Sports Mole previews Saturday’s National League clash between Chesterfield and Boreham Wood, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Chesterfield set out to clinch the National League title when they go head to head with Boreham Wood at the SMH Group Stadium on Saturday.
Having lost each of their last three outings, the Wood will head into the weekend looking to finally stop the rot and pick up a huge result in the battle at the bottom end of the table.
Match preview
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No one associated with the club could have envisaged the manner in which Chesterfield have performed this season as they have simply run away with the title in a superb campaign.
They have picked up 29 wins in their 40 matches so far while losing six and claiming five draws to collect 92 points and sit at the top of the table with a staggering 21-point lead over second-placed Barnet.
Chesterfield’s superb campaign has been owing to their sensational home record as they are the only side yet to suffer defeat at home this season, having picked up 17 wins and three draws in their 20 matches at the SMH Group Stadium.
Paul Cook’s men have also done an outstanding job at the attacking end of the pitch, where they are just three shy of 100 league goals this season, having finished with 81 in the 2022-23 campaign.
Chesterfield had to put the promotion champagne on ice in midweek as they fell to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Halifax Town, 22-year-old Andrew Oluwabori netted a brace to inspire the Shaymen to all three points.
While the Spireites set out to mathematically secure the league title this weekend, they will also be looking to avoid a second consecutive league defeat for the first time since losing to Oldham Athletic and Wrexham back in February 2023.
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With just seven games to go, Boreham Wood, on the other hand, find themselves in a heated relegation dogfight in what has been a truly forgettable campaign for the Hertfordshire outfit.
Luke Garrard’s side have won just 10 of their 39 National League matches so far while losing 15 and claiming 14 draws to collect 44 points and sit 20th in the table, just one point above the relegation zone.
While victory on Saturday could see Boreham Wood rise level on points with 14th-placed Woking, they failed to win any of their last four matches, picking up just one point from a possible 12 since the start of March.
The Wood were condemned to a third defeat on the bounce in midweek when they were beaten 1-0 by Altrincham at Meadow Park courtesy of a second-half strike from Chris Conn-Clarke.
Next up for Boreham Wood is the stern challenge of taking on a rampant Chesterfield side who are unbeaten in eight of their last 10 encounters, picking up four wins and four draws since September 2018.
While Gerrard’s men will be looking to get one over the hosts and pull themselves from the doldrums, they have lost their last four away matches and currently hold the division’s fifth-worst record on the road, having picked up just 18 points from 20 games.
Chesterfield National League form:
Boreham Wood National League form:
Team News
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Chesterfield remain without Sheffield United loanee Miguel Freckleton, who continues his spell on the sidelines through a hamstring injury.
Other than that, the Spireites head into the weekend with a clean bill of health and no suspension concerns, giving Cook the luxury of a relatively full strength squad at his disposal.
With his strike against Halifax, Will Grigg has now racked up 25 league goals this season and we expect the veteran striker to spearhead Chesterfield’s attack once again.
Meanwhile, Boreham Wood will take to the pitch without defender Chris Bush, who is currently suspended after picking up a red card in the game against Altrincham last time out.
In his absence, Welshman Cameron Coxe should be handed his 22nd start of the season, forming the back three with David Agbontohoma and 35-year-old Jamal Fyfield.
Chesterfield possible starting lineup:
Tyrer; Clements, Grimes, Williams, Mandeville; Banks, Naylor; Colclough, Hobson, Dobra; Grigg
Boreham Wood possible starting lineup:
Ashmore; Coxe, Agbontohoma, Fyfield; Sousa, Balanta, Payne, Sagaf, Ilesanmi; Tshimanga, Ndlovu
We say: Chesterfield 2-0 Boreham Wood
Needing just a draw to secure the title, we expect run-away league leaders Chesterfield to come out guns blazing this weekend. Cook’s men take on an out-of-sorts Boreham Wood side and we are backing them to claim a comfortable victory in front of their home supporters.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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