by John Mead

Sutton United 0
Boreham Wood 1
 (Ryman Premier League)

SUPER-SUBS Dean Green and Chris Watters stepped off the bench and combined to earn Boreham Wood an impressive win at Sutton United.

Manager Ian Allinson threw the pair into the fray with just 12 minutes remaining on Saturday, and they made an almost immediate impact, Watters swinging a cross in from the left onto the head of Green, who rose to plant his header into the net.

It was no more than Wood deserved, recording their third victory in succession without conceding a goal.

A settled back three of Kevin Stephens, Curtis Ujah and Daniel Brathwaite are proving a formidable force. Twenty-one-year-old club captain Ujah, in particular, was immovable all afternoon. His presence served to frustrate the home side into submission after their lively start.

Up front Allinson opted for his third change in personnel in as many games, with Sean Sonner, after a fine performance for the reserve team in midweek, forcing his way back into the side alongside Sosthene Yao.

Playing into a difficult wind Wood responded to an early barrage from the hosts when Greg Morgan played out to Yao on the left. The man from the Ivory Coast cut tried his luck form an acute angle and was not far off the mark.

Morgan caused the home side problems with his pace and distribution as the threat on the Wood goal somewhat subsided.

Wood emerged with confidence after Allinson's half time talk and ran the show with a passage of possession football and passing that suddenly the U's had no answer to.

Morgan twice forced Scriven to race out of his box as Sutton struggled to win back the ball. Sonner started and ended a move with a diving header from Yao's supply.

The signs looked ominous, and Allinson, sensing blood, made his move for a result with a treble substitution. It paid almost instant dividends, a blow that United looked unlikely to recover from, leaving Wood to claim a priceless third straight victory that has sent them from 20th to eighth in the league in the space of a week.

Allinson was modest after seeing his tactics pay off in spectacular fashion. “Sometimes these things work for you. I told the players at half time to go out and play football and relax. They passed the ball very well and we had the advantage of the wind.

“We knew it would be hard for the opening half hour as Sutton are very direct. We were forced to soak up a lot of pressure before finding our confidence. We held it together and kept things tight.

“The substitution worked well, sometimes they do. To have such a talented bench is a luxury and today I indulged a little!”