MATCH PREVIEW – KING’S LYNN TOWN (A) | Boreham Wood Football Club

King’s Lynn Town v Boreham Wood
Tuesday 26^th October 2021, 7.45pm
The Walk’s Stadium, Vanarama National League
Match Preview written by Aaron Bennis (BWFC Media Assistant)

THE CONTEXT

Tonight, Wood head to Norfolk to take on Kings Lynn Town, looking to return to winning ways after losing to Chesterfield last time out.

The Linnets currently sit down in 20^th, with just two wins and two draws along with seven defeats succumbing them to just eight points so far this season.

Wood dropped to third after tasting just their second defeat of the season last time out against promotion rivals Chesterfield, and will be keen to bounce back against a side sitting towards the bottom of the division.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

“THE DESTROYER”
KYLE CALLAN-MCFADDEN

Ireland-born defender Kyle Callan-McFadden joined the Norwich City academy at the age of 16 after impressing on trial, having been a highly rated youngster initially at local side Swilly Rovers. He won the 2013 FA Youth Cup playing 90 minutes in both legs of the final against Chelsea, with his form for the youth team earning him a call-up initially during pre-season where he featured in a friendly against OGC Nice, before making his professional debut in a League Cup second round victory over Crawley Town. He would be released at the end of the 2014/15 season however, going over to America for a brief period with the Orlando City B team before returning to his native Ireland with Sligo Rovers. A successful period for The Bit O’Red brought over 100 appearances, featuring primarily as a centre back but occasionally filling in at right back and defensive midfield. After four seasons in the League of Ireland, he came back to England for the first time since leaving Norwich for fellow Norfolk-based outfit Kings Lynn Town, making 32 appearances last season and has featured in all but two games of the current campaign.

“THE PLAYMAKER”
JOE ROWLEY

A graduate of the Chesterfield academy, Joe Rowley joined the Technique Stadium at under-15 level after beginning his youth career at local team Sheffield United. He made his Spireites debut at the age of just 17 in a League One fixture against Rochdale despite being yet to sign his first professional deal, doing so two weeks later and scoring the winner in a 1-0 win over Port Vale on the same day. As he became a mainstay in the Chesterfield team over the years, his form even earned him a call-up to the England C team in March 2019. With over 100 Spireites’ appearances to his name by the age of 22, Rowley joined Kings Lynn Town on loan ahead of the 2021/22 season.

“THE FINISHER”
JUNIOR MORIAS

Former Wood striker Junior Morias signed for the Linnets in the summer after leaving St Mirren. The Jamaican-born forward spent time in the Fulham academy before breaking through at Wycombe Wanderers, going on to make 32 appearances for the Chairboys prior to two separate loan spells at Hendon and then at Boreham Wood, eventually joining the latter on a permanent basis following his release at Adams Park. His return would prove hugely successful, building on the eight goals he scored on loan by netting 12 during the 2014/15 season, including the promotion-winning goal in the play-off final against Whitehawk as the Wood joined the Conference Premier Division. He would join the Hawks the following January where he featured just twice, before signing for rivals St Albans City in the summer where his form attracted interest from the Football League, being unveiled as a Peterborough United player after just half a season at Clarence Park. He scored his first goals in professional football with a brace in a 3-0 win over Port Vale, ending the season with four in 20 League One games. A further 31 brought seven goals the following season despite missing five months through injury, but he would leave London Road after the arrival of Steve Evans as Posh manager. Northampton Town would be his next destination where he spent just a season, joining Scottish side St Mirren in the summer of 2019. A disappointing stint brought just two goals in 47 appearances over two seasons and he re-joined Boreham Wood at the start of January 2021 for the remainder of the campaign, featuring 14 times. Following his departure from St Mirren, he joined Kings Lynn Town in June and has netted a solitary goal in his five appearances so far this season.

LAST TIME WE MET

Boreham Wood 5-1 Kings Lynn Town
Monday 3^rd May 2021
LV Bet Stadium Meadow Park, National Premier

A hat-trick for Kabongo Tshimanga helped the Wood to a six-goal thriller, with a 5-1 hammering of Kings Lynn Town on show in Hertfordshire.

Although the hosts came into it sitting seven places above their opponents, it didn’t take long for the away side to get up and running with a hectic opening to the game. A Sonny Carey corner was cleared into the path of Michael Gash who struck a fine shot past Nathan Ashmore. It was a very quick reaction though and Kings Lynn weren’t ahead for long, with Wood soon equalising following a fantastic strike from Gus Mafuta just a couple of minutes later. They struggled to build on this however with quite a lacklustre first half. Chances were at a premium as they struggled to create momentum, but an enforced change that saw Mafuta replaced by Tom Champion and Mark Ricketts return to his more familiar role in midfield helped the hosts come out of half time a totally different side. A complete shift in mentality brought far more control of proceedings, and just three minutes after the restart a fantastic dipping shot from Tyrone Marsh hit the Linnets’ crossbar, proving that they would be a force to be reckoned with in the second half and a mere rehearsal of what was to come. Wood were finally able to take the lead on 52 minutes; Kabongo Tshimanga finishing well past Theo Richardson in the visitor’s goal after an impressive run from Femi Ilesanmi. This would really open the floodgates for the rest of the match, and Tshimanga would have his second just a few minutes later with a similar finish past Richardson, before Whitley then went close to scoring a fourth for the home side straight away. A fourth would soon come along though, with goals sometimes coming in unlikely packages and being just what happened when right wing-back Kane Smith decided to get in on the act, making no mistake with a fine strike following an excellent move involving Marsh and Whitely. Tshimanga’s hat-trick would soon be secured too, rounding the keeper and taking advantage of some ball watching Linnets’ defenders before slotting home to put the cherry on top of a perfect Wood performance.

PRE MATCH WORDS

HOW TO WATCH

MATCH TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online and on the day, but to reduce queues on matchday, it is strongly advised that supporters purchase their tickets in advance with the link below…