Two goals from Luke Norris were enough to give Boreham Wood their first Vanarama National League win of the season against a resilient Braintree Town side. A Norris penalty in the first half was followed by a Braintree equaliser from Marley Marshall-Miranda right on half-time, before a Norris header won it for Wood in the second half.

Luke Garrard named an unchanged starting line-up after the impressive draw at Carlisle United on Saturday.

Boreham Wood started well and were playing some nice one-touch passing early on, but the final ball let them down on a couple of occasions. It was Irons forward Alan Judge who had the game’s first chance on seven minutes, but he fired his free-kick over the bar. A minute later, Lewis Walker volleyed just wide from a John Akinde cross. Cameron Coxe fired over the crossbar on 16 minutes before an excellent turn and shot from Abdul Abdulmalik was well saved by Mason Terry in the Braintree goal. On 27 minutes, a well-worked corner involving Erico Sousa and Abdulmalik created a chance for Charles Clayden, whose well-struck shot went inches wide.

Three minutes later, another intricate Boreham Wood move involving Sousa, Abdulmalik and Femi Ilesanmi resulted in a handball in the Braintree penalty area. Referee Harry Wager had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Luke Norris made no mistake from 12 yards, sending keeper Terry the wrong way for his third goal in the last two matches. On 37 minutes, an inch-perfect pass from Coxe picked out Tom White, whose cross-shot went inches wide with Abdulmalik unable to get on the end of it. The visitors were always a threat in the final third and, on 38 minutes, Marley Marshall-Miranda’s shot went inches wide with Nathan Ashmore beaten. On the stroke of half-time, Braintree equalised when Marshall-Miranda’s long-distance shot deceived Ashmore and went in, meaning the scores were level going into the interval.

HT: Boreham Wood 1-1 Braintree Town

Buoyed by their goal at the end of the first half, the visitors came out on the front foot, causing all sorts of trouble for the Wood defence. Walker went through on 49 minutes but fired over when he should have scored. Luke Garrard was forced into changes, with Jeff King and Matt Rush coming on for Cameron Coxe and Charles Clayden to settle his team down. The change had the desired effect and Wood were able to get a foothold in the game again.

On 64 minutes, Norris’s goal-bound shot was well blocked by Frankie Terry. Soon afterwards, an excellent pass from Alan Judge found Kamara through on goal, but a combination of Sousa and Ilesanmi were able to recover the ball. On 67 minutes, Boreham Wood retook the lead with a bullet header from Norris for his second of the match. Boreham Wood’s case was helped on 81 minutes when Frankie Terry received a second yellow card and an early bath for a foul on Jeff King. Junior Dixon went close twice afterwards and was denied first by Mason Terry and then by a Braintree defender. The Irons, to their credit, kept going and Boreham Wood were never comfortable until the final whistle.

FT: Boreham Wood 2-1 Braintree Town

Apart from a spell at the start of the second half, Boreham Wood were the dominant side and good value for the three points. Luke Garrard would naturally be disappointed at the way the goal was conceded before the interval but will be happy at the impact his substitutes made after that tricky spell. He will also be pleased with the influence centre-forward Luke Norris is having on his team since his return to the club.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Coxe (King 50), Ilesanmi, Bush, Reynolds, O’Connell, White, Sousa, Clayden (Rush 50), Abdulmalik (Benton 85), Norris (Dixon 79).

Subs not used: Newton, Henry.

Braintree Town: M. Terry, Francis-Clarke, Marshall, Miranda, Walker, Judge (Vennings 69), Cooper, Akinde (Thorpe 76), Smith, Kamara (Babic 73), F. Terry.

Subs not used: Omrore, Pinnington, Hockey, Hubbard.

Man of the Match: Luke Norris.

Match report written by Brett Lewis.