Walton & Hersham 1

Boreham Wood 4

Ryman League

Premier Division

One of Walton's most faithful followers is Daisy the boxer dog, who attends every home match with her owner, resplendent in a jacket in club colours.

The two of them have become something of a fixture at Stompond Lane, sitting together in the same place in the stand come rain or shine, and both were there on Saturday on a bright and windy afternoon to see Wood, all bright coats and wet noses, sweep aside Walton and continue their march on the Conference.

This victory was not without its worrying moments however, and Bob Makin's team had to come back from an early goal down before class, and a combination of spectacular events, told in their favour.

Appropriately enough on Crufts weekend, Walton put up a thoroughly dogged display, constantly snapping at Wood's heels as they looked to repeat their previous week's draw with league leaders Sutton.

A cold gusting wind and the bumpy state of the pitch did not help the visitors' passing game, but Makin said: "All our early problems were of our own making.

"We were nearly caught out a minute before they scored, but didn't learn our lesson, and let one in from an identical situation."

Wood forced three corners in the first three minutes but went behind in the eighth as Swans' leading scorer, Andy Sayer, galloped on to a long wind assisted punt that Garry Nisbet misjudged in flight to neatly lob Martin Taylor.

Seconds earlier, Taylor had blocked Tony Reid from an identical position, and it seemed at this stage that Wood were having difficulty with Walton's route one approach.

Added Makin: "The long ball game should never cause you any serious problems but we were defending in the wrong places and couldn't deal with it."

Taylor saved from Gary Holloway, and Daisy licked her lips in anticipation of an upset as Wood, tails between their legs, were coming second in the midfield dogfight which saw bookings for Matt Elverson and Holloway.

Initially tentative and hesitant, Wood began to turn the tide as half time loomed, and got the vital leveller in the 38th minute.

Tony Joyce, starting his first league game of the season, delivered a corner to the far post, where Nisbet's powerful header was not dealt with by keeper Delroy Preddie, the ball dropping for Steve Heffer to smash home, via the body of Dave Hatchett on the line.

A fine move between Joyce, Terry Robbins and Steve Talboys just before the break saw the latter slide the ball across goal but the second half was only 38 seconds old when Shaun Marshall, looking yards offside, collected Hatchett's long clearance to run through and put Wood ahead.

If Walton were left a little hangdog after that,15 minutes later they were barking mad as Paul Shaw ran on to Heffer's fine pass and went down under Preddie's challenge.

Brighton official Mr Gurr pointed to the spot, and produced a red card for the custodian, apparently for the foul and not for Preddie's subsequent eye-popping protests.

Defender Steve Moss donned the jersey but could do nothing to keep out Joyce's penalty, Wood's third in three days.

The result now assured, Makin replaced McCarthy. Nisbet and Robbins in an attempt to save already tired legs for the tasks to come, and ease an injury list that includes Daly, Samuels, Hollingdale, Brown and Jason Shaw.

It was left to Dominic Grime to wrap up the afternoon with a strike out of nowhere.

Elverson lost possession 45 yards from his own goal, Grime looked up, saw Moss well out of his ground, and despatched the ball over his head from true Beckham-esque range.

Daisy and her owner had seen enough, and left before the final whistle. It was not to be that particular dog's day.

"This is not an easy place to come and get a result," said Makin.

"The uneven bounce and wind made conditions difficult, but we were comfortable at the end." Only Wood themselves can now prevent them earning their own best of breed prize in May.

WOOD: Taylor, Hatchett, McCarthy (Corbould 85mins), Robbins (Prutton 82mins), Nisbet (Harrigan 69mins), Joyce, Grime, Marshall, Heffer, P.Shaw, Talboys.

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