Fixture news – Week commencing 15th September 2025
In an unusual quirk of the fixture list there are no Woking Academy representative games this week. The under 17s do travel to Bognor Regis Town for a 7.30 kick off on Wednesday 17th in the FA Youth Cup First Qualifying Round, representing Westfield.
For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy ‘X’ page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
The Academy website is wokingcitc.org
Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 8th September 2025
Wednesday 10th September
Woking U18 13 – 1 Hertford Town Whites; National League Alliance – Division F
Woking College, Rydens Way
Report from Ian Tilley
Hertford started positively, with little indication of how their day was to unravel. Although they were rather open and Woking’s quick transitions of play had them ahead on 14 minutes. Roshan Kigozi found himself in a lot of space on the right hand side of the penalty area, and ‘keeper Herb Conquest only blocked the shot across him, leaving Callum Mathieson with a tap in for the first of his double hat-trick.
The incident which was to have such a large bearing on the game came on 25 minutes. Mathieson collided with Conquest whilst running in on goal, and with no foul committed play continued and Kigozi slotted calmly into the now unprotected goal. Unfortunately for Hertford, the injury which had kept Conquest down saw him helped from the field of play.
With an outfield player having to take over in goal, Hertford were now on the back foot. A mis-controlled back pass on 31 minutes gave Mathieson another tap in, further unsettling the visitors. The fourth goal came on 34 minutes, Mathieson turning creator with a fine pass across to Tricker, who passed the ball firmly into the bottom corner, the stand-in ‘keeper unprotected by his defence.
Hertford rallied well and had a goal on 39 minutes, Ollie Stacey finishing well, with Woking perhaps a little complacent. As the half drew to a close it was not clear how emphatic the scoreline was to become.
Half-time: Woking 4 – 1 Hertford Town
Indeed, Hertford looked to have steadied the ship and even managed a couple of attempts on goal before the five minutes of play which ended the game as a contest. It was six shortly after the hour mark, Timothy Francis and Tyrell Ejakita comparing notes on curling the ball beautifully into the top corner from the edge of the area.
The seventh and eighth also came in quick succession against an increasingly demoralised opponent. George Mattingley with an easy run and a flick past the ‘keeper with the outside of his foot, and Mathieson in space to shoot low inside the near post from eight yards.
With twenty minutes still to play it was a case of how many Woking would get. Kai Baverstock fired into an open goal from twelve yards after a scramble following a corner, before Mathieson scored his second hat-trick over the course of nine minutes. Two of them were very similar, running onto a good through ball, rounding the ‘keeper and slotting home, his sixth a first-time half-volley when the ball was played over the top.
Pranish Gurung finished the scoring with a neat finish after a fine piece of dribbling. Hertford will of course have better days, with a specialist goalkeeper, and Woking much tougher ones. This was indeed a most unusual game.
Woking: Aaron Sings, Jack McGibbon (Connor Thomas 61), Mason Drew (Kai Baverstock 68), Dillan Davies, Jack Owen, George Mattingley, Frankie Bushby (C), Roshan Kigozi (Pranish Gurung 68), Timothy Francis, Jack Tricker (Tyrell Ejakita 57), Callum Mathieson. Unused sub: Jack Roles (GK).
Goals: Mathieson 14, 31, 68, 77, 82, 85, Kigozi 25, Tricker 34, Francis 58, Ejakita 62, Mattingley 66, Baverstock 74, Gurung 88.
Maidstone United U19 4 – 2 Woking U19 (EDS); National League Academy – South Division
The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone
Report from Holly Porter
The Gallagher Stadium hosted its first National League Academy South game of the season as the EDS travelled to take on a Maidstone side who had also enjoyed a high-scoring, winning start to the season, having put 6 past Dorking away from home last week.
Woking made a promising start, with several notable chances before the opener. Boxall was heavily involved in the first 5 minutes, firstly when he picked up a good ball from Dryer in the penalty area just 2 minutes in but could not find his way through the home defence. In the 5th minute, the captain powered a dangerous ball across the goalmouth, but it fell just out of reach of the arriving Trickett.
The young Cards were setback in the 20th minute, when Cotton was forced off with a hamstring injury, but the positive play continued, and just 4 minutes later Dryer opened the scoring. His 6th of the season, a perfectly laid pass fell into his path, with a well-taken effort which lifted the ball over Swift and gave Woking a deserved lead.
Woking’s second came with McQueen’s first of the season. The ball fell to him just outside the area, and he struck his effort excellently well, leaving everyone only to watch as the shot flew past Swift in the 39th minute.
The momentum shifted as the first half came to a close, with Paddy Flynn’s 43rd-minute goal, turned in from close range, being a notable turning point. A second before the break saw Ashton Mitford stand over a penalty two minutes into injury time. He waited for Verga to commit to a move to his left before passing to the right of the Woking no.1 to level the scoreline.
Half – time: Maidstone United 2 – 2 Woking
It did not take Maidstone long to establish a lead after the restart, with a 53rd minute corner proving deadly. Sonny Jackson rose highest in the crowded Woking box and powered a central header into the net in a well-executed set-piece. Just two minutes later, Maidstone netted a fourth, with Mitford powering home from close range to score his second of the afternoon.
Although this signed off the scoring, it certainly did not sign off the chances, with a period that saw Maidstone really push on for more. After weathering that storm, however, it was Woking who created the better chances in the final 10 minutes. In the 82nd minute, Dryer met a wall of Maidstone defence on the edge of the penalty area but nevertheless did well to force the ball through to Boxall. The captain, however, lost the ball under his feet, and the defence were able to clear.
Moments after, scrappy play in the box saw the ball fall to Page in the goalmouth, but Swift reacted excellently to block the substitutes effort. The 86th minute saw Swift off his line to meet the driving run of Parkes, leaving Dryer in front of the vacant net. The recovering defence, however, were able to get a crucial touch, denying Dryer a second. Despite promising advancements as the game drew to a close, Maidstone took a 4-2 victory after an impressive display of mentality to recover the 2-goal deficit.
After the game, Academy manager Matt Winter reflected, “I thought we were excellent for 40 minutes […] unfortunately, we weren’t able to create any momentum in the second half”. On Bailey Cotton’s withdrawal: “Bailey’s been excellent in the first two league games, he picked up a bit of a hamstring injury, which is frustrating […] Hopefully it’s not a bad one for Bailey and we can get him back as soon as possible”.
Woking: Mikey Verga, Bailey Cotton (Jack Lewis 20’), Sonny Parkes, Cameron McQueen, Chris Rangel (Freddie Greenstreet 71’), Harrison Stevens, Lucas Boxall ©, Quincy Patterson (Josh Solecki 57’), Joden Trickett, Kooshan Hayati (Jalil Page 57’), Tom Dryer. Unused Substitute: Sam Cockwell (GK).
Goalscorers: Tom Dryer 24’, Cameron McQueen 39’.
Thursday 11th September
Woking U18 A – A St Albans City Reserves; Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Knaphill FC, Redding Way
A difficult evening for St. Albans. Transport problems and uncertainty about who to name on their teamsheet led to them starting late with eight players and it being unclear which latecomers could then join the game. This combined with an unusually high number of players all being simultaneously unable to continue led to the match having to be abandoned after 34 minutes of play (with the score at 0 – 0). One for the League committee to decide the ramifications of.
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch
Saturday 13th September
Quincy Patterson, Midfield, EDS – Westfield: Came on after 90+1 minutes, with the scoring completed, in the 2 – 2 draw against Horsham in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round. Tom Dryer, Midfield, EDS was an unused substitute for this match.
Joden Trickett, Forward, EDS – Ascot United: Came on as a substitute in the 81st minute, with the scoring completed, in the 2 – 0 victory at Horndean in the Isthmian League South Central Division (Step 4).
League fixture (home) details for the 2025/26 season
EDS, National League Under 19 Academy South Division. Midweek, daytime, at either Westfield Football Club or Woking College.
Woking play in the Premier Division of the Suburban Football League. Whilst there is not an age limit for this League most teams view it as a predominantly youth league, and Woking field a team based on second years, with some first years, and some from the EDS. Knaphill FC, 19:30, Thursday.
The National League structure also offers Woking a place in Division F of their Alliance Leagues. This team is largely made up of second years, with opportunities for ‘progressing’ first years. Woking College, Wednesday, daytime.
Woking continue in the Central Division of the Isthmian League Youth system. The league is for under 18s, although in recent seasons Woking have fielded a team largely made up of first years. Knaphill FC, 19:30, Thursday.
