Boreham Wood v St Albans tips: FA Cup preview and best bets
Non-league pair Boreham Wood and St Albans meet on Monday night with a place in the third round of the FA Cup at stake. Michael Beardmore has a preview and best bets.
Football betting tips: FA Cup
1pt Scott Boden to be Boreham Wood’s first goalscorer at 23/10 (Sky Bet)
1pt Shaun Jeffers to be St Albans’ first goalscorer at 3/1 (bet365)
It’s a bit of a come-down for giant-killers St Albans as they follow up their FA Cup first-round victory over Sky Bet League Two leaders Forest Green with a trip to Boreham Wood.
And perhaps that has shown in their results since that thrilling 3-2 win over the Football League side, with two defeats and a draw in three National League South games.
No offence to their high-flying National League hosts, of course, with the Wood enjoying a sensational season, sitting second in the table, just a point behind leaders Chesterfield.
They will be dreaming of a first ever promotion to the Football League – but, before that, both of these sides will be dreaming of a potential money-spinning third-round tie against a Premier League giant.
Boreham Wood are heavy favourites to be in that third-round hat and it’s not difficult to see why – seven wins and three draws in all competitions making up a formidable home record this campaign.
St Albans are no mugs themselves, though, pushing for promotion from the league below, in seventh spot, and they seem a touch on the large side at 12/5 to qualify or 24/5 to win at the first time of asking.
They like a goal-fest do the visitors, their past few results featuring a couple of 4-1 wins, a 3-2 victory, plus 4-3 and 3-1 defeats – and while Boreham Wood are a bit more circumspect, the goals markets seem the smartest place to head in this type of affair.
Scott Boden has been in tidy form up front for the hosts, bagging five goals in his past six games, opening the scoring in three of those six.
He leads the way in the goal charts on seven overall and, with that recent hot streak in mind, it makes sense to back BODEN TO BE FIRST BOREHAM WOOD SCORER at 23/10 with Sky Bet.
You can get him at 18/5 to score first in the game in general but I’m hedging my bets because of the simply ridiculous scoring streak St Albans striker Shaun Jeffers is on.
He has a jaw-dropping 23 goals to his name already this season – the next closest team-mate has four (19 fewer!) so JEFFERS TO BE ST ALBANS’ FIRST SCORER looks huge at 3/1.
The visitors are around only 4/7 to score at all – so when you factor in that Jeffers has scored more than half of their goals this season, 3/1 is a very good price on him opening their account.
Boreham Wood v St Albans score prediction and best bets
- Scott Boden to be Boreham Wood’s first goalscorer at 23/10 (Sky Bet)
- Shaun Jeffers to be St Albans’ first goalscorer at 3/1 (bet365)
Score prediction: Boreham Wood 2-1 St Albans (Sky Bet odds: 13/2)
Odds correct at 2145 GMT (03/12/21)
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