Eastbourne Borough face another promotion hopeful on Saturday when they travel to Boreham Wood in the National League South.

It’s the fourth time the two teams will have met each other this term, having played each other in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.

And whilst Wood prevailed in both cup competitions, the Sports came out on top in the reverse league fixture at the end of October – coming from behind to win 2-1 at The ReachTV Stadium.

The Manager

Luke Garrard returned to Meadow Park in September 2024 five months after departing the Club, having previously spent nine seasons in the hot seat and 18 total years with the Club in various capacities.

During Luke’s first stint in charge, between October 2015 and April 2024, the Club witnessed unrivalled success on the pitch, with the Club reaching the National League play-offs three times in 2018, 2020 and 2023, including going to Wembley for the first and only time, agonisingly losing out to eventual promotion winners on each occasion to Tranmere Rovers, Harrogate Town and Notts County respectively.

Competing at the top table of Non-League football was coupled with historic runs in the FA Cup, the world’s most recognised Club cup competition. Under the COVID cloud, Wood reached the third round for the first time ever in January 2021, taking on Championship side Millwall at Meadow Park.

However, that cup record was bettered just a season later when Wood mounted a monumental cup run which culminated at Goodison Park going head-to-head with five-time FA Cup winners Everton. It was a run that captured the imagination of the nation, defeating AFC Wimbledon in the third round to set up a fourth round tie against Championship leaders AFC Bournemouth.

With modest expectations heading to the South coast, Garrard and his team tore up the script, overseeing the greatest achievement in the Club’s history, as well as one of greatest FA Cup upsets in recent memory. Wood’s 1-0 victory over the Cherries saw Wood become just the tenth Non-League side to reach the FA Cup fifth round.

Just a season later, Wood reached the FA Cup third round for the third consecutive season, becoming just the third Non-League side to achieve that feat after defeating Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers to set up a third round tie with Accrington Stanley.

Danger Man

Kwesi Appiah began his career in the youth set up at Ebbsfleet United before earning a move to Peterborough United in 2008. After two seasons with the Posh, including loan spells with Weymouth, King’s Lynn Town and Kettering Town, Kwesi departed London Road in 2010 returning to Non-League to sign for Thurrock. Just a season later in July 2011, Appiah signed for Margate, where he would enjoy the most prolific spell of his career. Kwesi’s impressive start to life at Margate, scoring 22 goals in 24 appearances, quickly caught the attention of sides much further up the pyramid and in January 2012 Crystal Palace won the race to his signature.

Across a five-year spell with Crystal Palace, Kwesi would enjoy loans spells away from Selhurst Park with the likes of Aldershot Town, Yeovil Town, Cambridge United, Notts County, AFC Wimbledon, Reading and Viking FK of Norway, however in the summer of 2017 following the expiration of his contract, Appiah would join one of his former loan clubs, AFC Wimbledon, on a permanent basis.

Kwesi would spend three seasons with the Dons, scoring 15 goals in 71 total appearances, but a move abroad was next on the cards for Appiah, signing for Northeast United in the Indian Super League in October 2020. Less than a year later, Kwesi returned to England, signing for League Two Crawley Town in August 2021. Following the mutual termination of his contract at the Broadfield Stadium in the summer of 2023, Kwesi would put pen to paper on a two-year contract with Boreham Wood in July 2023.

Head-to-Head

The Sports last visited Meadow Park on December 7th, losing 1-0 in the Third Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy. Kwesi Appiah got the only goal of the game ten minutes from time as Wood edged out the Sports in a closely fought contest – although Borough would feel they missed opportunities to progress themselves.

1-0 was also the scoreline when Wood prevailed in the Emirates FA Cup with victory at The ReachTV Stadium in the Second Qualifying Round in September. Junior Dixon struck in the 70th minute and despite having chances to draw level, Borough couldn’t find the equaliser.

However, after going behind to Erico Sousa’s first half effort, Borough did turn the game around when the two teams met in the league. George Alexander drew the Sports level with 15 minutes to go, before Finn Ballard McBride struck late on to give Adam Murray’s side a 2-1 win.