Wanderers grew in confidence as the opening half of the game progressed and two goals in the space of five minutes from Prior and Rutherford just beyond the half-hour had the visiting side well in command heading towards the interval.

The dismissal of Marsh at the very end of first half stoppage time made the task for Luke Garrard’s team even harder following the restart, and Carter’s second goal in Dorking colours on the hour ultimately put the game to bed, making Boreham Wood the first side Wanderers have ‘done the double’ over this term following the 2-1 win at Meadowbank back in November.

Marc White made three changes to the side defeated late on at Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek; Haydn Hollis, Charlie Carter and Alfie Rutherford coming into the starting line up as Bobby-Joe Taylor, Dan Gallagher and Niall McManus all dropped to the bench, the Wanderers boss reverting to the trademark 3-5-2 formation after deploying a back four on Tuesday night.

The first opportunity of the game arrived inside the opening sixty seconds with Matt Robinson glancing a header over the bar from Erico Sousa’s free kick on the edge of the Wanderers box, Sousa then bringing Male into action not long afterwards by striding forward and driving a low shot which was comfortably saved to the keeper’s right.

Wanderers suffered a blow in the 11th minute as Seb Bowerman had to be withdrawn after appearing to pull his hamstring innocuously near the byline, Bobby-Joe Taylor coming on in his place.

Cameron Coxe again forced Male into a low save after a period of pressure around the Wanderers box, but from the midway point of the half Marc White’s men started to demonstrate real confidence with their passing through midfield and desire to play into forward areas, and reaped their rewards for that by netting two goals in the space of five minutes.

Carter had fired a warning shot, spurning an excellent opportunity after driving forward and working an opportunity from the edge of the box, the subsequent strike driven high and wide over the bar. Bobby-Joe then won a corner ball after good work again from Carter breaking forward from midfield, and from Francomb’s delivery Prior drifted towards the near post and headed back across goal to find the far side of the net, scoring his 9th of the campaign.

Hollis side-footed another Francomb corner over the bar before Wanderers managed to double their lead shortly afterwards; Wood keeper Nathan Ashmore out from goal and clearing the ball only as far as Rutherford, who generated just enough pace to clinically steer his strike into an unguarded net from 25 yards out. His second goal for Wanderers since returning from long term injury, Alfie’s last three goals in red and white have all come against Boreham Wood.

In first half stoppage time the woes for the home side were compounded as Tyrone Marsh received a second yellow card, the attacker guilty of deliberate handball after inexplicably trying to palm the ball into goal from a corner ball, having received a caution earlier in the half for a late foul the Wood No10 was given his marching orders by referee Stuart Morland.

Pybus had struck the outside of the post with a long range strike just head of Wanderers making it three on the hour mark; Josh Taylor’s long throw flicked on by Prior at the near post and Carter in the right place at the right time to cushion home a header from close range, right in front of the jubilant 161 travelling Wanderers supporters. A deserved goal for the Wanderers midfielder who was in the heart of much of the attacking play and endeavour to get forward throughout the afternoon.

Naturally, the pace of the game dropped off following the third goal, much of the remaining play contested in the middle of the park with Wanderers in control of possession for large parts, neither keeper really brought into action. Bobby-Joe drove a direct free kick in shooting range straight into the wall and Josh Taylor thrashed the rebound over the bar, the closest Wanderers would go to further extending the scoreline.

Late on Male comfortably saved an angled header from Chris Bush, Hollis providing a timely challenge to deny Ndovlu sneaking a late consolation as Wanderers made sure their second league clean sheet since September remained intact.

On an afternoon where results elsewhere did not help the cause, Wanderers remain in 17th with a four point and two game buffer on the bottom four, a busy February schedule will get under way next Saturday afternoon as AFC Fylde are the visitors to Meadowbank in a 3pm kick off.

Boreham Wood (3-5-2): 1 Nathan Ashmore, 15 David Agbontohoma, 22 Billy Sass-Davies (9 Lee Ndovlu 46′), 5 Chris Bush; 2 Cameron Coxe, 4 Jack Payne (c), 19 Erico Sousa (25 Jahmari Clarke 89′), 24 Matt Robinson, 3 Femi Ilesanmi; 10 Tyrone Marsh, 21 Kwesi Appiah (14 Angelo Balanta 69′)

Unused Subs: 12 Jamal Fyfield, 23 Charles Clayden

Yellow Card: Marsh 41′, 45+3′, Appiah 50′, Agbontohoma 64′

Red Card: Marsh 45+3′

Dorking Wanderers (3-5-2): 1 Harrison Male, 37 George Francomb, 5 Tony Craig (c) (20 Dan Gallagher 75′), 19 Haydn Hollis; 29 Tom Blair, 4 Dan Pybus, 16 Charlie Carter, 17 Josh Taylor, 30 Seb Bowerman (3 Bobby-Joe Taylor 11′); 9 Jason Prior, 10 Alfie Rutherford (6 Niall McManus 55′)

Unused Subs: 7 Jimmy Muitt, 24 Harry Ottaway

Goals: Prior 32′, Rutherford 37′, Carter 61′

Referee: Stuart Morland

Attendance: 1122 (161 Wanderers Supporters)