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3:00pm - SaturdaySat 8th OctoberOct 2011
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Woking
Woking
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Salisbury City
Salisbury City

Cards target six straight wins

Brian Caffarey
7:28am, Fri 7th Oct 2011
Woking v Salisbury City
3pm on Saturday 8 October 2011

Garry Hill’s league leaders will be hoping to chalk up their sixth successive win on Saturday when they take on the Whites. But Salisbury City, who knocked us out of the FA Trophy last season, have promotion ambitions of their own and are likely to prove tough opponents.

WOKING

Mark Ricketts is expected to return to midfield, with Adam Doyle resuming his centre back partnership with Joe McNerney. Elsewhere, though, Garry has got some welcome dilemmas facing him as this game approaches. Should he continue with Wayne Gray up front or start with Elvis Hammond? Who should be in goal – Andy Little or Aaron Howe? Should it be Gez Sole or Dale Binns on the left flank? Can he find room on the bench for the likes of Ola Sogbanmu and Alan Inns, both returning from injury?

SALISBURY CITY

The Whites, who are a full-time side, lie in sixth place in the table with 18 points from 11 games, eight fewer than the Cards. Salisbury’s away form has been their Achilles heel so far, with only one win, away at Staines, on their travels. Defeats have come at Farnborough, Weston-super-Mare and Tonbridge Angels and a draw at Bromley. But they’ve won 3-0 on their last two outings: home in the league against Eastbourne Borough and home in the FA Cup against Swindon Supermarine. The Eastbourne game saw the return on loan of former favourite Robbie Matthews, whose ability in the air will need to be guarded against on Saturday.

There are a few Woking connections in the Salisbury squad in the shape of Matt Wright, Chris Giles and former Academy player Josh Casey.

Jake Reid will represent a threat up front alongside Matthews, while the player/management team of Darrell Clarke and Mikey Harris will pull the strings in midfield.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 0 Salisbury City 2
FA Trophy Third Round
5 February 2011

Whether or not this was a delayed reaction to the turmoil surrounding Graham Baker’s departure, who knows – but Garry Hill’s second game in charge brought a disappointing exit from the FA Trophy, especially bearing in mind the excellent victory at AFC Wimbledon in the previous round. Fortunately, Cards fans had little to complain about in the weeks to follow!

Alan Inns replaced the cup-tied Reiss Noel, whilst Sam Hurrell similarly sat the tie out. On a windy afternoon neither side was able to gain control in the first half in a scrappy affair. The Woking defence still seemed to be in the dressing room when, immediately after the break, a ball was played behind Inns and Adam Doyle. Shrugging off the latter’s tackle, Jake Reid ran on, rounded Andy Little and slotted home. On 55 minutes Darrell Clarke doubled the Whites’ lead with a fine volley from a rebound. Moses Ademola looked threatening but Woking were unable to reduce the deficit.

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.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Make sure you get a copy of the excellent matchday programme, which includes a profile of Adam Newton and a piece by David Richardson on the joys – and occasional tribulations – of watching non-League football.


Come on, you Cards!

P.S. Please remember that Woking’s next home league game, against Weston-super-Mare, has been switched to Monday 24 October.



Cards can't find a way through

Brian Caffarey
9:23am, Sun 9th Oct 2011
Woking 0 Salisbury City 0
8 October 2011

Try as they might Garry Hill’s side just couldn’t prise open the door against a resolute Salisbury City defence yesterday afternoon, with Whites’ giant keeper, Conor Gough, pulling off several outstanding saves. But with Dartford losing away at Boreham Wood, the Cards stay top of the league and will now turn their attentions to next Saturday’s FA Cup encounter at Maidenhead United.

With Adam Newton injured and Joe McNerney ill, Garry Hill brought in the highly promising Josh Griffiths (pictured) at right back, while Mark Ricketts continued at centre back, this time partnering the returning Adam Doyle. Jay Davies kept his midfield place; Wayne Gray once again started ahead of Elvis Hammond; and Aaron Howe got the nod in goal.

The pattern of the game was soon set, with Woking doing most of the attacking but Salisbury presenting a threat through the aerial prowess of Robbie Matthews and the occasional break out of defence or free-kick. For the Cards the impressive Paris Cowan-Hall, so nimble and well-balanced, set up a good early chance for Dale Binns, who pulled his shot wide of the far post. Binns was in the limelight two minutes later as he robbed a defender but his shot was pushed away for a corner by Gough.

At the other end Howe wasn’t called into action till the quarter of an hour mark, saving comfortably from Adam Kelly and then punching clear at a corner.

The Cards continued to push forward, with Wayne Gray leading the line well, but with Salisbury defending in numbers the Cards found it hard at this stage of the game to fashion clear openings. With twenty-five minutes gone, however, Moses Ademola sprang into life, a clever shuffle enabling him to get in a shot from a tight angle which hit the foot of the post. The pressure increased as a lovely move saw Ademola drift inside, laying the ball square for Davies, whose curling effort was tipped over by Gough. Cowan-Hall was nearly put through as he took the ball down on his chest but a defender just managed to get a foot in. Shortly before half-time Davies’s shot was blocked, with his subsequent chip to Jack King being thwarted by more solid defending.

Half-time: Woking 0 Salisbury City 0

The second half became virtually one-way traffic as the Cards pushed forward, searching ever more urgently for the breakthrough which they certainly merited on the balance of play. First, though, they had to survive a scare as a Ryan Brett piledriver flew narrowly wide.

With Binns and Cowan-Hall giving former Academy player, Josh Casey, a torrid time on the Salisbury right flank, it seemed only a matter of time before a decisive opening would be created. After Cowan-Hall had been hauled down Derek Duncan sent a free-kick narrowly over the bar. The home crowd then enjoyed some outrageous defending by Ademola, nutmegging his way out of a tight corner – probably something which Garry Hill won’t want to see too often, however! Ademola was then seen in a more familiar attacking mode, with some brilliant footwork out on the right flank enabling him to pull the ball back – unfortunately, though, it went behind his fellow attackers.

The tempo increased as Griffiths intercepted superbly and tried an extremely ambitious long-range shot. Cowan-Hall, seeming to drift past defenders at will, called Gough into action again with a save at the near post. The keeper then bundled away a searing Ademola cross and Cowan-Hall saw another effort deflected for a corner.

Garry Hill began to ring the changes, bringing on Hammond for Gray with 69 minutes gone. Five minutes later it looked as though Woking would finally penetrate the Whites’ defence. Cowan-Hall robbed a defender, slalomed inside, made space and shot but Gough’s long reach just enabled him to push the ball wide. The resulting corner saw Davies blast just over the bar.

With just over ten minutes of normal time remaining, Gez Sole came on to replace Ademola. His first contribution was to lay the ball into the path of Davies at the end of a superb passing move but the midfielder, arriving at speed, drove the ball way over. A minute later there was a huge shout for a penalty as a cross appeared to be stopped by a defender’s hand but the referee waved play on.

A free-kick in a good central position just outside the box saw Sole produce one of his characteristic dipping efforts but Gough was there to parry the ball away.

A last throw of the dice saw Ola Sogbanmu thrown on in place of ‘man of the match’ Cowan-Hall and a penalty area scramble nearly presented him with a chance for glory but the pressure ended with Sole’s effort going wide. The final attack saw King flick a header wide but the referee’s whistle then saved the Salisbury defence from any further exertions.

Although it was disappointing not to collect the three points which the overall performance deserved, this was nevertheless a good display from Garry Hill’s side, especially in the second half. The defence was very solid, with Ricketts and Doyle outstanding in the centre and a confident Griffiths showing some excellent footwork and touches at right back. The energetic Davies covered a huge amount of ground in midfield, whilst Cowan-Hall in particular and Ademola threatened up front. Fortunately, the Cards won’t often come up against such a formidable keeper as Gough.

Woking: Andy Little, Josh Griffiths, Derek Duncan, Mark Ricketts, Jay Davies, Adam Doyle, Paris Cowan-Hall (Ola Sogbanmu 90), Jack King, Moses Ademola (Giuseppe Sole 79), Wayne Gray (Elvis Hammond 69), Dale Binns

Unused subs: Andy Little, Alan Inns

Booked: Wayne Gray, 36

Sponsor’s MOTM: Paris Cowan-Hall

Salisbury City: Conor Gough, Josh Casey, Charlie Knight, Ben Adelsbury, Brian Dutton, Ryan Brett, Adam Kelly (Claudio Herbert 79), Stuart Anderson, Dan Fitchett, Robbie Matthews (Jake Reid 74), Lewis Stockford

Unused subs: Tommy Smith, Darrell Clarke, Matt Wright

Booked: Lewis Stockford, 17; Ryan Brett, 51

Attendance: 1634
WOKING LINEUP
1Aaron Howe
2Josh Griffiths
3Derek Duncan
4Mark Ricketts
5Jay Davies
6Adam Doyle
7Paris Cowan-Hall ('90)
8Jack King
9Moses Ademola ('79)
10Wayne Gray ('69)
11Dale Binns
BENCH
12Ola Sogbanmu ('90)
14Giuseppe Sole ('79)
15Elvis Hammond ('69)
16Alan Inns
18Andy Little
Salisbury City LINEUP
1Conor Gough
2Josh Casey
3Charlie Knight
4Ben Adelsbury
5Brian Dutton
6Ryan Brett
7Adam Kelly ('79)
8Stuart Anderson
9Dan Fitchett
10Robbie Matthews ('74)
11Lewis Stockford
BENCH
12Jake Reid ('74)
13Tommy Smith
14Darrell Clarke
15Matt Wright
16Claudio Herbert ('79)

Woking 0-0 Salisbury City (Steve Thompson Interview)

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