Boreham Wood: Current position 4th – P37 W21 D8 L8 F75 A49 GD26 PTS71
As would be expected from a team in 4th, The Wood have had a string of impressive results both recently and over the course of the season, following promotion from the National League South via the Playoffs last season. Long-serving Manager Luke Garrad, speaking to The Non-League Newspaper on Thursday said “…the top two [Rochdale and York City] are a class above and the rest are playing for third”. The North London side was, along with Carlisle, Forest Green Rovers, and Scunthorpe United in a six-way title race around the Christmas period, however as Garrad has alluded to above, fell away. As part of that four however, they have all but guaranteed a finish between 3rd and 6th, plus in the past month have earnt credible draws at Forest Green and a resurgent Woking, which were sandwiched in between a 0-2 away win at Southend United, and most impressively ending York City’s twenty-four game unbeaten streak 3-2 at home.
The Wood also boast the joint second highest league scorer in Matt Rush with 22 (the other being former Shayman Mani Dieseruvwe) and the leading assist-maker Zak Brunt. On Wednesday the club also announced the signing of Right Back James Clarke from Chris Millington’s Solihull Moors, a position it seemed the club has had difficulty finding consistency in since Loanee Jeff King (another former Town connection) returned to York City around the turn of the New Year.
FC Halifax Town: Current position 7th – P37 W16 D8 L13 F56 A53 GD3 PTS56
The race for 7th place now appears to just about be still in The Shaymens’ hands. The win at Hartlepool United last weekend was a crucial one with Will Harris bagging his 19th league goal of the season, now third highest Goalscorer in the Enterprise National League behind Bush/Dieseruvwe and Ollie Pearce. Adam Lakeland has spoken of a need to “attack these last nine matches [and believes that there is]…a lot more pressure on some clubs around us that are bigger with fan bases and budgets”.
With the return of Defender Will Smith (who got through a full 90 minutes at Hartlepool United) from injury, and the loan acquisition of fellow Centre Back Ash Palmer, on a month’s loan from 2nd placed York City Town, will be hoping to become more rugged at the back. The Gaffer may also have the services of Angelo Cappello following his own injury setbacks, plus that of Florent Hoti.
With United’s Carlisle and Scunthorpe the next two home matches after The Wood, Southend still with two games in hand, and The Shaymen still to host Southend on April 18th, there is hopefully an exciting end to the season in store for Town.
Match Officials
Referee: James Westgate
Assistants: Francis Sibley / Mehul Karia
Fourth Official: Lee Hible
Other Games
Aldershot Town vs York City
Boston United vs Yeovil Town
Brackley Town vs Woking
Eastleigh vs Rochdale
FC Halifax Town vs Boreham Wood
Gateshead vs Sutton United
Morecambe vs Braintree Town
Scunthorpe United vs Altrincham
Southend United vs Forest Green Rovers
Tamworth vs Carlisle United
Truro City vs Hartlepool United
Wealdstone vs Solihull Moors
Next Game
Solihull Moors vs FC Halifax Town – Saturday 21st March, 5.30pm kick-off
Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist
