BOREHAM Wood boss Luke Garrard’s pre-match research enabled his side to triumph at Southend United on Saturday.

Danny Newton’s well-worked first half goal saw Boreham Wood pick up all three points at Roots Hall.

And Garrard revealed it had been a pre-planned tactic.

“I got the analyst to clip what we did on Thursday,” said Garrard told the club’s YouTube channel.

“Southend are very tight in their units.

“They get up the pitch really well and get across the pitch really well too.

“The goal was an exact pattern we worked on and we identified an area we felt we could hurt them.

“Brunty’s (Zak Brunt) ball could be gracing Premier League grounds.

“I said to Dion (Kelly-Evans) you’re going to get off the back of Clifford and his pass to Newts (Danny Newton) was brilliant too.”

But Garrard, whose side ended the match with nine men, will not be getting carried away about the win.

“It’s one game in the fixture list and there’s another 45 to go,” said Garrard.

“There are a lot of positives in the game but a lot of things we need to work on too.

“I’m a little bit disappointed with the sending offs.

“Lee Ndlovu is coming off the park if it’s not for Danny Newton’s head injury.

“I’d have to look back at it before I comment but I don’t think Lee needs to get involved with the backing in and the swinging of an arm.

“To go down to 10 men and then nine with I think nine minutes still to play they stuck it right on us.

“They’re a very, very good outfit.

“They’re a very good team who are well managed and well coached.”

However, Garrard was surprised the Shrimpers did not put more balls in the box.

"They tried to roll in to (Callum) Powell and (Wes) Fonguck when he came on and I don’t think they put as many balls into our box they should have done," said Garrard.

"Teams know we’re quite good defending our six yard box and maybe they tried to pull us apart a bit more.

"The boys have earnt themselves a big win here because of the circumstances but it’s just one game.

"We can’t get too high or too low."

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