Boreham Wood v Notts County
Tuesday 23rd November 2021, 7.45pm
LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
Match Preview written by Aaron Bennis (BWFC Media Assistant)
THE CONTEXT
This Saturday, Wood take on Notts County for their second home game in a row, looking to build on their tenth victory of the season last time out.
The Magpies have made a strong start to the season and sit just six points below the Wood in sixth, but will be keen to bounce back from their defeat to Eastleigh on the weekend.
Wood remain in second following their impressive 4-0 win over Maidenhead United, and are just a point behind Chesterfield at the top.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
“THE DESTROYER”
CONELL RAWLINSON
Having begun his career at Chester City, Conell Rawlinson spent eight years in Welsh football with The New Saints from 2010 which brought European experience by playing in Champions League qualifying matches. 170 appearances saw him win seven Welsh Premier League titles, four Welsh Cups, and five Welsh League Cup titles, while also named in the 2017/18 Welsh Premier League Team of the Season. The no-nonsense centre back joined Port Vale in 2018 where he spent a season before terminating his contract, and went on to join National League side Notts County. He has been a mainstay in the Magpies defence ever since, being voted as the Fan’s Player of the Season as well as being the joint-winner of the 2019/20 Players’ Player of the Season award alongside top scorer Kyle Wootton.
“THE PLAYMAKER”
RUBEN RODRIGUES
Ruben Rodrigues became the first Portuguese to play for Notts County when he swapped the Dutch second division for the National League in the summer of 2020. Having played in Holland since academy level, he enjoyed spells with Wilhelmina Boys, Gemert and Den Bosch, making his Eerste Divisie debut with the latter before a loan spell with De Treffers, prior to his move to Meadow Lane. The playmaker has provided plenty of excitement, lifting the National League Player of the Month award for May along with the Fan’s Player of the Year award, scoring 12 goals in his debut campaign.
“THE FINISHER”
KYLE WOOTTON
A Scunthorpe academy graduate, Kyle Wootton made his first team debut for the Iron in August 2014 aged just 17 and went on to play 78 times for the club. Loan spells with Lincoln City, North Ferriby Town, Cheltenham Town, Stevenage, FC Halifax Town and Notts County swamped his time at Glanford Park, before joining the latter on a permanent basis. It was with the Magpies where he began to establish himself, finishing the last two seasons as top scorer with 18 and 19 goals and picking up back-to-back Players’ Player of the Season awards along the way.
LAST TIME WE MET
Boreham Wood 2-2 Notts County
Tuesday 16th March 2021
LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, National League
Former Boreham Wood man Inih Effiong was on hand to haunt his old club as they were held to a draw by Notts County after his late penalty.
The hosts got off to a strong start as Tyrone Marsh took just a minute to open the scoring, when Kabongo Tshimanga laid it back to the forward to strike a great shot from twenty yards past Sam Slocombe in the County goal. They had come out of the blocks in spectacular fashion, but the visitors should have equalised just two minutes later when Mark Ellis’ long throw was flicked onto Kyle Wootton, who was unusually underwhelming in the air only being able to direct his header straight at Nathan Ashmore. The Magpies had another good chance to score on ten minutes later when an unmarked Ellis shot just wide of Ashmore’s goal when well placed. Chances continued going in the Wood’s favour as Corey Whitley went close to doubling their lead when he was picked out by Marsh, but he snatched at his shot and it ended up going high and wide. An onslaught of pressure from the hosts would threaten to expose a poor County defence, with Tshimanga missing a one on one with Slocombe, Gus Mafuta hitting the wall from a free kick and Jamal Fyfield firing over the bar from the edge of the area when the ball dropped to him, which was followed by the lively Marsh charging down a Slocombe clearance but the ball went just wide of the goal. They were unable to take advantage though and nearly paid the price when Conell Rawlinson had his effort saved by Ashmore on the stroke of half time.
They were able to go into the break in the lead though and would increase the deficit when Tshimanga scored nine minutes after half time following an excellent one-two with Kieran Murtagh. This had succeeded further danger from the Wood with Marsh’s free kick being expertly tipped onto the crossbar by Slocombe along with Krystian Pearce heading the resulting corner just wide. The momentum was clearly still with the home side. They were able to use this momentum to their advantage and control the next 20 minutes, limiting Notts to very few chances. However, the away side were able to pull a goal back on 75 minutes when a Michael Doyle corner ended with the ball striking a Wood defender before going in the goal to make it 2-1. This revelation set up a nervy end to the game, but the home side were still in control and looked solid enough not to let the lead slip, with Marsh even having a chance to seal victory at the other end but dragged his shot wide. Despite the setback, the Wood thought they had done enough to see out the win, however the final five minutes would bring plenty of drama to the fore. Wootton’s header was deemed to have been handled in the area by a Wood player and referee Sunny Gill had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. PASE academy graduate Effiong handed the final blow as he dispatched his penalty to net a dramatic equaliser. There was even enough time at the end for Ruben Rodrigues to place a header wide and Tshimanga to have an effort cleared off the line by Enzio Boldewijn right at the death, but despite an excellent performance by the hosts, Effiong’s spot-kick in the dying embers of the game was enough to leave Hertfordshire with a point.
PRE MATCH WORDS
HOW TO WATCH
MATCH TICKETS
All spectators are encouraged to pre-purchase their match tickets to avoid queuing and congestion upon entry into the ground. Tickets are also available to be purchased on the day via cash and debit/credit card.
Home supporters purchasing match tickets on the day should go to the club’s ticket office located in the main club car park, whereas visiting supporters can purchase match tickets on the day from their designated turnstiles.
Home Tickets (General Sale) – Click Here.
Home Tickets (Black Card Members) – Click Here.
Away Tickets (General Sale) – Click Here.
LIVE UPDATES
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
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