Europe (UEFA)
Indonesia
Nigeria

Preview: Boreham Wood vs. Accrington Stanley - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 5 January 2023, 17:58
After upsetting the odds to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup last season, non-league outfit Boreham Wood are dreaming of emulating that performance once again in England's most famous cup competition.

Standing in their way in the third round on Saturday are League One side Accrington Stanley, who have never progressed beyond the fourth round.

Match preview

Having stunned Joey Barton's Bristol Rovers 2-0 away from home in the second round, Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard will be determined to inflict yet another upset when his side host Accrington at Meadow Park on Saturday.

Despite winning just one of their last 10 matches in the National League, the Wood have found the magic touch in the FA Cup in recent seasons, having beaten the likes of Blackpool, AFC Wimbledon and Bournemouth within the last five years.

Indeed, it took Frank Lampard's Everton side to stop them at Goodison Park in the fifth round last year, which was a historic run for a club that is still very much putting itself on the map in the English footballing landscape.

While reaching the Football League remains the club's number one priority, there is little doubt about the financial rewards which a run in the FA Cup can bring to a club like Boreham Wood, who will fancy their chances once again this weekend.

Likewise, though, Accrington are significantly punching above their weight to have remained in League One since winning League Two in the 2017-18 season, with John Coleman set in stone as a Stanley hero for life having successfully managed them since 2014.

The 60-year-old has seen his side fall at the fourth round of the FA Cup on two occasions during his tenure, losing 1-0 to Middlesbrough and Derby in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

Having lost two successive matches in League One, where they only remain outside of the relegation places on goal difference, Coleman will be desperate to avoid being on the wrong end of an upset against non-league opposition when they travel to Hertfordshire this weekend.

Moreover, he would surely love the opportunity to face one of the giants of English football in the next round, with the chance to make history and take Accrington to the fifth round for the first ever time a distinct possibility should they progress on Saturday.

Boreham Wood FA Cup form:

W

W

Boreham Wood form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

L

D

Accrington Stanley FA Cup form:

W

W

Accrington Stanley form (all competitions):

W

D

W

D

L

L

Team News

After being shown a straight red card during his side's defeat to Barnet on Boxing Day, Bruno Andrade will serve the second part of a three-match suspension against Accrington.

Femi Ilesanmi is available once again, though, having missed out in the reverse encounter against the Bees last time having also been sent off at the Hive Stadium, but his red card was as a result of two yellow cards.

Accrington, meanwhile, will travel without midfielder Joe Pritchard, who is continuing his rehabilitation from an Achilles tendon rupture.

After being thrashed 4-0 by Derby County on Monday, Coleman is likely to hand several fringe players an opportunity to impress him on Saturday, with the likes of Sean McConville and Harry Perritt both hoping for starts.

Boreham Wood possible starting lineup:

Ashmore; Bush, Fyfield, Evans; Coxe, Broadbent, Rees, Payne, Lewis; Newton, Ndlovu

Accrington Stanley possible starting lineup:

Savin; Fernandes, Conneely, Rodgers; Clark, Longelo, Coyle, Leigh, Hamilton; Whalley, Adedoyin

We say: Boreham Wood 1-0 Accrington Stanley

With Accrington heading into this cup match in poor form in League One, we expect to see a tight affair at Meadow Park.

With their confidence surely boosted by last season's cup run - as well as their victory against Bristol Rovers in the previous round - it would be no surprise to see another upset ensue in favour of the hosts.

Previews by email

Top News

29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Gil Vicente vs. Famalicao (Friday, 3.30pm) Gil Vicente and Famalicao get round 27 of the Portuguese Primeira Liga underway when they go head to head at the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Friday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bristol City vs. Leicester (Friday, 12.30pm) Having been knocked off their Championship perch, an ailing Leicester City endeavour to reignite their title bid against Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Friday lunchtime. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Vitoria de Guimaraes will be looking to move level with Braga in the Conference League qualification spot when they go head to head with Moreirense on Saturday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two sides who could do well with all three points go head to head in round 27 of the Primeira Liga as Estoril Praia play host to Porto at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Saturday. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham boss Marco Silva has admitted he has spoken to Willian about his future with the club. 29 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly discovered the asking price of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes ahead of the summer transfer window. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Atlanta United can maintain their 100% record at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday when they host the Chicago Fire in the final MLS encounter of the weekend. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly suffered a blow in their pursuit of Paris Saint-Germain attacker Xavi Simons, who has starred on loan at RB Leipzig this season. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to keep their faint hopes of European qualification alive, Freiburg will travel to Borussia Park to face Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England trio Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford and Cole Palmer are among a number of players who could be potential beneficiaries if UEFA agree to increase national team squad sizes from 23 to 26 for Euro 2024. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa Women will welcome fellow Midlands side Leicester Women to the Bescot Stadium for Saturday's lunchtime kickoff. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly increasingly pessimistic about their chances of hiring top managerial candidate Xabi Alonso this summer. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Orlando City will go head-to-head with the New York Red Bulls in gamweek six of the MLS regular season at the Inter&Co Stadium in Florida on Sunday morning. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to keep their European hopes alive, Eintracht Frankfurt will welcome Union Berlin to Deutsche Bank Park on Saturday afternoon in the Bundesliga. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Unbeaten in their five Major League Soccer matches so far, Los Angeles entertain the challenge of Seattle Sounders at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will continue their title bid with a trip to Prenton Park for Saturday's Women's Super League meeting with Liverpool Women. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to respond following a defeat prior to the international break, Hearts will welcome Europe-chasing Kilmarnock to Tynecastle Park on Saturday afternoon in the Scottish Premiership. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham defender Calvin Bassey is expected to overcome an injury issue in time for Saturday's Premier League meeting with Sheffield United. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk RKC Waalwijk will be hoping to move outside of the Eredivisie's relegation zone by gaining a positive result against Heerenveen on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Go Ahead Eagles could move up to sixth in the Eredivisie table by beating SBV Excelsior on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to record back-to-back wins either side of the international break, Aberdeen will welcome Ross County to Pittodrie Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Scottish Premiership. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid are reportedly prepared to be priced out of a move for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk AZ Alkmaar will attempt to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches when they play host to Vitesse in Saturday's Eredivisie contest. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A blockbuster Premier League title showdown takes centre stage at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon as reigning champion Manchester City play host to leaders Arsenal. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City duo John Stones and Kyle Walker missed training on Thursday ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with title rivals Arsenal. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling generated the decibel level of boos that would normally be generated from the away end of Stamford Bridge when he miscued a free kick against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals before the international break. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Champions League-chasing Aston Villa welcome fellow European hopefuls Wolverhampton Wanderers to Villa Park for a Premier League West Midlands derby on Saturday evening. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Everton will be looking to steer themselves away from the Premier League relegation zone when they travel to the Vitality Stadium to face Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wolfsburg start life after Niko Kovac with a trip to face Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion in the Bundesliga on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nice are reportedly prepared to let Jean-Clair Todibo depart for £40m in the summer, alerting the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.