Boreham Wood 1 Sutton United 2

United opened up a two-goal lead but a controversial goal eight minutes from time set up a nervous finish in which Bradley Fraser rattled Sutton’s bar.

On an excellent playing surface, Sutton had an early scare when Kevin Scriven had to get down quickly to save Chris Watters’ low shot.

However, United were dominant with Bradley Woods-Garness prominent on his return to the starting line-up.

His early low shot from 20 yards gave home keeper Tony Tucker, who had an uncertain evening, his first test of the night.

There were some lively early attacks from Matt Hann and Danny Phillips that kept the home defence at full stretch.

It was eventually breached, though, when Phillips and Billy Hawes combined on the left following a set-piece and Hawes whipped in an low, inswinging cross that was met at the near post by Sam Gargan.

Tucker managed to block that effort but couldn't hold on, and Gargan eventually scrambled the ball in, assistant Sebastian Podsadny well placed to judge that Daniel Brathwaite's clearance had come from behind the line.

That heralded a vibrant spell from Sutton as Gargan headed wide from Hann’s corner and Phillips’ shot diverted to James Hawes, whose low shot rebounded off the advancing Tucker.

The second goal came six minutes before the break, though, when Jason Goodliffe's header set Woods-Garness clear to hold off a defender's challenge and lift his shot neatly past Tucker as he again came off his line.

The striker took a knock on his ankle soon afterwards, and although he started the second half he was one of the three players replaced in the first 20 minutes of the second half as Sutton changed their attacking personnel.

There was an immediate impact from the returning Anthony Joseph as his first involvement was a blistering run down the right that left two defenders in his wake, and a low cross that Fraser nearly sliced in to his own net, Tucker holding on as Cobbs challenged.

The second half had been a much more even affair, though, with Lee Allinson's free kick deflected over and substitute Inih Effiong, who was also booked for a dangerous aerial challenge on Goodliffe, shooting over after a quick counter attack on the left and then blazing wildly over after a left wing cross had been knocked down for him.

Sutton seemed to have come through unscathed, though, and Hann's fierce shot was tipped over by Tucker after another good piece of work by Joseph, while a loud penalty appeal went unheeded when a Joseph cross seemed to be handled.

With eight minutes left, the home side grabbed a goal back in contentious circumstances/ Effiong clattered late in to Billy Hawes as the defender played a pass down the line. It looked a bookable challenge that would have seen Effiong collect his second yellow card, but referee Dave Bushell, at first assumed to be playing a good advantage, evidently saw nothing wrong.

And, after United’s attack had broken down, a quick goal kick launched a counter attack with Hawes receiving treatment off the pitch.

When the ball came in from the right his absence gave Effiong, of all people, time to shoot past Scriven in to the net.

It set up a tense finish, and three minutes from time a corner from the left fell to Fraser ten yards out but his shot crashed back off the underside of the bar and was cleared to enable Sutton to hold on for a precious victory.

Boreham Wood: T Tucker, B Fraser, D Brathwaite, L Hunter, R Moran (sub I Effiong 52), L Garrard, R Kirby, L Allinson, J Richards (sub J Brett H-T), J Wordsworth, C Watters Subs n/u J Clements, S Bambridge, C Baker-Owers. Goal: Effiong (82). Booked: Watters (36-foul), Effiong (70-foul).

Sutton: K Scriven, B Hawes, A Bray, J Goodliffe, J Hawes, S Cobbs, M Hann, F Quarm, S Gargan (sub S Watts 61), D Philips (sub A Joseph 66), B Woods-Garness (sub C Taylor 61). Subs n/u K El-Salahi, S McKimm. Goals: Gargan (27), Woods-Garness(39) .

Referee: D Bushell (Tottenham) Att 123 This Saturday Sutton are at home to Maidstone United (ko 3pm) and next Tuesday entertain Horsham (ko 7.45pm).