First friendly on Saturday

Brian Caffarey
7:20am, Thu 12th Jul 2012

Windsor v Woking
Pre-season friendly
3pm on Saturday 14 July 2012

The Cardsâ€™ first match of their pre-season programme sees them travel to Windsor for what should be a fairly gentle work-out. However, one or two trialists will be keen to impress Garry Hill and Steve Thompson as they look to fill gaps in their squad.

WOKING

Garry Hill moved quickly at the end of last season to bring in two of the best players from Conference South rivals â€“ Wellingâ€™s Jack Parkinson and Loick Pires â€“ for the coming BSP campaign but is playing a waiting game before completing his squad, working on the basis that as League clubs complete their squads a number of players will find what Woking have to offer increasingly attractive. So far, he has only 13 first team players signed up, including two recent Academy graduates (George Frith and Jack Mazzone) who, presumably, will need to gain more experience before coming fully into contention for a starting place. It looks as though he will want to add another five or six players to his squad before the season kicks off.

No doubt the pre-season friendlies will give Garry and Steve a chance to run the rule over a number of potential additions to the squad, some of whom have already been training at Kingfield. It is expected that several potential new faces will figure at Windsor, where Garry is planning to give everyone 45-60 minutes on the pitch.

WINDSOR

The demise of Windsor and Eton FC led to the formation of the new Windsor FC, which made its debut in the Combined Counties League last season, achieving the runners-up spot. A number of the players had played for the former Windsor club and virtually all the squad have been retained for the coming season. One who will be missed, though, is striker Michael Chennells, who banged in 25 goals in 22 games after joining from Brackley and who has now signed for Chesham. Manager Keith Scott will hope that he can hang onto top scorer, Ryan Oâ€™Toole, who amassed 43 goals last season.

On Tuesday evening Windsor beat Hellenic Premier side Ascot United 5-0 away in their first pre-season friendly, with Ben Harris netting a hat-trick.

GETTING THERE

Windsor FC
Stag Meadow
St Leonardâ€™s Road
Windsor
Berks
SL4 3DR

Website: www.windsorfc.net

By car

Head for M25 northbound. Exit at Junction 13. Follow signs to Windsor (A308), eventually reaching large roundabout. Take first exit (signposted Ascot/Bracknell). Take first road on the right (Bolton Road). At the end of Bolton Road, reaching T-Junction with mini-roundabout, turn left into St. Leonardâ€™s Road. Ground is about 500 yards on left (opposite Stag and Hounds Public House).

By train

Windsor and Eton Riverside is the nearest station, which can be reached from Woking via changes at Weybridge and Staines or by going to Clapham Junction and taking the Windsor train from there. The 12.33 from Woking, via Weybridge and Staines, would get you to Windsor and Eton Riverside at 13.51. The ground is about 30 minutesâ€™ walk from the town centre, although there is a frequent bus service. If youâ€™re walking, head down Thames Street and High Street (B3022) and carry straight on as the road becomes Sheet Street and Frances Road (crossing the A308) and then St Leonardâ€™s Road.

FORTHCOMING PRE-SEASON GAMES

The Cards are at home on Tuesday evening to Crawley Town, newly promoted to League One.

The remaining friendly games are:

17 July â€“ Woking v Crawley Town
21 July â€“ Woking v QPR XI
24 July â€“ Woking v AFC Wimbledon (Phil Ledger Memorial Cup)
28 July â€“ Carshalton Athletic v Woking
4 August â€“ Woking v Aldershot Town

The Cards start their league campaign on 11 August with a visit to last seasonâ€™s BSP runners-up Wrexham, and their first home game is on Tuesday 14 August when they are at home to Dartford.

Come on, you Cards!

Woking given tough examination as pre-season starts

Alan Worth
6:46pm, Sat 14th Jul 2012

Windsor 2 Woking 0
Pre-season Friendly
14th July 2012

Woking kicked off their pre-season schedule with a visit to Stag Meadow, home of the newly-formed Windsor FC who, last season, just lost out to Guildford City for the Combined Counties Premier League title. With a 5-0 victory against neighbours Ascot United already under their belt, Windsor provided a more than useful first test for a Cards side featuring nine triallists.

Woking, with Steve Thompson looking after matters from the dugout and Garry Hill watching from the stands, fielded two different elevens for each half and, despite having the majority of possession throughout, found it difficult to find that final ball to really trouble a very impressive Windsor side.

The Cards started with triallist Mark Scott from Swindon in goal and a back four of Newton, McNerney, Johnson and Cestor. Mark Ricketts, (pictured) making a welcome return as captain, partnered new signing Jack Parkinson in central midfield with triallists Jesse Waller-Lassen, from the Spurs Academy and Greg Mills from AFC Telford playing wide on the right and left. Loick Pires was partnered for the first half up front with Gez Sole.

Conditions on a well-grassed pitch were very wet and slippery underfoot with standing water along the far touchline. This didnâ€™t particularly help Wokingâ€™s passing game and a number of half chances went begging as forwards slipped in the final third.

Within five minutes of the start Windsor had the lead â€“ a free kick, swung into the box by the dangerous Jake Parsons, was not dealt with by the Cards defence and Fagan was on hand to score from close range.

The Cards now began to settle and take charge of the possession. A Pires header hit the post, although the new striker was flagged off-side, and then Waller-Lassen had a great opportunity to level things up but his close-range header from a Mills cross was over the bar. Greg Mills then had a further chance cleared off the line after he had been forced wide by good Windsor defending.

After almost half an hour Cards fans were given a taste of the striking potential of Loick Pires. The tall forward saw his turn and rasping shot from the left edge of the area fly off the angle of post and bar and away to safety.

Windsor made it two-nil against the run of play after Jake Parsons was allowed to waltz through the centre of the Woking defence. His finish was excellent as he drove the ball past Scott and into the bottom corner of the net. And not long after a Gez Sole free-kick from twenty yards had been tipped over by Bullevant, Parsons again tested the Woking goal. This time his snap shot flew off the bar and over.

Half-time: Windsor 2 Woking 0

The second half saw Woking line up with Louis Meech, an Academy graduate, Jack Parkinson, Adam Doyle and Rene Steer from St Neots and Staines Town across the back, Jay Davies and Sam Corcoran from Chelmsford in the centre of midfield with Mills and Waller-Lassen continuing on the flanks. Triallists Jordan Carter, ex-Farnborough, and Michael Uwezu, ex-Forest Green Rovers, were partnered up front.

Mark Scott continued in goal before Aaron Howe replaced him after sixty-seven minutes. Kevin Betsy and Josh Griffiths replaced Waller-Lassen and Mills at the same stage. A final substitution on seventy-nine minutes saw George Frith on for Parkinson, with Sam Corcoran moving into the centre of defence.

As with the first half, it was the Cards who largely dominated possession but were unable to create any real chances. The best move of the half saw Waller-Lassen into the box after some good one-touch passing but his shot smacked against the crossbar. Then from a deep Meech cross Doyleâ€™s header also hit the bar.

A Betsy corner had to be tipped over by Bullevant and then the Windsor keeper just managed to keep out a close range Betsy chip. Finally, on ninety minutes, a long-range effort from the hardworking Davies was turned away spectacularly by the hosts' keeper.

So, Woking begin their pre-season programme with a disappointing defeat. But Windsor provided the Cards with a tough first examination as the management team consider their options in preparation for the new season. No doubt there will be plenty more twists and turns before the squad is finalised over the coming weeks.

Woking: Mark Scott* (Aaron Howe 67), Jesse Waller-Lassen* (Josh Griffiths 67), Mike Cestor* (Rene Steer* 46), Mark Ricketts (Jay Davies 46), Joe McNerney (Adam Doyle 46), Brett Johnson (Sam Corcoran* 46), Adam Newton (Louis Meech* 46), Jack Parkinson (George Frith 79), Loick Pires (Jordan Carter* 46), Gez Sole (Michael Uwezu* 46), Greg Mills* (Kevin Betsy 67)

* Triallist

Windsor: Rob Bullevant, James Trip (George Gould 19), Ryan Parsons, Andrew Fagan, Chris Ellis, James Houghton, Jake Parsons, Joe Chandirham, Yashwa Romeo (David Tilbury 83), Ryan Oâ€™Toole, Ken Porter (Ben Harris 56)

Unused subs: Ryan Ashe, Michael Jahodnik, Liridon Daka

Attendance: 352

MOTM: Mark Ricketts â€“ a commanding performance from the captain on his return.