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Penalty shootout decides thrilling National League playoff final between Boreham Wood and Rochdale

A penalty shootout decides what played out to be a thrilling National League playoff final between Boreham Wood and Rochdale.

Rochdale came into this hoping to return to League Two after three seasons away. They suffered heartbreak at the end of the regular 2025/26 season, finishing the season 2nd, on 106 points, missing out on automatic promotion after that dramatic final day against the York, who won the title.

Boreham Wood, who ended the campaign 4th and with 90 points, were eyeing a place in the Football League for the first time.

Matt Rush put Boreham Wood ahead 22 minutes in, before Abdul Abdulmalik added a second for Luke Garrard’s side with around 20 minutes of the second half to go.

Tyler Smith came off the bench to pull one back for Dale on the 79th minute, setting up a tense finish, but Boreham Wood held on for the win.

With just seconds to go, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe grabbed Rochdale a very late equaliser, directed in via a defender, taking the tie to extra time. Also sees Boreham Wood go into extra-time for a third successive play-off game. But spot kicks were need to settle this one.

PENALTIES:

Boreham Wood 0-0 Rochdale – (Callum Reynolds – Penalty saved)
Boreham Wood 0-1 Rochdale – (Sam Beckwith – Penalty scored)
Boreham Wood 1-1 Rochdale – (Erico Sousa – Penalty scored)
Boreham Wood 1-2 Rochdale – (Ed Francis – Penalty scored)
Boreham Wood 1-2 Rochdale – (Matt Rush – Penalty saved)
Boreham Wood 1-3 Rochdale – (Callum Perry – Penalty scored)
Boreham Wood 1-3 Rochdale – (Cameron Coxe – Penalty hits bar)

ROCHDALE WIN THE SHOOTOUT

Rochdale boss Jimmy McNulty said to BBC Radio Manchester:

“We practiced penalties as much as we could and ultimately you’re hoping they go in and your goalkeeper saves acouple.

“It’s a feeling of pure elation and fairly surreal.

“We have character and belief and I’ve never been part of anything like this.

“To go and do this at Wembley is incredible and amazing.”

href=”https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cy42mkyyrj9t”>BBC Sport’s live blog:

“I think that’s the first two penalties I’ve saved in ages.

“I was down to take a penalty as well and I was more confident taking one than saving one.

“I think going up this way is better – we’re at the home of football, the pitch was unbelievable and so were the fans.

“Suffering that agony against York helped us.

“I don’t think it gets any better than this, I’ve had such a great loan from Manchester City and I’m so happy for the fans, the town and everyone.”

Rochdale’s Emmanuel Dieseruvwe to DAZN:

“I don’t know what I’m feeling but looking at the fans what it means to them, it’s surreal, they deserve this and the club deserve it.

“It felt like it was meant to be, as a team we never stop believing, we keep going, we’re relentless in our nature and we got what we deserved.

“How it ended on the last day, the last few weeks have felt like a season on its own.

“It comes from the boss, the staff and the fans and I’m just so thankful for the gaffer bringing me here and being able to share this with everyone.”

Rochdale’s Ian Henderson said to DAZN:

“We got the job done in the end, it was heartrending to say the least.

“I have to give credit to Boreham Wood as they played exceptionally well but we’ve got our league status back.

“Both teams were dead on their feet at the end and it was inevitable it was going to penalties.

“I’ve been at the club for a very long time and we were in real treacherous times three years ago but now we’re in a real stable condition and can sustain league football.

“There may be one more season I’ll have to wait and see, this is my third promotion in two decades, that’s not a great ratio but from where the club was three years ago I’m so proud of everyone.”

Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard told DAZN:

“I’m heartbroken but so proud of this group of players, staff and the club.

“We left no stone unturned and we didn’t put on a performance that deserved to lose.

“I said before the game how proud I was of them, what they’d already achieved was unbelievable, it’s a privilege to be their manager.

“I’m just gutted, I can see my two young lads up in the crowd and their Daddy hasn’t been successful.

“We punch above our weight, but the chairman tells me we’ve not been brought up to sit at the back of the bus. We’re a small club, a small town with ambitions to be in the EFL.

“At 2-0 up in the 78th minute you’re thinking you’ve got one foot in the EFL – we’ve lost a game of football on penalties, the defending on the second goal wasn’t good enough but I’m so proud of this group that they’ve gone and performed on this stage.”

Here’s how fans reacted after a penalty shootout decides what played out to be a thrilling National League playoff final between Boreham Wood and Rochdale…

@MUFCBreeze: Shouldn’t have even had to be this way. Congrats Rochdale

@epicfail2048: Congratulations Dale from your old pals Plymouth. Welcome back to the football league 💚

@Ryannx97: Well done Rochdale. Big effort from the lows of losing it in the last minute. Back to where you belong.

@Declan86868411: Get in lads welcome back to the EFL! Completely deserved after the season you had

@andy_b1969: Congratulations from a shrimper….enjoy your evening!!

@alfiecassidy62: Should of went up automatically #3UP. Congratulations justice has prevailed

@Gareth_Wilson95: Wow! So nearly didn’t get there as well! EFL and National league needs to sort out 2 up. Feel for boreham wood, they’ve been amazing today

@S10propaganda: Well done lads and lasses. Done the whole country a service would have been a crime against football if whatever that is you’ve just beaten had gone up.

@aviationbyjames: definitely the most fair and deserved result, to not go up on 100+ points would have been a disgrace, congrats 👏

@ycfc19842026: Congratulations fully deserved after your season 👏

@andy_sufc: Deserved. Despite me giving it to ya all year. It’s banter lads but hats off 🤝

@JoshuaJ18864798: Congrats guys, only fair we both went up see you next year 🙌

@tommyouting: You see, last minute goal + no pitch invasion = promotion. You learned your lesson, lads, that’s all you can ask in life.

@SteveBottomley1: Wow! Talk about nail biting!! Congratulations and welcome back to the EFL! 💪🏻😎👍🏻

@BEN2911: Congratulations from a Notts fan! We know how it feels to get 100+ and not go up automatically! The footballing gods done their magic again 👏

@JoeWills387897: Well done and congratulations for achieving promotion back to the EFL after 3 seasons away, I’m very glad indeed they have been promoted back to the EFL because to have 106 points and not be promoted would have been very cruel indeed.

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