LCS Events
BSBS
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 19th NovemberNov 2011
Crabble Athletic Ground | Att: 1061

Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic
0 - 3

Woking
Woking

Tough away trip for Cards

Brian Caffarey
7:25am, Thu 17th Nov 2011
Dover Athletic v Woking
3pm on Saturday 19 November 2011

Woking’s superb league run of eight wins and one draw seems likely to be tested severely at Perry’s Crabble on Saturday when old rivals Dover Athletic, unbeaten at home, will be anxious to boost their own promotion hopes and gain revenge for their defeat at Kingfield in September. With other tough fixtures to come, including games against Chelmsford City, Dartford and Sutton United, Garry will be very keen to keep the Cards’ winning habit going.

WOKING

Garry Hill has done his best to keep his players on their toes during their two-week break from league action, giving most of them a run-out, either in the reserve game against Tonbridge Angels last week or in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Merstham in the Surrey Senior Cup. He will be hoping that they can immediately revert to the form which saw them defeat Havant and Waterlooville 3-0 in their last league match. Assuming everyone is fit, Garry has plenty of options if he feels the need to ‘tweak’ his line-up but it wouldn’t be surprising if he starts with the same eleven.

DOVER

The Whites started the season as one of the promotion favourites, with Martin Hayes making some impressive signings to replace those players who had left in the summer. The most notable departure was that of top scorer Adam Birchall but the Dover faithful must have been encouraged to see the arrival of ex-Braintree and Ebbsfleet striker George Purcell and the promising Billy Bricknell from Chelmsford City. Other arrivals included a midfield trio from Rushden and Diamonds, Michael Corcoran (now transfer listed), Shane Huke and Matt Johnson (since released), plus Glen Southam from Barnet, keeper Ross Kitteridge from Bishop’s Stortford,also now transfer listed, defender Ed Harris from AFC Wimbledon, centre-back Steven Watt (previously with Chelsea and Grimsby) and Phil Starkey from Braintree. James Walker, with Woking in the later stages of last season, was also a summer signing. A later addition was ex-Aldershot keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz.

Two 4-0 wins in the Whites’ opening games suggested that pre-season optimism was fully justified. But they were followed by a defeat at Truro City and then a run of one win, six draws and one defeat (v Woking) in the following eight games. That was enough to bring about Hayes’s departure on 26 September and his replacement by Nicky Forster, formerly caretaker-manager at Brentford and notable striker with Brentford and Brighton amongst other clubs. Form since then has picked up with four wins, one draw and one defeat in the league, elevating Dover to sixth place in the table. The 4-2 defeat came last weekend at in-form Boreham Wood, who had been reduced to ten men as early as the 17th minute. Defensive errors were clearly the Whites’ downfall on that occasion.

At home Dover have won three league games and drawn five, so Woking will need to inflict a first home defeat if they are to come away with all three points.

In spite of Dover’s relatively disappointing start to the season, there is no doubt that they represent a real threat. In addition to the players already mentioned, they can call on new signings Agustin Battipiedi and Leon Redwood, both from Brighton, and Kyle Vassell from Brentford, who had a very brief loan spell with us last season. Defender Olly Shulz will need to be watched at set pieces and Donovan Simmonds is also a regular goalscorer.

GETTING THERE

Crabble Athletic Ground
Lewisham Road
River
Dover
Kent
CT17 0JB

By Coach

Departs: 11.30am
Members: £17
Non-Members: £22

To book phone the Club Shop on 01483 772470 or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk (Please use the rear car park if parking at Kingfield since Hayes and Yeading are playing.)

By Car

Take M20 and then A20 into Dover. Go past the port, then at the York Street roundabout take the 1st exit onto York Street. Take 2nd exit at next roundabout onto Priory Road. Road then changes names to London Road, and Crabble Hill. Take slight left turning onto Crabble Road, and the ground is then on the left.

By Train

Nearest station: Kearsney

The main railway station in Dover is Dover Priory, which is about two miles from Crabble. The closest station to Crabble is Kearsney, which is about a 15 minute walk from the ground.

Kearsney is the last stop before Dover Priory on the line from London Victoria (via Faversham and Canterbury East). Some trains on this line do not stop between Canterbury East and Dover Priory so if you are planning on getting off at Kearsney make sure that the train you are travelling on is a stopping service.

If you are travelling on the line from London Charring Cross (via Ashford) the train will not pass through Kearsney, so you will have to stop at Dover Priory, near the town centre.

If you get off at Kearsney, turn right as you leave the station, go under the railway bridge and then take the first road on the left (Lower Road). Follow Lower Road all the way along, past a pond on your right and Crabble Corn Mill on your left. At the end you will see the Cricketers pub on the other side of the road. Turn right and you should see the entrance to the ground. If you get off at Dover Priory it is probably best to get a bus or taxi to the ground as it is a long walk.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £12 / £13.50
Over 60s: £9 / £10
Under 16s: £6 / £7
Under 11s: £3

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 3 Dover Athletic 1
17 September 2011

Garry Hill sprang a surprise, bringing in Wayne Gray for Elvis Hammond. Dover, with the best defensive record in the league, presented Woking with an early lead, Moses Ademola blasting home after the Whites’ keeper had got in a muddle with one of his defenders. A closely-fought encounter saw Dover equalise shortly before half-time, with Steven Watt netting from a well-worked free-kick routine.

The turning point in the second half came with Garry Hill’s introduction of Hammond, Jay Davies and Gez Sole – his ‘bottles of lemonade’, as he subsequently termed them. But it was ‘man of the match’ Paris Cowan-Hall who grabbed the second goal, sliding the ball under the keeper from a decisive break. Jay Davies put the icing on the cake at the end, nodding home after Cowan-Hall’s shot had been blocked.

Come on, you Cards!

P.S. Don’t forget that the Cards have another vital game on Tuesday evening when Chelmsford City, unbeaten away from home in the league this season, visit Kingfield.

Superb Cards sweep aside Dover

Brian Caffarey
8:51pm, Sat 19th Nov 2011
Dover Athletic 0 Woking 3
19 November 2011

Any concerns that Garry Hill’s side might be a bit rusty after a two-week break from league action were soon dispelled by a scintillating first-half display from the Cards which made a mockery of Dover’s unbeaten home league record this season. Dale Binns put Woking one up after only nine minutes and Jack King’s typically assured penalty gave the Cards a more-than-deserved 2-0 lead just before the break. The second half was a more even affair but the Whites spurned the few openings that came their way and substitute Elvis Hammond rounded things off with a fine finish in injury time.

On a clear but cold afternoon, away from the warm autumn sunshine, the Cards lined up as expected, fielding the same side that had vanquished Havant and Waterlooville 3-0 in their last league game. Dover briefly flickered as ex-Card James Walker swept a decent chance over the bar in the seventh minute. Woking responded decisively two minutes later. A poor clearance to the imperious Jack King enabled him to feed Dale Binns out left. Dale did well to get past his marker and then shot low under the keeper to make it 1-0 to the Cards.

Thereafter Woking proceeded to dominate the half, with Aaron Howe a virtual spectator. Alan Inns won everything in the air at the back. Jack King powerfully bestrode the midfield. Jay Davies cleverly switched play. Moses Ademola, with his clever footwork, had the beating of his marker every time. Paris Cowan-Hall, though not at his very best, threatened to outpace the defence on each occasion the ball went forward, and Wayne Gray was always lurking in the box.

Chances came and went with some excellent, quick interplay exposing a rather lumbering Dover defence. Cowan-Hall nearly slipped in Gray in the 13th minute but the ball bounced off him. Two minutes later Cowan-Hall, against the odds, beat the keeper to the ball but the ball cannoned away off Jaimez-Ruiz. On the quarter hour mark an Ademola cross enabled Gray to get in a shot, which was blocked – with the same fate befalling Cowan-Hall’s follow-up.

More sustained pressure came midway through the half. Ademola’s cross was headed away for a corner. Adam Doyle headed over the bar and Ademola hit the side-netting. Doyle’s clever pass then set up Inns to thrash the ball right across the box. Gray burst through, holding off several defenders, but Jaimez-Ruiz saved his effort. A few minutes later Ademola’s deft chipped cross enabled King to nod down to Gray but his shot was too weak to trouble the keeper.

As we moved into the last five minutes before the break some lovely interplay set up King for a header tipped over the bar by the Dover keeper. Just as it seemed that Woking would head to the dressing rooms with only a one-goal lead to show for their excellent work, Cowan-Hall was just too quick for the Dover defence in latching onto a ball nodded forward and was tripped in the box. Jack King despatched the penalty with aplomb.

Half-time: Dover Athletic 0 Woking 2

Not surprisingly, the home side came out in more determined fashion in the second half but overhauling a two-goal deficit against a very mean Woking defence was a tall order.

In the opening minutes it looked as though the Cards might put the game beyond Dover’s reach as several useful openings were created, especially from Binns’s trickery on the left. But Dover began to ramp up the pressure and push Woking back. The substitution of Wayne Gray by Elvis Hammond – no doubt with Tuesday’s match in mind – made it more difficult for the Cards to keep the ball in attack.

Woking continued to create the odd good opening as the ball was swept wide to Ademola but the emphasis by the middle of the half was on closing down and tackling. For a brief period midway through the half the Woking defending even looked a bit ragged. Walker, possibly fouled as he jinked in the box, shot wide in the 71st minute, followed by a goalmouth scramble. Had Dover pulled a goal back at that stage, the match might still have been in the balance, but Howe made a very fine save, tipping Cogan’s curling effort away for a corner.

The arrival of Ola Sogbanmu for Cowan-Hall gave Woking a bit more physical presence up front and Ola came close to grabbing the third goal in the 82nd minute as he met Binns’s excellent cross at the near post, but headed just wide.

Aaron Howe was called into action again as he punched clear from a corner and, virtually on the stroke of full-time, Dover had a shot blocked at the near post but by this stage the Woking fans were confident that three more valuable points had been secured.

While the four minutes of injury time was being played Elvis Hammond latched onto a poor back pass. He managed to come away with the ball from a confrontation with Jaimez-Ruiz but had a lot to do as he wheeled away and then turned to face the goal once more. There was only one place where the keeper and his defence could be beaten – just under the bar – and that’s precisely where Elvis chipped the ball to end a very satisfying afternoon.

Now to put an end to Chelmsford’s unbeaten away record on Tuesday!

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Jay Davies, Mark Ricketts, Alan Inns, Adam Doyle, Paris Cowan-Hall (Ola Sogbanmu 74), Jack King, Moses Ademola, Wayne Gray (Elvis Hammond 60), Dale Binns.

Unused subs: Giuseppe Sole, Derek Duncan, Andy Little

Booked: Paris Cowan-Hall 62, Adam Doyle 81, Dale Binns 89

My MOTM: Jack King (pictured), but closely challenged by Dale Binns amongst several others

Dover Athletic: Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Phil Starkey, Tom Wynter, Agustin Battipiedi, Olly Shulz, Ed Harris, Barry Cogan, Glen Southam (Luke l’Anson 70), James Walker, Donovan Simmonds (George Purcell 81), Harry Baker (Leon Redwood 58)

Unused subs: Sam Cutler, Lee Hook

Booked: Phil Starkey 32

Attendance: 1061

Don’t forget that the Cards are at home on Tuesday evening to another promotion-chasing side, Chelmsford City, who are unbeaten on their travels in the league this season and who beat Bromley 6-1 today. Come down to Kingfield and cheer the team on to another victory!
Dover Athletic LINEUP
1Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz
2Phil Starkey
3Tom Wynter
4Agustin Battipiedi
5Olly Schulz
6Ed Harris
7Barry Cogan
8Glen Southam ('71)
9James Walker
10Donovan Simmonds ('82)
11Harry Baker ('59)
BENCH
12Leon Redwood ('59)
14George Purcell ('82)
15Sam Cutler
16Luke I'Anson ('71)
18Lee Hook
WOKING LINEUP
1Aaron Howe
2Adam Newton
3Jay Davies
4Mark Ricketts
5Alan Inns
6Adam Doyle
7Paris Cowan-Hall ('74)
8Jack King
9Moses Ademola
10Wayne Gray ('60)
11Dale Binns
BENCH
12Elvis Hammond ('60)
14Giuseppe Sole
15Derek Duncan
16Ola Sogbanmu ('74)
18Andy Little

Dover Athletic 0-3 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

Jay Davies Interview

David Holmes
6:04pm, Sat 19th Nov 2011
Interview with Jay Davies following Woking's 3-0 win at Dover Athletic today.

Jay Davies:








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