WEYMOUTH manager Brian Stock blamed a slow start on the Terras’ 2-0 Vanarama National League defeat to Boreham Wood.

Boreham Wood showed greater urgency in the opening exchanges, typified by Kane Smith’s sprint to reach a loose ball first before slamming a spectacular 30-yard shot home.

Weymouth were sluggish in possession and often made errors on the ball during a poor first half.

Defensively, the hosts looked shaky and it came as no surprise when Tyrone Marsh lobbed Ross Fitzsimons for 2-0 before half-time.

It was the fourth consecutive league home game in which Weymouth went into half-time 2-0 down.

Stock’s men improved after the break but Wood’s more penetrative threat was evident, Scott Boden nodding against the post.

READ MORE: Weymouth 0-2 Boreham Wood - match report

Brad Ash and sub Tom Bearwish had Weymouth’s best opportunities, only to find a resolute Wood in no mood to concede.

Speaking post-match, Stock said: “I’m disappointed to lose the game.

“I felt we started the game very slowly. It wasn’t part of the plan, by any means.

“We came up against a side that were very resolute, disciplined and did the basics a lot better than what we did.

“It was a great strike for the first goal and for the second it was a lapse of concentration at the back that’s cost us the result.

“Second half we came out more confident, more urgency to our game. But when you give teams like Boreham Wood a 2-0 advantage it’s always going to be tough.”

He added: “There’s a lot more to give from our players. We recruited goals in our team and come up short.

“You have to give Boreham Wood credit, they’ve come here and done a job on us. They’ve done the basics very well and won second balls better than us.

“They put it into very dangerous areas. They didn’t necessarily play football but sometimes that’s what this league’s all about.

“I was disappointed with how direct we went far too soon. I wanted to start the game, try and turn them and earn the right to play.

“We took that instruction for the 45 minutes. I want us to be a footballing team but I felt we never got our foot on the ball and played our football.”

Stock admitted Wood are “masters at seeing out games” after a resilient second half display.

He said: “Boreham Wood are very good at closing out games. They frustrate the opposition, go down, win free-kicks, take their time and frustrate everyone in the crowd.

“They’re masters at seeing out games. Sometimes you have to learn a lesson from that and take that forward.

“If we ever find ourselves in that situation it’s something that we can maybe take a leaf out of their book.

“I’m disappointed to lose first game of the season, no-one wants to do that. Every player in there is disappointed.

“We’ve still got 43 games to go and we’ve got to pick ourselves up.”