cox then conceded a free-kick 30 yards from goal. Up stepped the 6ft 4in Harry Pell whose pile-driver was acrobatically turned over the bar by Russell. The resulting corner needed two defensive blocks before Daniel Parslow fired over the bar.

Wood fashioned their first real attack of the half when Kamdjo headed Conor Clifford's cross wide after 74 minutes.

It was a brief respite as the Robins won another corner from which Downes headed to the near post where Waters somehow blasted over the bar from just five yards.

Several more corners were survived before Billy Clifford came to life and created two superb chances for Wood to grab what looked an unlikely winner.

In the 85th minute his finely weighted ball for Shakes led to a superb low cross. It needed a timely intervention by Rowe to deny Jeffrey at the far post.

Then a similar pass from Clifford again released Shakes who this time went for goal, his rising shot crashing off the crossbar before falling at the feet of Jeffrey who could not get enough power on the ball to trouble Phillips.

By this stage the visitors were rocking as Wood looked to spring a surprise.

There was one final chance when a quickly taken free-kick allowed Jeffrey a run down the left wing, his cross perfect for Kamdjo whose well struck shot was somehow kept out by Phillips despite a deflection.

That Robins had one final attempt deep into injury time. The ball broke for substitute Asa Hall whose rifled shot from a central position need a flying save from Russell, completing what was a goalkeeping master class from both stoppers.

Boreham Wood: Russell; Nunn, Doe, Reynolds, Woodards; Shakes, Cox, C.Clifford, Kamdjo, Jeffrey; Chiedozie (B.Clifford 56).

Substitutes: Edwards (GK) Howell, Morias, Devera.