Luke Garrard ‘proud’ after Wembley defeat and vows Boreham Wood will chase EFL dream again

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By Andy Mitchell

Choked-up Luke Garrard declared his pride despite Boreham Wood’s Wembley heartbreak – but vowed his stars would come back swinging. 

The Wood warranted the two-goal lead given to them midway through each half by Matt Rush and the unplayable Abdul Abdulmalik only to get pegged back by Tyler Smith with 12 minutes to go and Mani Dieseruvwe six minutes past the 90. 

Callum Reynolds and Rush were denied by 18-year-old keeper Oliver Whatmuff in the penalty shootout and Dale’s three out of three, followed by Cameron Coxe hitting the underside of the bar with Wood’s fourth, ended Garrard’s dream of back-to-back promotions having inspired an instant return from Step 2 last season. 

Garrard was overwhelmed by the prospect of facing his children “because I feel like Daddy has failed”, but the reality was that he and his troops had left everything on Wembley’s battlefield in pursuit of an odds-defying first venture in the EFL.

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Proud

“The team has been excellent all season, they have given the club, me and the town everything and I am so proud of the group,” said Garrard. 

“For the third match in a row we went for 120 minutes and delivered a performance. The man I am, I am trying to analyse everything but I need to just park it. 

“Unfortunately, the season ended here. We had one foot in the EFL but it wasn’t to be.”

It evoked painful memories for Garrard who oversaw Boreham Wood’s Promotion Final defeat to Tranmere Rovers in 2018 and last-gasp semi-final setback to Notts County three years ago. 

Imposter

“I felt like I was an imposter last time I was here, I didn’t believe that we could be successful or that we had enough on the pitch to go and win against Tranmere,” he admitted. 

“That wasn’t the case this time so this actually hurts a lot more but this group is incredible, I am about people and as talented as they are on the pitch, it is a privilege to be their manager off it.”

It might take him a few days to realise that this was no failure on his part either but at least Garrard immediately spotted one silver lining to lift his heavy heart.

Hold the cards

He insisted that the club was “in a different place” when it came to the tricky task of retaining his top talent.

“We now have people on long-term deals and a core group that is together for the next two years as a minimum,” he said.

“My chairman made it very clear (in a recent interview) that they are our players, they are under contract and we hold the cards.”

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