MATCH PREVIEW – GRIMSBY TOWN (A) | Boreham Wood Football Club

Grimsby Town vs. Boreham Wood
Tuesday 10^th May 2022, 7.45pm
Blundell Park, Vanarama National League

THE CONTEXT

This Tuesday, Wood kick-off their penultimate game of the season with a trip to play-off rivals Grimsby Town.

The Mariners have enjoyed an excellent run of form since the turn of the year to lift them back into the play-off places, with just six defeats and 12 wins in 2022. Wood came away with just a point after throwing away a two-goal lead at Yeovil Town last time out, making any hope for a late play-off charge look a little more bleak.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

“THE DESTROYER”
LUKE WATERFALL

A veteran in the lower leagues of English football, 31-year old defender Luke Waterfall began his career in the youth teams of Barnsley, before joining Tranmere Rovers after a successful trial. His time in Birkenhead proved to be short-lived as he left after just a season following a brief loan spell with Altrincham, and signed for Conference North side Ilkeston Town, before leaving for league rivals Gainsborough Trinity the following summer. He would make over 100 appearances for the Holy Blues across three seasons, with his form attracting interest from the Football League. He would make the switch to recently relegated Scunthorpe United ahead of the 2013/14 season, with his time at Glanford Park including loan spells away at Macclesfield Town and Mansfield Town before returning to the non-league upon his departure from the Iron to join Wrexham, eventually signing for Lincoln City after just half-a-season in Wales. He would be captain the Imps achieve promotion to League Two as champions, along with a successful FA Cup run that saw them reach the quarter-final in the same season and a Checkatrade Trophy win in 2018. He late joined Shrewsbury Town in the summer of 2018, before being unveiled as a Grimsby Town player on the same day he was released by the Shrews.

“THE PLAYMAKER”
ÉRICO SOUSA

A Portugal youth international, Érico Sousa moved to England when he was just ten years old and joined the youth team of Manchester City five years later. He would leave for Barnsley in 2011 and progressed through the academy, before being released in 2014. He briefly joined Hyde United before moving across Europe to join Slovenian side NK Celje, with his form allowing him to establish him in the first team. The following campaign proved to be more difficult and he would leave in the summer of 2016 after making no appearances at the start of the season, returning to England as a result. He signed for Tadcaster Albion and enjoyed further stints at Accrington Stanley and Tranmere Rovers, before a second spell with the former that brought promotion to League One during the 2017/18 season. A loan spell at Barrow followed before a brief return to Tadcaster that preceded a move to Darlington, where he top scored with seven goals in 14 games from the wing in a season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His form along with his exciting and direct attacking style on the wing attracted the interest of recently relegated National League side Grimsby Town, and his move to the Mariners was completed in June 2021.

“THE FINISHER”
JOHN MCATEE

Star man John McAtee has been one of the key performers for Grimsby Town so far this season. A Shrewsbury Town academy graduate, the 22-year old made his debut on the final day of the 2016/17 season before signing a one-year professional contract. He would join Halesowen Town on an initial one-month loan in September 2017 and had it extended until Christmas before returning to his parent club. The next year would see him join AFC Telford United, Ashton United, Telford for a second spell and Curzon Ashton all on a temporary basis, before being released by Shrewsbury in May 2019. Two years at Scunthorpe United brought five goals and four assists in 58 appearances, but he turned down a new contract offer to join Grimsby Town last summer, reuniting with manager Paul Hurst for a third time after previously playing under him at Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe. A forward with real quality and versatility, he has proved himself as an excellent finisher and creator and has been able to create a terrific relationship with strike partner Ryan Taylor, playing in behind the 33-year old as a second striker and have each contributed to six goals this season.

LAST TIME WE MET

Boreham Wood 0 – 0 Grimsby Town
Saturday 19^th March 2022, 3.00pm
LV BET Stadium Meadow Park, Vanarama National League

The Wood had to settle for a point with an excellent defensive display helping them grind out a stalemate against fellow promotion hopefuls Grimsby Town.

It was the visitors who enjoyed the bulk of the possession early on, although they were unable to produce a clear goalscoring opportunity with John McAtee going closest with a tame effort after five minutes. The Wood did grow into it as the half progressed but the lack of quality in the first half showed as the two sides went into the interval goalless. The second half kicked off in similar fashion to the first, but Grimsby looked far more threatening with Michee Efete going close just six minutes in before Danny Amos had two chances in quick succession to break the deadlock. The spotlight was on McAtee after he missed two golden chances in the space of a minute shortly after a rare chance for the hosts went amiss, with Taye Ashby-Hammond showing his class in the Wood goal to prevent Jordan Maguire-Drew on two separate occasions late on. There was just enough time for Josh Rees to create a wonderful opening for Scott Boden who was unable to keep his shot down with plenty of the goal to aim at, with Adrian Clifton and Jacob Mendy Mendy missing two subsequent follow-ups before the referee brought a close to proceedings.