MATCH PREVIEW – FC HALIFAX TOWN (H)

Boreham Wood v Halifax Town
Saturday 10^th October 2020, 3pm
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League

THE CONTEXT

This Saturday, Wood host FC Halifax Town at Meadow Park in the Vanarama National League for our first competitive home league fixture of the 2020/21 season.

The Shaymen come into this fixture off the back of an away defeat to Stockport County. After taking the lead through a contentious Jack Earing goal early in the first half, which Country argued went out for a goal kick in the lead up, big spenders Stockport County struck back twice with Mark Kitching equalising in the 23^rd minute before midfielder Adam Thomas sealed all three points with his winning goal in the 81^st minute.

Unfortunately, this fixture will be held behind closed doors, however there are a number of ways for all fans to stay-up to date on proceedings including our live stream via BWFCtv match pass, as well as live updated via Wood’s Twitter and Instagram. Please see all information below.

THE FORM GUIDE

THE WOOD

Previous six games (in all competitions and friendlies): –

Wrexham (A) | VNL | 2-1 L
Welling United (A) | PSF | 0-1 W
Peterborough United XI (H) | PSF | 2-0 W
Finishing Touch Football (H) | PSF | 2-0 W
Slough Town (A) | PSF | 1-7 W
Concord Rangers (A) | PSF | 1-2 W

Despite a good pre-season of preparation, Luke Garrard and his side failed to carry that impressive form into their league opener which saw Wood narrowly defeated 2-1 by a resilient Wrexham side.

Although Wood came away from The Racecourse Stadium pointless, but it was a performance Garrard and his management team could be happy with. After a positive start to the game with six corners inside the first 15 minutes, which Wood failed to capitalise, it inevitably came back to haunt us as Wrexham took the few chances that they had created.

THE SHAYMEN

Previous six games (in all competitions and friendlies): –

Stockport County (A) | VNL | 1-2 L
Dagenham & Redbridge (H) | VNL | 2-0 W
Fleetwood Town (A) | PSF | 4-1 L
Curzon Ashton (A) | PSF | 0-0 D
Boston United (H) | PSF | 2-2 D
Guiseley AFC (H) | PSF | 1-2 W

Although the Shaymen had a somewhat disappointing pre-season, winning just one of their five games, Pete Wild and his side started the new campaign on a positive note with a 2-0 win over pre-season promotion favourites Dagenham & Redbridge. Goals from midfield duo Luke Summerfield and Jack Earing saw the Shaymen earn an opening day three points.

The Shaymen continued their difficult start to the campaign, travelling away to title favourites Stockport County on Tuesday evening and it took just 12 minutes before Earing opened the scoring with his second goal in as many games. However, goals from Mark Kitching and Adam Thomas were enough to ensure that the home side picked up all three points as the game finished 2-1.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

“THE DESTROYER”

NEIL BYRNE

27-year-old Neil Byrne started his career as an apprentice at Nottingham Forest before being released in 2011. The commanding centre back then went on trial with League One side Rochdale. Byrne impressed on trial for the Dale earning himself an 18-month contract.

After spending one month on loan at Conference Premier side Barrow, he was released by Rochdale in 2013, which saw him make a move to Conference North side AFC Telford despite interest from many other clubs. Byrne played a pivotal role in the Telford side that gained promotion to the Conference Premier in 2014, where they won the title with a victory on the penultimate game of the season.

The central defender then went on to spend a successful two years with Macclesfield Town, notably leading his side to the final of the FA Trophy. Departing from the Silkmen in 2017, Byrne spent one season at Gateshead and then two years at AFC Fylde.

In his debut season for the Coasters Byrne achieved a Wembley Double by reaching both the Vanarama National League Play-Off Final and the FA Trophy Final. Defeat in the Play-Off Final at the hands of Salford City was followed a week later with another walk down Wembley Way, where Fylde went on to be successful in winning the FA Trophy against Leyton Orient following a spectacular Danny Rowe free kick.

However, the following season couldn’t have differed more as AFC Fylde went from fighting for promotion to relegation, which in turn saw Byrne sign a two-year deal at The Shay with FA Halifax Town.

“THE PLAYMAKER”

JACK EARING

Earing came through the Bolton Wanderers Academy and made one appearance for the first team in 2016 in the EFL Trophy against Everton, where they lost 2-0.

The attacking midfielder was then loaned to Curzon Ashton in January 2019, where he featured five times. At the end of the 2018/19 campaign, Earing signed a professional contract with the Shaymen and featured 12 times prior to a loan spell with Farsley Celtic, where he would then go on to spend the remainder of the season.

The 21-year-old has a promising career ahead of him and has scored in both of the Shaymen’s opening league games against Dagenham & Redbridge and Stockport County.

“THE FINISHER”

JAMIE ALLEN

Allen started his career at Fleetwood Town making his first team and football League debut in 2013, but later faced spells on loan at the likes of Barrow and AFC Fylde within Non-League. The forward made five appearances and scored one goal for the Cod Army before being released in 2015.

Upon his release from Fleetwood Town, the Preston born forward was snapped up by Southport where he scored four goals in his first season. With Southport’s relegation from the National League in the 2016/17 season, Allen remained in the top tier of Non-League football signing for Dover Athletic.

In 2019, Allen cancelled his contract at Dover by mutual consent and signed for FC Halifax Town, where he now enters his second season with the Shaymen.

LAST TIME WE MET

Boreham Wood 2-1 FC Halifax Town
Friday 17th July 2020
Meadow Park, Vanarama National League Play-Off Eliminator

It was a game of two halves, as Wood played below their usual standards in the first half of the game meaning they would go in at the break a goal down after the Shaymen’s Tobi Sho-Silva capitalised on a defensive error from Grant Smith in the Wood goal.

Wood came out of the blocks flying, as right wingback Kane Smith scored early in the second period to level the scoring.

With Wood in the ascendency, there was only one team that looked like clinching a winning goal and progressing into the play off semi-final. After constant pressure, it was Matt Rhead’s glancing header from a Sorba Thomas corner which was enough to send Wood into the semi-final against eventual play-off winners Harrogate Town.

PRE-MATCH WORDS

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE

LIVE STREAM

To purchase your BWFCtv match pass for FC Halifax Town, please click here. For just £9.99 you will receive live stream, match commentary and a complimentary e-programme, too.

RADIO

You can also keep up to date with the match via BBC Three Counties Radio. At the time of writing links to the Radio broadcast were unavailable but the game will be covered, just search “Boreham Wood v Halifax Town BBC Radio” closer to kick-off.

LIVE UPDATES

Alternatively, you can keep up with the action via our Twitter and Instagram pages, where there will be regular updates throughout the course of the match.

Instagram: @boreham_woodfc
Twitter: @boreham_woodfc 

OUR CLUB. OUR TOWN. OUR COMMUNITY. 

Match Preview written by Joe Karadzas (Press Assistant)