United 0
Boreham Wood 0
It ended with honours even at Plainmoor on Tuesday evening, as United fought out a goalless draw with Boreham Wood.
Following the home draw with Barnet on Saturday, boss Gary Johnson made one change to the starting line-up to face The Wood, as Danny Wright took the place of Armani Little.
Things were decidedly tight during the opening stages, with nothing in the way of goalmouth action occurring until the 20th minute.
When the first opportunity arose, it perhaps predictably stemmed from the recalled Wright, who in true centre-forward style rose magnificently on the edge of the penalty area to divert a high ball into the path of Dan Martin, who in turn responded with a ferocious left footer that would have left visiting goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond in trouble, had it been a few inches either side of him. As it happened, his parry up into the night sky was enough to spare him further work on this occasion.
Six minutes later, and his opposite number Shaun MacDonald made his opening saves of the game – first, producing a calm save to his right from Josh Rees’ 15-yard volley, before claiming from Dennon Lewis’ shot from a similar position, shortly after.
On 34 minutes, a stroke of misfortune threatened to undo The Gulls, only for matters to quickly readdress themselves.
With Connor Lemonheigh-Evans’ corner failing to pass the near-post, a swift break upfield left Torquay chasing back urgently, and when Stephen Duke-McKenna lost his footing to leave Tyrone Marsh with just MacDonald to beat, there was much relief amongst the Yellow Army as his strike thudded off the woodwork.
After that brief flurry of incidents, proceedings reverted back to the nip-and-tuck pattern that had preceded it, with neither side seriously threatening, before the referee brought things to a temporary halt.
A Marsh header – straight at MacDonald – inside the opening minute of the second period was perhaps an ominous sign, particularly when the former Gull followed that up with two more efforts over the bar within the next six minutes.
The men in yellow held firm though, and on 55 minutes, they went close themselves, as Lemonheigh-Evans’ corner towards the nearest stick saw Joe Lewis flick a backward header narrowly over the crossbar.
Just short of the hour mark, the next flag-kick saw The Gulls go even closer.
A header from a Boreham defender only partially cleared the danger, as it fell kindly to Stephen Duke-McKenna of the left of the D. The QPR loanee seized upon the chance by unleashing a superb volley, before watching it flash just past the post.
At that point, it felt as though United were beginning to gain some momentum, however the pendulum soon swung back the other way, although the initial sum of The Wood’s efforts was another smart MacDonald save, with his legs, to deny Jacob Mendy from a narrow angle on 74 minutes.
Four minutes after that, and it took a smothering stop to prevent Stephen Wearne poking the ball home from six yards, after Lemonheigh-Evans and Wright did well to fashion the unorthodox chance.
There was a few hearts-in-mouths as Mendy’s rising efforts slipped out of MacDonald’s grasp with ten minutes remaining, but to the Torquay ‘keeper’s credit, he was alert enough to turn and claim the ball at the second attempt.
Johnson’s men may not have been allowed to play with the same swagger and freedom that they have enjoyed on occasions this term, however there was no questioning their workrate in a bid to get a result, and for that reason they fully merited the point that was confirmed when the referee eventually blew his whistle with match still scoreless.
Another point on the board.
United: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin (14. Chiori Johnson, 87′), 4. Tom Lapslie, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 8. Asa Hall (c), 9. Danny Wright (19. Klaidi Lolos, 89′), 12. Stephen Wearne, 15. Stephen Duke-McKenna, 21. Dean Moxey, 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 5. Ali Omar, 29. Joe Felix.
Yellow Card: Lapslie 76′
Boreham Wood: 21. Ashby-Hammond, 2. Jamie Reckford, 4. Mark Ricketts (16. James Comley, 71′), 5. Will Evans, 7. Josh Rees, 10. Tyrone Marsh (14. Adrian Clifton, 90+2′), 11. Frankie Raymond, 15. Dennon Lewis, 17. Jacob Mendy, 24. Connor Stevens, 29. Danilo Orsi (9. Scott Boden, 76′).
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Nathan Ashmore, 18. Connor Smith.
Yellow Card: Rees 39′, Raymond 75′
Attendance: 2,251 (33 away)