MATCH PREVIEW – DOVER ATHLETIC (A) | Boreham Wood Football Club

Match Preview
Dover Athletic v Boreham Wood
Saturday 7^th December 2019, 3.00pm
The Crabble Athletic Ground, National League

On Saturday, Boreham Wood travel to the Crabble Athletic Ground where we will match up against Dover Athletic in the Vanarama National League.

Boreham Wood came away with all three points in our previous fixture against a strong Woking side who had only been defeated five times prior to Saturday’s game.

Whereas, Dover were beaten 3-0 away from home against League One outfit Peterborough United in the 2^nd Round of the FA Cup.

THE CONTEXT

In our previous match against Woking, Wood broke the deadlock after 15 minutes when Kabongo Tshimanga got down the line well, crossed the ball across the face of goal to find Tyrone Marsh, who calmly slotted home to get his 9^th of the season.

Wood done well to see out the game against 4^th placed Woking as we defended as a unit to keep the clean sheet in order to secure all three points.

The win for the Wood meant we are now six games unbeaten in the Vanarama National league and we moved up to 9^th place in the league standings, just three points off the elusive play offs position with a superior goal difference.

Dover done themselves proud by reaching the 2^nd Round Proper of the FA Cup where they beat League One side Southend United on the way.

However, the dream of making the 3^rd Round Proper alongside the Premier League elite was cut short as the Whites crashed out of the competition after they lost 3-0 against Peterborough United on Sunday afternoon.

DOVER ATHLETIC RECENT FORM

Dover have experienced a slight dip in form recently as they have failed to win any of their previous three games in all competitions.

The Whites come into his game sitting four places below the Wood, with just two points separating the sides, albeit they do have two games in hand, therefore a victory for the home side would see them leapfrog us in the league table.

In the Whites last game in the National League, despite taking the lead on two occasions, they came out on the wrong end of a 4-3 score line at home against Maidenhead United.

DOVER ATHLETIC PLAYER TO WATCH

Ricky Modeste, Forward

Ricky Modeste has been in fine form this season for the Whites and will be a player the Wood will have to keep a close eye on during this Saturday’s fixture.

Modeste has a reputation in the Non-League game for being a dangerous player, and is currently enjoying his second spell at Dover having spent five seasons at the club between 2012 and 2017 before moving onto cash strapped Billericay Town.

With uncertainty surrounding the financial stability at Glenn Tamplin’s Billericay Town, Dover re-signed Modeste at the start of the 2018/19 campaign. He has again proved to a real asset for the Whites, particularly with his versality to play across the front line as a forward or winger.

LAST TIME WE MET

Boreham Wood 3-1 Dover Athletic (Saturday 7^th December 2019, National League)

Kabongo Tshimanga bagged a brace to help his side secure all three points at Meadow Park against Dover Athletic in the Vanarama National League earlier in the season.

Wood opened the scoring in the second minute of the game as Sorba Thomas found the feet of Tshimanga who had the easy task of passing into an empty net.

Tshimanga then doubled the Wood’s lead as he held off his marker well and stayed composed to slot the ball into the far corner past Dover’s Lee Worgan.

However, former Wood First Team player and Academy graduate Inih Effiong got one back for his side just three minutes later after he capitalised on the rebound of a penalty that he had won and subsequently missed.

Tyrone Marsh then restored Wood’s two goal advantage as his deflected shot dipped over the Dover keeper in the 62^nd minute.

IN FOCUS: RICKY SHAKES

As Wood’s current longest serving player, Ricky Shakes brings valuable experience to Luke Garrard’s squad.

Shakes signed for the Wood at the start of the 2013/14 campaign from National League side Kidderminster Harriers, where he featured 17 times, helping them finish 2^nd in the Conference during his single season at Aggborough.

Shakes start to life as a Wood player was extremely frustrating, rupturing his Achilles tendon in his first ever training session with the team. This would see him miss out the entirety of his first season at Meadow Park, after undergoing surgery and an extensive rehabilitation programme.

During his time at the Wood, the Club has seen tremendous success, of which Ricky has been a crucial part of. This includes winning the Herts Senior Cup twice (2017/18, 2018/19), reaching the First Round Proper of the FA Cup three times (2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19), as well as the Second Round Proper once in 2017/18 after defeating a Football League side for the first time in the Club’s history when we beat Blackpool in our 1^st Round Proper tie.

In addition, Ricky was a pivotal player in our National League South play off winning team in 2014/15, as well as when we reached Wembley in the National League Promotion Final in 2017/18. Ricky goes down in Wood’s history books as one of our most successful players and a true Wood legend.

The 34-year-old has experience playing in the Football League for Swindon Town and Brentford, but his most successful spell as a player prior to joining the Wood was when he featured 46 times in the National League South for Ebbsfleet United in the 2010/11 season scoring 11 goals, helping them secure promotion to the National League via the play offs that season.

On top of Club duties, Shakes has also featured 14 times at International level for Guyana.