The Shaymen Take All Three Points After Being Pegged Back Twice in Thrilling Win Against Boreham Wood
FC Halifax Town welcomed Boreham Wood to The Shay, looking to build on their recent away win against Hartlepool. Boreham Wood, aiming to strengthen their position in the playoff spots, were coming into the game on the back of three wins in their last five matches.
The visitors started the game well, with some early pressure. Lewis Richardson had a chance early on, but his shot was saved by Sam Johnson, who blocked it with his chest after a ball was played through past Dylan Crowe on the left. Boreham Wood looked to exploit the left side of Halifax’s defense in the early stages, creating a few dangerous moments, but Town held firm.
Halifax’s first real opportunity came in the 15th minute when a clever flick from Harris set AJ Warburton on his way. Warburton then found Josh Hmami down the right, who delivered a deep cross into the box. Hugill, stretching to meet the ball, couldn’t generate enough power to trouble Ted Curd, the Chelsea loanee, in goal.
It didn’t take long for Town to open the scoring however. From a free kick on the right, Jay Turner-Cooke put in a fantastic ball, delivering it between the defensive line and the goalkeeper. Josh Hmami rose to meet it with a well-timed header that sent the ball into the top corner. Curd got a hand to it but couldn’t stop the strike. Hmami’s goal marked his 11th of the season and second in 2026.
Boreham Wood responded quickly, pulling level just six minutes later. A well-placed pass from Matt Rush sent Zak Brunt through on goal, and Brunt managed to squeeze the ball past Sam Johnson from a tight angle to make it 1-1.
Town regained the lead soon after. A deep cross from Cody Johnson caused chaos in the Boreham Wood box as the visitors failed to clear. The ball dropped to Will Smith, who had stayed up from a previous corner. Smith kept his cool and slotted the ball home first time, leaving Curd no chance. That goal was Smith’s third of the season in 15 appearances, highlighting his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch.
The second half began with a more subdued rhythm, but the drama wasn’t over. In the 54th minute, Abdul Abdulmalik showed some great footwork to weave past a few Town defenders and get to the byline. He picked out Richardson, who calmly slotted the ball into an empty net to make it 2-2.
Boreham Wood thought they had taken the lead five minutes later when Richardson’s header was played across to Rush, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Wood continued to dominate possession in Halifax’s final third, but despite the pressure, they couldn’t break down the defense, and Johnson was rarely tested in goal.
As the match drew to a close, Halifax struck on the counter. Cody Johnson cleared the ball to Billy Walters, who quickly fed Owen Bray. Bray found himself in a one-on-one with Boreham Wood’s captain Chris Bush, and from just outside the box, Bray fired a shot with his weaker right foot that found the bottom left corner, sending the home fans wild and giving Town all three points.
It was a dramatic match that saw Halifax hold their composure after being pegged back twice, with Bray’s late goal securing a vital win for the Shaymen in a thrilling encounter.
FC Halifax Town
1 Johnson (c), 24 Palmer, 5 Hobson (33 Lavery 66), 15 Smith, 19 Warburton, 23 Crowe (22 Kawa 66), 30 Johnson, 27 Turner-Cooke (3 Adetoro 88), 8 Hmami, 4 Hugill (17 Bray 66), 9 Harris (26 Waters 80)
Subs: 12 Ford, 18 Hoti
Boreham Wood
22 Curd, 3 Ilesanmi (12 Newton 88), 5 Bush (c), 6 O’Connell, 8 Brunt, 10 Abdulmalik, 15 Clarke (16 Reynolds 73), 19 White, 20 Richardson (11 Ayinde 68), 23 Booty, 32 Rush
Subs: 4 Jack Payne, 7 Erico Sousa, 14 Aaron Henry, 17 Charles Clayden
Referee: James Westgate
Goals: Hmami 19, Brunt 25, Smith 32, Richardson 54, Bray 85
Yellow Cards: Hobson 11, Crowe 61, Smith 67, Clarke 69, Turner-Cooke 78
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 1254 (60 away)
FC Halifax Town 3 Boreham Wood 2
Read more posts by Luke Hofford
