Woking 2-0 Derby County U21s
National League Group A
14th January 2025

Woking closed out their National League Cup campaign against Derby County U21s, who replaced Reading as the Cards final opponents in Group A.

Neal Ardley made eight changes to the side that earned a point in Somerset on Saturday, with only Adam Chicksen, Jermaine Anderson and captain Dale Gorman keeping their places in the starting XI.

New loan signing Jacob Mazionis was handed a starting place at the heart of the Cards’ defence, whilst Saturday’s goal scorer Aiden O’Brien was also in the starting eleven for the first time. Cian Harries and Inih Effiong were given the night off, whilst the injured Matt Ward was not risked.

Woking got the game underway, shooting towards an empty LGS. It was the young Rams that had the first chance of the game after just eight minutes when Lennon Wheeldon had an effort from the edge of the box well saved by Ollie Webber, and the rebound was put wide on the stretch by Demiane Agustien.

The Derby forward had the ball in the back of the Cards’ net after 20 minutes, only for the linesman’s flag to preserve Woking’s clean sheet.

Woking’s first chance of the night came five minutes later when a long ball into the box fell to the feet of Rohan Ince, but the midfielder’s half-volley flew narrowly wide of the target. Four minutes later, Woking manufactured another good chance when Dennon Lewis’ neat turn and threaded ball found Lewis Walker, but his effort was well saved by Harry Evans in the Derby County goal.

Just after the half-an-hour mark, Ollie Webber was again forced into a smart save, this time via a free-kick from Derby left-back, Riley Moloney.

There were very few chances in the closing stages of the first half, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut openings.

Half-time: Woking 0-0 Derby County U21s

Ardley tweaked the formation at the break, changing from a 4-3-3 to a variation of a 4-4-2. Jamie Andrews replaced Rohan Ince during the interval.

The lively Lewis had Woking’s first chance of the second half, but his strike from the edge of the box was straight at Evans.

Woking finally broke the deadlock in the 76th minute. Good work on the right wing by Lewis saw his cross dummied by Walker, where substitute Harry Beautyman collected and finished into the bottom corner of Evans’ goal.

Moments later the hosts almost doubled their lead, when the advanced Jacob Jones found himself inside the Derby area, but his right-footed effort was straight at the visiting ‘keeper.

With a minute left of normal time, Lewis capped off a fine individual performance when the winger collected a loose ball and produced a fine step-over to round the Derby centre-back, before bending a left-footed effort into the far corner.

The final whistle brought an end to the match and the Cards’ participation in this season’s National League Cup. The result was the hosts’ first win in normal time in the competition and extended Neal Ardley’s unbeaten run as the manager to six games.


Woking: Webber, Wynter, Mazionis, Chicksen, Jones, Gorman (Beautyman 61’), Anderson (Dryer 89’), Ince, Lewis (Andrews 46’), O’Brien (Akinola 61’), Walker

Subs: Jaaskelainen, Christophers

Goals: Beautyman 74’ and Lewis 89’

Bookings: Chicksen 42’ and Walker 92’

Derby County U21: Evans, Robinson (Richards 84’), Moloney, Canoville (Gordon 67’), Cox, Bartley, Perry, Turley, Wheeldon (Green 84’), Agustien (Allen 61’), Stephen-Iwumene (McAndrew 61’)

Subs: Smattell, Smith

Goals:

Bookings:

Attendance: 91

Man of the Match: Jacob Jones with an all-action display for the Cards at both ends of the pitch.