Notts County play host to Boreham Wood in this weekend’s National League play-off semi-final, with a place at Wembley in the play-off final up for grabs.
The Wood overcame Barnet 2-1 in Tuesday’s eliminator to set up the trip to Meadow Lane on Sunday, and the winners of this tie will face the victors of the second semi-final between Chesterfield and Bromley on May 13.
The National League play-off final will be held at Wembley Stadium for the first time since 2020.
County come into the tie having finished second in the table, and boast only one defeat in their last six to title winners Wrexham.
Boreham Wood meanwhile have three wins in their last six before they make the trip up to Nottingham on Sunday, but hold one of the best defensive records in the division.
Notts County forward Macauley Langstaff knows that whilst the club have performed well most of the season, they need to be switched on in a play-off situation.
He says: “While we’re proud of our records this season, we need to forget about them and just focus on promotion which was our aim at the start of the season.
“Boreham Wood are a well-drilled side with a great defence, so an early goal could be massive in a game like this.
Langstaff has been breaking records in the National League this season, and has talked the impact the team has had on him.
“My confidence has grown with every game, and it helped that I scored a lot of goals last season too which always helps with momentum.
“I can’t really put my finger on why it’s worked so well this season and there’s not too many times where you’ll score 40+ goals in a season.
“The manager has taught me lots in a short space of time, and my teammates have been able to clear a path for me to score.”
Head Coach Luke Williams has called on his players to embrace the pressure that comes with playing in these big games.
He says: “There’s a huge weight on us in times like this, and if you don’t feel the pressure you’re either so good that you don’t feel it or you’re probably not in touch with the job you have.
“For me personally I have a lot to prove in football and I’m fine with the weight of expectation that comes with a job like this, but it was clear to me when I took the job and I have no regrets about it.”
Williams knows the advantage of having a home tie in these circumstances, and is calling on the fans to make the difference.
“To have over 15,000 fans at the game is a huge boost for us.
“The energy they can create in the stadium is something that both the staff and the players can feel.
“Having said that we need to make sure we help create an atmosphere for the fans to make that noise.”
Supporters can still secure tickets for Sunday’s game by visiting the ticket office or calling 0115 955 7210
Notts County photo- CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
