Glen Harrington
8:07am, Fri 24th Mar 2023
Maidstone United vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 25th March 2023
Woking will be hoping the arrivals of Charlie Wakefield and Charlie O’Connell will help inspire a return to winning ways this weekend as they make the trip to face Maidstone United.
The injury-plagued Cards, who lost defender Luke Wilkinson after just 18 minutes of Saturday’s defeat to Chesterfield, are now without five first-team players, but will be buoyed by their latest arrivals as they target both a play-off place and the advantages of a third-place finish. Despite the loss to their top seven rivals last weekend, Darren Sarll’s side remain in third position on goal difference and hold a 13-point advantage over eighth-place Wealdstone with eight games remaining. And with the prospect of fifth-place Barnet to come on Tuesday evening this is certainly set to be a big few days for the Cards.
It will be intriguing to see how Sarll’s new signings are fitted into Saturday’s team. The returning O’Connell adds some much needed depth at full-back and in centre-midfield, where the loss of Jermaine Anderson and Jake Hessenthaler has proved particularly problematic. Whilst Wakefield will add another wide option in the continued absence of James Daly, although given he has featured just twice for Yeovil in 2023, he may not be ready for an immediate starting berth. Meanwhile, Billy Sass-Davies and Joe McNerney will be competing to start alongside Scott Cuthbert, fresh from signing a contract extension on Friday along with club captain Josh Casey, at centre back.
Opposition Watch
Last season’s National League South title winners have endured a torrid season and are on the verge of an immediate return to the sixth tier. They’ve picked up just 24 points, seven less than their nearest rivals and 13 fewer than Dorking Wanderers, who sit one place above the bottom four. Their home record is marginally better, with 16 points won, but they’ve still won just three games at the Gallagher Stadium, compared to two away from home.
Their last win of any kind came in the FA Trophy, away to Eastleigh, in mid-February, whilst their last league win was against Maidenhead United at the end of November. Since then they’ve taken three points from 17 games, including a nine-match losing run between the start of December and the start of February – with their only respite coming in draws against Yeovil, Gateshead, and Scunthorpe. Their Trophy run was halted at the quarter-final stage by Barnet, on penalties, two weeks ago.
Manager Hakan Hayrettin, now at Dulwich Hamlet, was sacked in early January. Former player George Elokobi has been in caretaker charge and was appointed permanently this week. Their top scorers this season are Jack Barham, with nine, who has recently joined Aldershot, and midfielder Regan Booty, with seven, who was part of the recent England C squad. Other familiar names in the Stones squad include former Shots defender George Fowler and ex-Bromley striker James Alabi.
Recent Meetings
• Woking
3-1 Maidstone United – 3rd December 2022, National League (Ince, Browne, Kellermann)
• Maidstone United
3-2 Woking (AET) – 18th December 2018, FA Trophy (Eyoma, Hodges)
• Woking
1-1 Maidstone United – 15th December 2018, FA Trophy (Edser)
• Woking
4-4,4-4 Maidstone United – 6th January 2018, National League (Ferdinand, Effiong, Carter, Banton)
• Maidstone United
3-1 Woking – 9th September 2017, National League (Ward)
Tickets
Ticket prices are £19 for adults, £15 for concessions (65+/students with valid ID), £9 for youth (11-16 year olds), £3 for juniors (under 11). For more information and to book your ticket please
click here.
