Woking 2-1 Southampton U21s

National League Cup

Laithwaite Community Stadium

16th September 2025

Woking’s second National League Cup game of the season saw them host Southampton U21s, as Neal Ardley fielded a strong side including the likes of Jake Forster-Caskey, Josh Kelly, Matt Ward and a returning Will Jaaskelainen for his first appearance this season.

In mild conditions, the visitors dominated the ball for most of the first twenty minutes, with little to show for it. Adetokunbo Oyekunle’s left footed shot flew over Jaaskelainen’s crossbar to give the Cards a brief scare, but the Cards had the best opening as Kelly managed to get a yard of space on the flank to cut the ball back, but nobody accepted the invitation for an open goal.

It would be Kelly to break the deadlock, however, when just shy of the half hour mark he nabbed the ball from Abdulhalim Okunola and slotted home to give the Cards the lead.

It would be Okunola to gift the second goal as well, when a ball to nowhere from Jack Turner was diverted in via the Southampton defender’s head, a bizarre action when no one was around him.

A goalmouth scramble prevented the Cards from getting a third but a solid half saw them go into the break two goals up.

Half time: Woking 2-0 Southampton U21s

Four subs at half time saw Woking introduce Beautyman, Tunji Akinola, Drewe and Andrews as Forster-Caskey, O’Brien, Hinds and Odusina were withdrawn.

The visitors had a goal back when Cameron Bragg’s through ball was controlled and finished well by Sufianu Dibaga into the bottom corner. Shortly after, Moses Sesay fired a shot into the arms of Jaaskelainen, before a follow up effort was blocked.

Woking then put together their best move of the game so far as Kelly, Tim Akinola and Beautyman combined, with the latter forcing a fantastic save from Josh Jeffries in goal.

Kelly was replaced by academy graduate Joden Trickett for the last twenty minutes as the Cards hoped to see the game out, with the Saints probing. A simple low shot was gathered by Jaaskelainen with time running out, before Tunji Akinola was involved in a penalty shout with Cameron Bragg, the young Southampton captain adamant he had been fouled before Akinola got to the ball inside the box.

Woking held on to secure three points to add to their group total, a welcome boost in confidence ahead of a double header of home league games against Forest Green and Sutton.

 Woking: Jaaskelainen, Hinds (Drewe 45), Okoli, Odusina (Tunji Akinola 45) , Richards, Forster-Caskey (Andrews 45), Tim Akinola, Turner, Ward, O’Brien (Beautyman 45), Kelly (Trickett 70)

Subs not used: Ross, Effiong

Goals: Kelly 28, Okunola OG 32

Southampton U21s: Jeffries, Moore, Dobson-Ventura, Okunola (Fry 67), Sesay, Akachukwu, Oyekunle (Sainsbury 83), Tabares (Whittaker 67), Dibaga (Gathercole 80), Williams (Kakay 67), Bragg

Subs not used: Ofuyaekpone-Shombe

Goals: Dibaga 53