REPORT | Chester 1-2 Boreham Wood

    Chester battled bravely amid the difficult conditions but it was Boreham Wood who came out on top at the Swansway this afternoon.

    First half goals from Shaun Jeffers and Bruno Andrade allowed the visitors to record their 3rd away victory of the season.

    Nyal Bell reduced the deficit in the 77th minute and despite intense pressure late on, the Blues failed to find that elusive equaliser.

    In wet and windy conditions Chester struggled to grasp a strong foothold in the game and despite enjoying some spells of possession, the Blues found themselves to be lacking any real cutting edge in the final third.

    Chester started brightly as Harry White neatly turned two defenders before firing a low effort that was comfortably saved by keeper Grant Smith.

    The Blues’ best chance of the first half came in the 19th minute, as Rowe-Turner got the better of Boreham Wood right-back Kane Smith and his cross was fired just wide by Offrande Zanzala, who was making his home debut appearance.

    The visitors first goal of the game arose from somewhat fortunate circumstances; a sloppy slice from Rowe-Turner conceded a corner, and the resulting corner kick was headed home by former Cheltenham City forward Jeffers.

    Boreham Wood doubled their advantage seven minutes later, as star man Bruno Andrade capitalised on a failed clearance from Ryan Astles before burying the ball past Alex Lynch from close range.

    The game looked to have sizzled out after 75 minutes but it was substitute Nyal Bell who dragged Chester back into the game with a clinical finish. The striker delicately controlled a Kingsley James cross before turning his defender and rifling the ball past Grant Smith.

    The Blues pressed desperately late on in an attempt to snatch a late equaliser, but efforts from Shaw and Turnbull found themselves fizzing over the bar.

    Man of the Match Reece Hall-Johnson, making his full debut appearance, was nearly bundled over in the box but the right-back’s run was excellently halted by Woodards – as the visitors escaped with all three points.

    Chester team: Lynch, Hall-Johnson, McCombe, Astles, Rowe-Turner, Chapell (Hannah), Dawson (Turnbull), James, Shaw, Zanzala, White (Bell)

    Boreham Wood team: Smith, Champion, Stephens, Wells, Woodards, Smith, Ricketts, Murtagh, Balanta (Shakes), Andrade, Jeffers (Holman)

    Attendance: 1501.

    Match Report by Jaquob Crooke