Cards look to maintain winning run
Brian Caffarey
3:49pm, Thu 20th Sep 2012
Woking v Gateshead
3pm on Saturday 22 September 2012
Garry Hill’s side have been playing some excellent football, winning their last home game, against Nuneaton, 6-1 and following that up with a well-deserved 2-1 win at Stockport County last Saturday. Gateshead are likely to prove tough opponents, though, having lost only one of their away games to date. Come down to Kingfield if you possibly can and show your appreciation for the management team’s and players’ efforts. Also, please give as generously as you can to the collection which is being made at the game to help defray Gez Sole’s medical expenses.
WOKING
There has been a very pleasing balance to the side in recent games, with, in particular, great solidity at centre back in the shape of Joe McNerney and Brett Johnson, good defensive cover from Jack Parkinson and Mark Ricketts/Dean Sinclair, skilful creative midfield play from Kevin Betsy and Lee Sawyer and some devastating pace and finishing from Bradley Bubb and Gavin McCallum. It seems unlikely that, bar any new injuries, Garry will want to change his line-up on Saturday but, as he showed at Stockport, he is very willing to bring players off the bench as the match progresses. So, if they don’t start, both Loick Pires and Brett Williams will hold themselves ready for action.
GATESHEAD
The Heed finished in 8th place last season and, in spite of losing top scorer Jon Shaw to Luton in the summer, must be an outside bet for a play-off place, so, on paper at least, this is the toughest home game so far for Garry Hill’s side – who won’t need reminding that they were nevertheless beaten 4-1 at home by unfancied Braintree only two weeks before trouncing Nuneaton Town.
There are several familiar faces in the Gateshead squad, including defender Chris Bush, who made such a good impression when on loan from AFC Wimbledon: he was – perhaps surprisingly – released by the Dons in the summer and made his way north to Gateshead, where he has already become a fans’ favourite. Another player who had a loan spell with us was defender Glenn Wilson, who left Crawley at the end of last season. Two other well-known non-League players are the speedy Yemi Odubade, who’s played against us for Stevenage and Oxford United, and striker Liam Hatch, who has turned out for Barnet, Luton and Darlington amongst other clubs.
Gateshead currently lie in 7th place in the table, with four wins, three draws and two defeats so far. In their first three away games they drew at Luton and won at Stockport and Nuneaton but lost three weeks ago 2-1 at Southport. Last Saturday they lost 2-0 at home to Tamworth, a result which manager Ian Bogie described as a ‘bad day at the office’, admitting that Tamworth were much the better team on the day. Bogie hopes to have influential defender James Curtis back for the trip to Kingfield.
ADMISSION PRICES
Adults £15
Over 65s/Students £10
U16s £5
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
Saturday’s 56-page programme includes an interview with Gez Sole and post-op pictures; Mark Doyle on some unexpected Woking Olympic connections; and a view from a long-time Gateshead fan; plus all the news from the BSP, match reports, previews, great action photos and much more. If you can’t get to the game, you can order a copy from the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk
NEXT GAME
The Cards are away to Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday 25 September. The next home game is on Saturday 29 September when Tamworth visit Kingfield.
Come on, you Cards!
