Wrexham v Boreham Wood Saturday 3rd October 2020, 3pm The Racecourse Ground, Vanarama National League
THE CONTEXT
Today Wood travel to North Wales where we match up against Wrexham in our highly anticipated National League opening fixture.
For our opponents Wrexham this will be their first competitive fixture since their goalless draw against Eastleigh way back on March 7th.
Despite being in a behind closed doors environment, both Wood and Red Dragons fans will be full of excitement with the return to National League play after football was curtailed earlier this year. There are a number of ways for fans to stay-up-to-date on proceedings including Wrexham’s live stream, BBC radio or Wood’s twitter and instagram.
THE FORM GUIDE
THE WOOD
Previous six games (in all competitions and friendlies): –
Welling United (A) 0-1 W Peterborough United XI (H) 2-0 W Finishing Touch Football (H) 2-0 W Slough Town (A) 1-7 W Concord Rangers (A) 1-2 W Billericay Town (A) 2-0 L
After a strong off-season of recruitment and good pre-season preparations, Luke Garrard will hope to pick up where his side left off in league proceedings after the Wood finished last campaign as the second most in-form side behind play-off winners, Harrogate Town. Prior to our narrow 1-0 defeat against eventual play-off winners Harrogate Town, Wood had lost just once in their previous 20 National League fixtures.
The Wood have impressively won their five most recent pre-season games after disappointing displays against Billericay Town and Wingate & Finchley, both taking a victory over The Wood, 2-0 and 3-2 respectively.
THE RED DRAGONS
Previous six games (in all competitions and friendlies): –
Salford City XI (H) 1-0 W AFC Telford United (H) 0-1 L Kidderminster Harriers (A) 0-4 W AFC Telford United (A) 0-0 D Salford City XI (H) 2-1 W Cefn Druids (H) 4-1 W
Despite a disappointing league table finish for Wrexham in the 2019/20 season, they lost only two of their last seven league games before the season was cut short. Our hosts enter the 2020/21 campaign on the back of a successful pre-season period having lost just one of their six games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
“THE DESTROYER”
SHAUN PEARSON
31-year-old Pearson began his career with Spalding United and Stamford, but after a few successful seasons at those levels he was picked up by then Northern Premier Division side Boston United.
A two-year stint with the Pilgrims, including promotion to the Conference North, earned Pearson his move to then-National League outfit Grimsby Town. It was his time at Blundell Park that really cemented Pearson’s name as one of Non-League’s most capable defenders. His time at Blundell Park stretched six seasons, over 200 appearances and two divisions following promotion from the National League into the EFL via the play-offs in 2015/16.
After a single season at League Two level with the Mariners, Pearson left Blundell Park to join Wrexham during the 2017 off-season and has since become a firm fan favourite at the Racecourse Ground, amounting in excess of 115 appearances for the North Wales outfit.
“THE PLAYMAKER”
ELLIOTT DURRELL
Durrell made his return to the Racecourse Ground this off-season after a 5-year stint away from the Red Dragons.
Durrell’s Non-League experience is vast including stints with Tamworth, Chester, Macclesfield Town, York City and Altrincham since entering senior football in 2007 with AFC Telford United.
Arguably Durrell’s most successful season came three season ago with Macclesfield Town. Durrell played a pivotal role within John Askey’s side that saw the Silkmen crowned 2017/18 National League champions.
A season at EFL League Two level with the Silkmen under the management of Sol Campbell followed before returning to Non-League with York City of the National League North in September 2019. This was quickly followed with a switch to fellow National League North outfit Altrincham, who after a COVID-19 curtailment of the season, participated in the 2019/20 National League North play-offs, eventually clinching promotion to the National League.
In the summer of 2020, Durrell returned to Wrexham following an initial period with the Red Dragons in 2014 and 2015.
“THE FINISHER”
ADI YUSSUF
Wood will take on a familiar face later this afternoon in Adi Yussuf who spent the latter end of last season prior to curtailment and the 2019/20 National League play-offs on loan at Meadow Park from League One’s Blackpool.
The Leicester City youth product made a name for himself as a powerful goalscorer with Oxford City in 2014 and 2015, scoring 27 goals in 36 appearances during a single season at Marsh Lane, alerting a number of Football League clubs.
Despite earning his move back into the Football League, stints with Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town weren’t as fruitful, which saw Yussuf return to Non-League football with Barrow and later Solihull Moors. It was with the latter that Yussuf re-established his goalscoring exploits, scoring 19 goals in a single season which saw Solihull finish as National League runners-up during the 2018/19 season.
His goalscoring form at Damson Park again alerted Football League attention and Yussuf secured his return to the EFL with Blackpool during the 2019 off-season. Yussuf joined Wrexham from the Tangerines on a season long loan for the 2020/21 season.
LAST TIME WE MET
Boreham Wood 2-2 Wrexham Tuesday 6th August 2019 Meadow Park, Vanarama National League
Mark Harris put the visitors ahead after he converted Devonte Redmond’s low cross. Not long after the opener, Bobby Grant doubled the lead with for the Red Dragons with a neat finish past then-Wood goalkeeper, David Gregory.
Despite being 2-0 down, Wood continued to play attractive football under the Meadow Park lights and were rewarded for their resilient performance. Keiran Murtagh saved the day for the Wood as he pulled one back after arriving late into the box finishing off Sorba Thomas’ perfectly weighted pass.
Murtagh then grabbed the equaliser for the home side in stoppage time after his miss-hit volley found the back of the net to ensure Wood earned a share of the points.
PRE-MATCH WORDS
STAY HOME, STAY SAFE
LIVE STREAM
Our opponents Wrexham AFC will be streaming the game live for both home and away fans to purchase – WATCH LIVE HERE
RADIO
You can also keep up to date with the match via BBC Radio. At the time of writing link’s to the Radio broadcast were unavailable but the game will be covered, just search “Wrexham v Boreham Wood 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.
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