Luton Town will continue their preparations for the 2021-22 campaign with their fourth pre-season match of the summer against Boreham Wood on Saturday afternoon.
The Championship side have had a busy programme thus far, but Boreham Wood have not been in action since finishing their National League campaign against Maidenhead United at the end of May.
Match preview
© Reuters
Boreham Wood ended the 2020-21 National League campaign in 14th position, having won 13, drawn 16 and lost 13 of their 42 matches to collect 55 points, 14 points off the playoff positions.
It was a disappointing end to the season for the Wood, who lost 1-0 at Eastleigh in their penultimate match of the campaign before suffering a 4-1 home defeat to Maidenhead on May 29.
Luke Garrard's side will now have their eyes firmly on the new season, which begins with a trip to Weymouth on August 21, but the club have a lot of football to play before then.
Indeed, they have confirmed friendlies against Luton, Brentford, Enfield Town, Kings Langley and Hemel Hempstead Town to come before the end of the month, while Garrard's team are also due to take on an Arsenal XI on July 24 and a Chelsea XI at the start of August.
© Reuters
Luton, meanwhile, started their preparations for next season at the start of July, putting seven unanswered goals past Hitchin Town, before recording a 4-0 home success over Rochdale.
The Championship club then made it three straight pre-season wins on Wednesday with a 5-0 victory over Bedford Town, with Carlos Mendes Gomes, Henri Lansbury, James Bree and Harry Cornick among the goals.
Nathan Jones's side, who finished 12th in the Championship last season, will continue their preparations for the new campaign this weekend before taking on Portsmouth on July 24.
As it stands, there are no more confirmed matches in the diary between the Portsmouth clash and their Championship opener at home to Peterborough United on August 7, although there is every chance that the team will be in action again before the start of competitive action.
Luton have been busy this summer in terms of incomings, with Lansbury, Reece Burke, Cameron Jerome and Admiral Muskwe among those to arrive ahead of the new season, which is now only around the corner.
- W
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Boreham Wood have been relatively busy this summer in terms of incomings, with Jacob Mendy, Conor Smith, Will Evans, Josh Rees and Frankie Raymond arriving at the club.
However, there have also been plenty of exits for the National League outfit, with Tom Champion, Matt Rhead, Shaq Coulthirst and Adam McDonnell among those to move on.
Head coach Garrard will make full use of his squad this weekend, and there is every chance that a number of players on trial will be given the opportunity to make their mark against Luton.
As for the visitors, Jones decided to replace his entire XI on the hour against Bedford on Wednesday evening, and the manager is expected to do the same again this weekend.
Khanya Leshabela - on trial from Leicester - should be given another chance to impress, while there will again be plenty of new signings on display for Luton, including Gomes and Jerome.
Jerome led the line for the Hatters in the first hour on Wednesday but could now drop down the bench for the first whistle, with Lansbury and Cornick pushing to be involved from the start.
Head To Head
There have only been two previous meetings between these two sides in all competitions, and both of the encounters came in the FA Cup in 1996 and 1998 respectively.
Indeed, Luton recorded a 2-1 victory over Boreham Wood in the second round of the 1996-97 FA Cup before running out 3-2 winners over the same opponents in the first round of the 1998-99 competition.
We say: Boreham Wood 0-2 Luton Town
Boreham Wood still have a relatively long time until the start of competitive action, but they are behind Luton in terms of preparations and also in quality. The home side are capable of causing some problems, but we are fully expecting the Championship club to put a fourth pre-season win on the board in routine fashion.
No Data Analysis info