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

Grimsby Town will be looking to make sure of a National League playoff place when they welcome Boreham Wood to Blundell Park on Tuesday.

The visitors, meanwhile, need to pick up all three points if they are to go into the final day of the season with an outside chance of securing a playoff position.

Match preview

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Grimsby currently occupy sixth spot, and they enter Tuesday's contest with a three-point cushion over Dagenham & Redbridge, who sit just outside the playoff places.

If the Mariners can take at least a point off Boreham Wood then they will secure their place in the top seven.

Ahead of the midweek encounter, the Mariners will have to pick themselves up after they lost 3-1 at home to Maidenhead United at the weekend.

A Luke Waterfall own goal gave Maidenhead the lead and matters got worse for Waterfall when he was shown a red card just a minute later before Sam Barratt and Ryan Upward found the net to give the visitors a three-goal advantage, and although Tristan Abrahams pulled a goal back for Grimsby in the 76th minute, it was all too little too late.

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The visitors, on the other hand, enter the midweek contest in ninth position, with six points separating them from the playoffs.

To finish in the top seven, Boreham Wood will need to win their final two matches, while results elsewhere will also need to go their way.

They would also require a positive swing in goal difference, but first and foremost, the Wood will be looking to collect the all-important three points on Tuesday, which would set up an exciting final day of the season.

Boreham Wood's task would have been slightly easier were it not for back-to-back draws, and the latest of those contests saw Luke Garrard's side give up a two-goal lead against Yeovil Town at the weekend.

Tyrone Marsh and Dennon Lewis put the Wood in pole position for the three points, but Morgan Williams and Luke Wilkinson both found the net to ensure that Garrard and his players will need to beat Grimsby to stand any chance of obtaining a playoff place.

Team News

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Sean Scannell is expected to miss out after being forced off against Maidenhead with an Achilles injury, while an ankle problem will prevent Michael Efete from featuring.

With Waterfall suspended for Tuesday's contest, Hurst is expected to give Shaun Pearson a starting berth, and there could also be a place in the side for Jordan Maguire-Drew.

As for the visitors, they are expected to be without the services of Mark Ricketts who has missed the last three matches through injury, while Josh Rees and Connor Stevens will also miss out.

Marsh will continue to operate in the forward line for the visitors with the 28-year-old looking to find the net for the third consecutive game.

Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:

Crocombe; Cropper, Smith, Pearson, Amos; Fox, Clifton; Maguire-Drew, Holohan, Abrahams; Taylor

Boreham Wood possible starting lineup:

Ashmore; Stephens, Comley, Evans; Smith, Mafuta, Lewis, Raymond, Mendy; Marsh, Boden

We say: Grimsby Town 2-1 Boreham Wood

Boreham Wood may have to throw caution to the win in search of all three points, and that could play into the hands of their hosts who have the fifth best home record in the league, and we think that Grimsby will be able to pick up a 15th home league win on Tuesday.