Lee Ndlovu’s strike and several incredible saves from Nathan Ashmore helped Boreham Wood end a four-match winless run in the National League as they edged out Hartlepool 1-0.

Ashmore was at full stretch to keep out Tom Crawford’s strike and stop Hartlepool from going ahead early on, while at the other end the hosts had a goal disallowed for offside from Erico Sousa’s free-kick.

Emmanuel Dieseruvwe forced Ashmore into another save on the half-hour mark while Ndlovu came close to giving Wood the lead as his turn and shot whistled past a post just before half-time.

Ashmore produced another spectacular save from Josh Umerah’s thunderbolt from distance before Ndlovu broke the deadlock with 12 minutes remaining after turning his defender, racing through on goal and calmly slotting past Hartlepool goalkeeper Pete Jameson.

But the Wood still needed another vital intervention from Ashmore to preserve their first win since September 16 as he denied Dieseruvwe from close range at his front post deep into added-on time.