Laithwaite Independent Financial Advisers
BSBS
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 17th SeptemberSep 2011
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 1306

Woking
Woking
3 - 1

Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic

Title favourites go head to head

Brian Caffarey
3:10pm, Thu 15th Sep 2011
Woking v Dover Athletic
3pm on Saturday 17 September 2011

This Saturday’s game against old rivals Dover Athletic looks to be one of the key games of the season. The Whites are widely expected to be one of the main challengers for promotion. Their form so far has been a bit uneven but they seem happiest away from Perry’s Crabble and can be expected to provide a very tough test for Garry Hill’s side. (Before the game, at 12 noon on Moaners’ Corner, there will be a ceremony to mark the scattering of Phil Ledger’s ashes at Kingfield: please see the earlier message for further details.)

WOKING

The Cards have largely had the edge over Dover in the last couple of seasons, beating them in a memorable play-off semi-final in 2009-10 and squeezing them out of the play-off places last season as well as knocking them out of the FA Trophy. But it’s not been all plain sailing: Dover’s win at Kingfield on the opening day of last season was a severe blow and set the tone for an underwhelming first half of the campaign.

Woking, like Dover, have tended to find it easier playing away from home than in front of their own crowd, although the Cards have actually managed three wins and a draw so far at Kingfield. But none of the victories was wholly convincing and Steve Thompson commented after the somewhat flattering 3-1 win over Eastbourne Borough last Saturday that Woking would need to play better against Dover to collect all three points.

Will Garry Hill be tempted to change his side? Gez Sole and Jay Davies, both of whom have impressed in substitute appearances, are the two players with the strongest claims to be promoted to a starting place.

Mike Cestor will be making his last appearance unless his loan spell from Leyton Orient is extended.

DOVER ATHLETIC

Dover currently lie in 7th place, with 13 points from 8 games. There is a feeling among some Dover fans that the side has under-performed so far, with three successive draws at home. Manager Martin Hayes has been criticised for rotating his squad, although he kept the same line-up last Saturday against Basingstoke Town last Saturday and it still resulted in a goalless stalemate.

The Whites started the season impressively with back-to-back 4-0 wins over Dorchester at home and Thurrock away. But they then came unstuck at Truro City, losing 1-0 before registering three draws in succession: at home to Dartford (2-2) and Tonbridge Angels (0-0) and away to Sutton (0-0). They got back to winning ways with an impressive 3-2 victory at Chelmsford but then suffered frustration again last Saturday with another goalless draw against Basingstoke Town.

Over the summer, Dover lost top striker Adam Birchall to Gillingham but they’ve gained two very useful goalscorers in Billy Bricknell, signed from Chelmsford City, and George Purcell, who scored a cracker for Dartford at Kingfield when on loan from York City last autumn. Both Bricknell and Purcell have notched five goals apiece already. Olly Schulz has previously caused us problems at set pieces but he was placed on the transfer list some weeks ago following disciplinary problems.

Ex-Aldershot keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz has been one of the stars so far, along with defender Steve Watt, signed from Grimsby in the summer. Other new faces include Glen Southam, the former Dagenham and Barnet midfielder, and James Walker, who had a spell at Woking towards the end of last season.

LAST SEASON

Woking 0 Dover Athletic 1
14 August 2010

An opening-day defeat by the Whites, followed by a 3-0 mauling at Chelmsford City, cruelly exposed some of the weaknesses in the squad which Graham Baker had assembled over the summer. Lenny Pidgeley was the hero in the first half, saving Adam Birchall’s penalty, but was responsible for the Whites’ goal after the break as he tried to usher the ball out of play. Elliot Charles had the simple task of putting the ball in the net after Birchall’s good work.


Dover Athletic 1 Woking 2
FA Trophy Q3
20 November 2010

The Cards dispelled fears of a post-FA Cup slump with this impressive win at Crabble. On-loan Jerome Federico scored twice in the first half. Hunt netted for Dover midway through the second half but the Cards hung on for a notable win.


Dover Athletic 2 Woking 2
11 January 2011

Graham Baker’s penultimate game in charge saw the Cards pegged back twice at Crabble. Elvis Hammond struck superbly from a Sam Hurrell break to gain the lead but Donovan Simmonds’s header from a set piece quickly restored parity. The Cards regained the advantage in the second half when Moses Ademola side-footed home from an Aswad Thomas cross but Shane Long grabbed a point for Dover with seven minutes remaining.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £12
Concessions/Students £8
U16s £2

Don’t forget that, for a trial period, the Club has opened a new bar under the Leslie Gosden Stand.


Come on, you Cards!



Paris runs the show in vital win

Glen Harrington
9:06pm, Sun 18th Sep 2011
Woking 3 Dover Athletic 1
Blue Square Bet South
17th September 2011


Late goals from Paris Cowan-Hall and substitute Jay Davies ensured Woking took all three points in an entertaining game against fellow league favourites Dover Athletic.

The Cards took an early lead at Kingfield when Moses Ademola capitalised on a mistake by the Whites keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, but had that advantage cancelled out by a Steven Watt tap-in just before half-time.

A very even second half looked to be producing a draw, but an incisive break and finish from Cowan-Hall reclaimed the home side’s lead, before a close-range Davies header made the points safe.

Garry Hill offered fans a first surprise of the day with the team news, with Wayne Gray, having made some strong performances from the bench, replacing Elvis Hammond in the starting line-up. Other rumoured starting contenders Jay Davies and Giuseppe Sole also needed to be content with places amongst the substitutes. Elsewhere, Mike Cestor started what is likely to prove his final game in Woking colours.

Considering Dover’s superb defensive record coming into this game – with only four goals conceded (the best in the league) – the Cards surely could not believe their luck at the opening goal they were gifted after just five minutes. An innocuous looking cross from Cowan-Hall seemed likely to be claimed by keeper Ruiz, only for defender Shane Huke to collide with him and cause them both to miss the ball. Ademola gratefully accepted his opportunity at the back post with ultimate efficiency, blasting high into the net to bypass the goal-line defender.

The game evened out after a shaky start from the visitors, the torrential rain making it hard for either team to keep possession on a desperately slippery surface. Nonetheless, it was the Cards who came closest to the game's second goal, Cowan-Hall majestically cutting in from the left and crunching an effort against the top of the Dover crossbar.

The visitors' presence grew as the half wore on, and eventually the Whites were rewarded with a well-rehearsed free-kick routine. Sam Cutler chipped the ball over the Woking wall, allowing the unmarked, perhaps unnoticed, Harry Baker to steam in from the right wing position that he had originally drifted too. Despite Woking bodies blocking the initial effort of Baker, the ball pinged around in the area until, from six yards, defender Steven Watt belatedly turned in off the crossbar.

Thankfully, the Cards responded well, their strongest move of the game culminating in a Jack King volley being deflected wide – Adam Doyle, Mike Cestor and Dale Binns all playing their part in the fine link-up play. There was still time for Cowan-Hall to cut in yet again from the left in stoppage time, drilling his effort wide before the players headed for the interval.

Half-time: Woking 1 Dover Athletic 1

Chances were few and far between at the start of a far more withdrawn second period from both teams. Mark Ricketts flashed a long-range drive narrowly wide of Ruiz’s right-hand post while Cowan-Hall forced a decent save. At the other end Billy Bricknell snatched at his half chance under pressure from Adam Newton, being only able to fire wide.

As the sides began to feel the effect of the high tempo and fierce nature of the occasion, a flurry of substitutions helped both sets of fans believe their team had what it took to win the game. From a Woking perspective, Elvis Hammond, Jay Davies and Giuseppe Sole replaced Wayne Gray, Jack King and Dale Binns. Dover introduced Barry Cogan and former Card James Walker.

And it was the Whites who came closest to breaking the deadlock with fifteen minutes remaining, George Purcell, usually such an adept finisher, taking advantage of a rare lapse in Woking defensive concentration to burst through on goal, only to scuff his effort well wide of the target.

As against Eastbourne, it was the Woking replacements, described as “bottles of lemonade� by manager Hill, that were to burst onto the scene and make all the difference. The tiring Dover team were unquestionably taken aback by the introduction of Davies's industry and combative nature, while the threat of Hammond and Sole was quite clearly causing them worry.

However, it was Paris Cowan-Hall, the bright spark throughout the day, who was to take advantage of some hesitant Dover defending and close in on Ruiz. Unlike Purcell, the Cards forward made no mistake, sliding the ball under the helpless keeper and wheeling away in celebration – truly banishing any memories of his late miss in an almost identical situation against Boreham Wood four weeks earlier.

There was still time for the icing to be put on the cake, and as the home side sliced through the visitors' rear-guard with repetitive ease, it was again Cowan-Hall coming close, a fine interception denying him a tap-in from Ademola’s cross.

No matter, though, as Ruiz proceeded to mis-hit a clearance into the path of Cowan-Hall mere moments later, the goal left empty. Almost in shock at the opportunity presented to him, Paris slightly unwisely hit his shot to the right side of the goal, closest to the Dover keeper, allowing him to scramble back and push the ball away. Unfortunately for him, Jay Davies was on hand, and it was he who deservedly headed in the bouncing ball from less than six yards.

Although many Dover supporters will argue they deserved a point from a game that, on balance, was a close, tightly-fought encounter, it was the Cards who reaped the rewards of continuing to fight till the very end, as well having a great depth in quality amongst their well-assembled squad. To be able to bring the likes of Hammond, Davies and Sole off the bench allows for the ability to change a game in quick time, and simply put, the visitors were unable to deal with these players' arrivals. Happy selection problems lie ahead for the Woking management.

While there were also wins for Welling (4-0) and Dartford (2-1) today, the Cards now sit three points clear of fourth-placed Sutton, emphasising the importance of a victory over one of their strongest rivals.

Woking are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to traditional bogey-team Bromley, who have enjoyed some excellent performances over the Cards in recent years, especially at home. With this fine performance behind them, however, here’s hoping the Cards can finally set that record straight!

A final mention must go to Mike Cestor, who has performed admirably in his short loan spell with the Club, originally filling in for absentees Adam Doyle and Derek Duncan before cementing his regular place in the team. If today was to be his final appearance, we wish him the best of luck and thank him for all his efforts!

Woking: Andy Little, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Mark Ricketts, Joe McNerney, Adam Doyle, Paris Cowan-Hall, Jack King (Jay Davies 77), Moses Ademola, Wayne Gray (Elvis Hammond 70), Dale Binns (Giuseppe Sole 77).

Unused Subs: Aaron Howe, Nathan Koranteng.

Goals: Ademola 5, Cowan-Hall 81, Davies 86.

Booked: Ademola 26, King 76.

Dover Athletic: Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Phil Starkey, Tom Wynter, Michael Corcoran, Shane Huke, Harry Baker, Glen Southam (Barry Cogan 66), Billy Bricknell (James Walker 77), George Purcell, Sam Cutler.

Unused Subs: Ed Harris, Luke L’Anson, Ross Kitteridge.

Goals: Watt 37.

Booked: Corcoran 43.

MOTM: Paris Cowan-Hall – Yet again the mini-maestro was everywhere, always dangerous going forward and tracking back selflessly when possession was lost. Calm finish under pressure summed up his fine performance.

Attendance: 1,306
WOKING LINEUP
1Andy Little
2Adam Newton
3Mike Cestor
4Mark Ricketts
5Joe McNerney
6Adam Doyle
7Paris Cowan-Hall
8Jack King ('77)
9Moses Ademola
10Wayne Gray ('70)
11Dale Binns ('77)
BENCH
12Nathan Koranteng
14Giuseppe Sole ('77)
15Elvis Hammond ('70)
16Jay Davies ('77)
18Aaron Howe
Dover Athletic LINEUP
1Mikhael Ruiz
2Phil Starkey
3Tom Wynter
4Michael Corcoran
5Shane Huke
6Steve Watt
7Harry Baker
8Glen Southam ('66)
9Billy Bricknell ('77)
10George Purcell
11Sam Cutler
BENCH
12Ed Harris
14Barry Cogan ('66)
15Luke L'Anson
16James Walker ('77)
17Ross Kitteridge

Woking 3-1 Dover Athletic (Garry Hill Interview)

Paris Cowan-Hall Interview

David Holmes
7:40pm, Sat 17th Sep 2011
Interview with Man of the Match Paris Cowan-Hall following Woking's 3-1 win against Dover Athletic today.

Paris Cowan-Hall:








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