Preview: Halifax Town vs. Boreham Wood - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors this weekend narrowly missed out on a playoff place last season but look set to be in the hunt for promotion once again as this year's fifth-tier table begins to take a meaningful shape.

Match preview

After finishing fourth in the National League last season, Halifax fans started to believe that their steady climb up the fifth tier since winning the National League North playoffs five years ago would end in a fairytale promotion to League Two.

Unfortunately for them, a playoff defeat to Chesterfield sentenced them to another season in the National League and the Shaymen have struggled to bounce back from that disappointment in May, leaving them way off the pace required to earn a top-seven berth this term.

Chris Millington's men are 16th in the fifth tier after collecting a hardly-impressive 22 points from their opening 18 matches, meaning they sit a massive eight points away from the playoffs as the season approaches its halfway point.

An obvious weakness of Halifax so far this campaign has been their toothlessness in front of goal, with their record of netting 16 times in 18 fixtures the joint-worst in the division.

Defensive solidity has also departed Halifax, who conceded the fewest goals in the National League last season but now seem vulnerable to a capitulation at the back, having lost 5-1 to Aldershot Town and 4-0 to Woking earlier on in the campaign.

Boreham Wood need to address a winless run of five games in the National League if they are to achieve a playoff berth that eluded them by seven points last season as they finished ninth.

Not since a narrow away victory over Wealdstone in early October have The Wood earned all three points, with two losses and three draws making up a frustrating last five fixtures.

Mixed in with the current poor run of league form have been FA Cup successes over the aforementioned Wealdstone and divisional-rivals Eastleigh, meaning Boreham Wood have a trip to third-tier Bristol Rovers to look forward to after travelling to West Yorkshire this weekend.

Luke Garrard's men will be confident heading into this clash having collected 18 points from nine away outings so far this term, a tally that can only be bested by league-leaders Notts County.

Halifax Town National League form:

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Halifax Town form (all competitions):

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Boreham Wood National League form:

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Boreham Wood form (all competitions):

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Team News

Halifax are hopeful of having centre-back Jesse Debrah available for selection on Saturday after the 22-year-old missed his side's last three games with a calf injury.

The Shaymen's injury list looks set to shorten in the next few weeks with Jordan Keane and Jordan Slew close to a return to the matchday squad following their respective injuries.

Defender Festus Arthur is still a couple of weeks away from action, with the Ghanaian not featuring since Halifax's 2-1 win over Oldham Athletic three weeks ago.

Boreham Wood will welcome back Will Evans to the matchday squad after the centre-back served his one-match suspension for collecting his fifth booking of the season in the draw with York City.

Kyron Gordon could have to settle for a place on the bench to make way for the returning Evans, with the youngster on loan from Sheffield United unable to help his new side keep a clean sheet on his debut in non-league last time out.

Halifax Town possible starting lineup:

Johnson; Senior, Debrah, Stott, Golden; Cappello, Summerfield, Gilmour, Spence; Dieseruvwe, Cooke

Boreham Wood possible starting lineup:

Ashmore; Ilesanmi, Evans, Gordon, Coxe; Brunt, Payne, Newton, Broadbent; Ndlovu, Lewis

We say: Halifax Town 1-1 Boreham Wood

Halifax are not where they wanted to be at this stage of the season, but a host of new players are beginning to gel and should fire the club up the National League table over the winter.

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