Boreham Wood vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to proceed their exceptional winning run, National League pacesetters Boreham Wood invited League One's Wigan Athletic to Mangata Developments Stadium Meadow Park successful the archetypal circular of the FA Cup connected Saturday afternoon.

The Wood secured a melodramatic last-minute occurrence implicit Hartlepool United past clip retired successful Hertfordshire, whilst the Latics played retired a goalless gully astatine location with chap strugglers Mansfield Town.

Match preview

Losing successful the National League playoff last to Rochdale astatine Wembley Stadium past season, Boreham Wood are successful nary temper to endure that lottery erstwhile again, with Saturday's hosts cruising towards a rubric occurrence successful the 5th tier.

Remarkably, the Wood person enjoyed a 16-game unbeaten commencement (W14 D2) to their league campaign, winning 14 of their past 15 fifth-tier contests since a 3-3 gully with Tamworth connected the opening day.

Across National League, FA Cup qualifying and National League Cup action, Luke Garrard's troops are presently successful the midst of a nine-game winning streak, however, that tally was successful information of halting past clip out.

The runaway league leaders recovered themselves 3-2 down to relegation-threatened Hartlepool astatine Meadow Park past weekend, erstwhile precocious strikes from Zak Brunt and talisman Matt Rush snatched 3 points for the hosts.

Netting the 92nd-minute victor disconnected the bench, 25-year-old Rush has scored 10 goals successful arsenic galore National League appearances and leads the division's Golden Boot race, whilst Boreham Wood are 12 points wide of second-placed Harrogate Town successful the table.

Wigan Athletic instrumentality to enactment successful the contention that provided them with their lone large trophy, with Saturday's visitors lifting the FA Cup astatine Wembley successful 2013 aft an added-time Ben Watson stunner downed Manchester City successful the final.

Thirteen years on, the Latics are struggling astatine the ft of the 3rd part of English football, winning conscionable 3 of their opening 14 league contests, sitting successful 21st presumption successful the League One standings.

Since 3 consecutive defeats by Oxford United (1-2), Huddersfield Town (1-2) and Leicester City (0-3), Gary Caldwell's men person picked up 4 points crossed matches against whipping boys Bromley (3-2) and Mansfield (0-0).

A worrying statistic up of this weekend's travel to Meadow Park, Wigan person failed to triumph immoderate of their archetypal 7 distant battles (D1 L6) this word and person the worst grounds connected the roadworthy successful the 3rd tier, collecting conscionable a azygous constituent connected their troublesome travels.

On a much affirmative note, the Latics enjoyed a respectable tally successful past season's FA Cup, beating Hemel Hempstead, Barrow and Championship broadside Preston North End earlier yet falling to Premier League champions Arsenal astatine the Emirates Stadium successful the 4th round.

Boreham Wood FA Cup form:

W

Boreham Wood signifier (all competitions):

W W W W W W

Wigan Athletic signifier (all competitions):

W L L L W D

Team News

After making a goalscoring interaction disconnected the seat astatine the disbursal of Hartlepool past weekend, Boreham Wood's starring striker Rush should commencement this FA Cup clash.

The 25-year-old is apt to regenerate Jay Bird astatine the focal constituent of attack, contempt the Salford City loanee scoring six goals successful 11 league appearances for the Wood.

Wigan are sweating implicit the fittingness of seasoned striker Scott Hogan, who was forced disconnected during the archetypal fractional of the stalemate with Mansfield earlier successful the week.

The lack of the erstwhile Birmingham City attacker would apt pb to Christian Saydee earning a starting spot for the travel to Meadow Park.

Adding to the guardant issues for the visitors, Dara Costelloe is expected to beryllium sidelined for up to 4 weeks due to the fact that of a groin problem.

Boreham Wood imaginable starting lineup:

Curd; Golden, O'Connell, Bush, Bainbridge; Booty, White; Cashman, Brunt, Allarakhia; Rush

Wigan Athletic imaginable starting lineup:

Whitworth; Weir, Carragher, Burns; Barrett, Power, Gray, Miller; Burrowes, Walsh; Saydee

We say: Boreham Wood 2-1 Wigan Athletic

Running distant with the National League crown, Boreham Wood volition fearfulness nary foe astatine the infinitesimal - not adjacent the 2013 FA Cup champions.

Wigan are struggling successful League One and person faltered connected the roadworthy truthful acold this term, with different distant nonaccomplishment apt astatine Meadow Park.

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