Torquay out of National League South play-offs

Boreham Wood will hope to return to the National League a year after being relegated

Torquay United's hopes of promotion from National League South have ended after they lost 1-0 to Boreham Wood in their play-off semi-final.

Matt Rush's goal after an hour was enough to knock out the Gulls, who finished second in the table on goal difference behind champions Truro City.

Lirak Hasani went close with a long-range effort for Torquay after 26 minutes before Gulls goalkeeper James Hamon made an excellent close-range save 11 minutes later.

But Rush struck after the break as he got on the end of a cross from the left at the near post to net what proved to be the winner.

Matt Jay went close for Torquay with an effort nine minutes later before Hamon saved superbly from Jon Benton at the other end in the first minute of stoppage time.

Jordan Young forced a superb save from Boreham Wood's goalkeeper in the final minute of stoppage time as the majority of the 5,721 crowd went home disappointed.

The win means Boreham Wood, who finished the season in fifth place, will face either Eastbourne Borough or Maidstone United in the final next weekend with the winners getting the second promotion place to the National League.

"There's a tremendous amount to be proud of, but it's very difficult to see it at the minute," Torquay manager Paul Wotton told BBC Radio Devon.

"When you're a winner and you've lost it's a punch in the stomach.

"We've come an awful long way, it's just the start of a journey.

"We've got a lot of work to do in the summer because we've got to better everywhere - I've got to be better, we need better players, everything's got to be better and it starts with me.

"It's raw - the elation that Boreham Wood are feeling and the deflation that we're feeling is one of the horrible sides of football."