Lovetts
BSBP
7:45pm - TuesdayTue 19th FebruaryFeb 2013
| Att: 624

Barrow
Barrow
2 - 0

Woking
Woking

Cards face long trip

Brian Caffarey
5:13pm, Sun 17th Feb 2013
Barrow v Woking
7.45pm on Tuesday 19 February 2013

The Cards face a 600-mile round trip on Tuesday evening, when they travel to Barrow. The Bluebirds are struggling at the bottom of the table, finding goals hard to come by. Garry’s side nearly always bounce back quickly from a defeat, so he will be looking to his team to put Saturday’s home loss against Newport County behind them with a convincing display. But Barrow will be fighting hard for the points, so Woking can expect a very tough contest.

WOKING

The Cards’ fine run, which saw them notch six wins in seven league games, came to a disappointing end on Saturday when a strong and determined Newport side out-muscled them to build an unassailable 3-0 half-time lead. Billy Knott’s departure, just before the first goal went in, seemed to take some of the stuffing out of the side but they fought back well in the second half to claim a late consolation goal.

It remains to be seen how long Billy will be missing for but the Cards can’t afford to dwell on their misfortunes with games coming up thick and fast and some way to go still to reach Garry’s initial target of 50 points.

BARROW

This is the Bluebirds’ fifth season in the BSP. It’s been mostly a struggle but last season’s 13th-place finish was their best showing so far. Manager Dave Bayliss lost a couple of promising young players in the summer with the moves of Jack Mackreth and Andy Cook to Macclesfield and Grimsby respectively but made some useful signings, including defender Matt Flynn from Fleetwood; Garry Hunter, a very experienced midfielder from Morecambe; Alex-Ray Harvey, formerly with Burnley, who had a loan spell with the Bluebirds last season; and Danny L. Rowe, a winger on loan from Fleetwood. (There’s a Danny M Rowe too!)

Subsequent additions include burly striker Lee McEvilly, whom we’ve seen playing for Accrington amongst other clubs, and the evergreen Efe Sodje, once of Stevenage Borough, who’s just arrived on loan from Bury. Two more new faces are central defender Tom Eckersley, who is on an emergency loan from Stockport County to cover the injured Danny O’Donnell, and Sam Hibbert, another young defender, who’s recently been released by Stockport.

Dave Bayliss won the ‘manager of the month’ award in October but the Bluebirds’ form has gradually weakened since then, although they have shown that they can cause an upset, beating Newport away 2-0 and defeating Luton 1-0 at home. But they’ve lost their last four games, including a very disappointing 2-1 home defeat on Saturday against fellow strugglers Nuneaton Town: the Bluebirds were a goal ahead with only a few minutes to go but then threw the points away. They now sit one off the bottom of the table. At home they’ve won two, drawn five and lost seven, with only 13 goals scored and 25 conceded.

GETTING THERE

The Furness Building Society Stadium
Wilkie Road
Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria
LA14 5UW

Official website: www.barrowafc.com

The Cards Trust is not running a coach to this game.

By car
Leave the M6 at J36, taking the A590 (signposted Barrow). Follow A590 all the way to the outskirts of Barrow, entering via industrial route towards the town centre. Passing the fire station on the right, take the next left into Wilkie Road. The ground is on the right-hand side. The AA estimates that the trip would take just over five hours from Woking.

By train
Nearest station: Barrow-in-Furness. You’d need to get a train from Euston and travel to either Preston or Lancaster and then catch a service to Barrow-in-Furness. For example, the 14.30 from Euston gets into Lancaster at 17.00, from where you could catch the 17.19 to Barrow-in-Furness, arriving at 18.25. Of course, you would not be able to return the same day.

The station is half a mile from the ground: walking would take around 10 minutes. On leaving the station, exit onto Holker Street and then turn right.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £14 / £15
Over 65s: £11 / £12
Under 16s: £6
Under 7s: £3

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 3 Barrow 1
18 August 2012

The Cards’ second home game of the season saw them maintain their 100% home record following their hard-fought win over Dartford.

On a sweltering afternoon the visitors started more quickly, Garry Hunter giving them the lead after 15 minutes with a curled effort after he had previously hit the post. But Woking were soon level. After Kevin Betsy had been hacked down just outside the box Joe McNerney stepped up to place his free-kick into the corner.

The Cards took control after the break, with Loick Pires proving a handful for the Barrow defence. Woking gained the lead when Bradley Bubb flicked a header in from a Lee Sawyer free-kick and then added another goal on 79 minutes when a beautifully-weighted pass from Betsy put Pires through to finish emphatically.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Mark Ricketts, Joe McNerney, Loick Pires, Bradley Bubb (Jack Parkinson 77), Kevin Betsy, Brett Williams (Gavin McCallum 66), Lee Sawyer (Jay Davies 90), Brett Johnson

Unused subs: Adam Doyle, Sam Beasant

Cautions: Brett Johnson 69

Barrow: Danny Hurst, Mike Pearson, Gavin Skelton, Sean Hessey, Tom Anderson, Paul Rutherford (Aaron Cole 67), James Owen, Garry Hunter, Adam Boyes (Vinny Mukendi 59), Joe Jackson (Obi Anoruo 59), Danny Rowe

Unused subs: Shaun Pearson, Richie Baker

Cautions: Danny Hurst 2, James Owen 53, Tom Anderson 63

Attendance: 1372

MOTM: Loick Pires


NEXT GAME

The Cards have another long trip on Saturday, when they travel to Southport. Woking’s next home game is against high-flying Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday 26 February.

Check the website and make sure that you’ve got all Woking’s re-arranged fixtures in your diary!

Come on, you Cards!

Cards succumb to a resurgent Barrow

Andy Turner
12:00am, Wed 20th Feb 2013
AFC Barrow 2 Woking 0
Blue Square Bet Premier
19th February 2013

Woking followed up their disappointing defeat against Newport County last Saturday with an equally disappointing display against relegation-threatened Barrow, who scored in each half to secure a vital 2-0 victory in their quest to avoid the drop. To make matters worse, Lee Sawyer was sent off in the fifty-sixth minute for a foul on Paul Rutherford.

With Billy Knott nursing a hamstring injury and Bradley Bubb apparently ill, manager Garry Hill made 5 changes from Saturday's starting line-up. In came on-loan goalie Seb Brown, left back Mike Cestor, wide man Gavin McCallum and forwards Brett Williams and Jayden Stockley, so Woking lined up with Seb Brown in goal, Mike Cestor, Brett Johnson, Jack Parkinson and Adam Newton in defence, Gavin McCallum, Lee Sawyer, Adam Ricketts and Kevin Betsy in midfield, with Brett Williams and Jayden Stockley up front. Barrow included two Danny Rowe's and they proved to be a 'thorn' in Woking's side all night.

Barrow kick off and immediately Newton gets the ball, he releases Williams down the right and he shoots just wide. 5 minutes later McCallum is released down the left but shoots well wide. Barrow coming into the match, the excellent Richie Baker passes to Danny Rowe, who feeds Danny L Rowe and he shoots over.

The match changes in Barrow's favour in the 9th minute. Woking attack through Jayden Stockley, who heads on to Brett Williams, who then releases Gavin McCallum out on the left. He crosses in for Stockley to head down to Williams, who shoots. The ball hits the arm of Mike Pearson but the referee waves away Woking's penalty appeal. The ball immediately breaks upfield, Lee Sawyer loses it and Danny Rowe is released down the left. He goes past Adam Newton and into the box. Seb Brown comes out but the Barrow winger lifts his shot over the advancing keeper and into the net to give Barrow the lead.

Barrow are beginning to control the midfield with Richie Baker and Garry Hunter particularly influential. Paul Rutherford is also causing Woking a lot of problems down the right. The first card of the night is brandished after 16 minutes when Garry Hunter fouls Brett Williams on the halfway line and is cautioned. Barrow take the attack to Woking and after 21 minutes Adam Boyes receives the ball on the edge of the Woking penalty area. He easily turns Brett Johnson and shoots, but straight at Seb Brown.

Woking have a chance to test the Barrow keeper on 22 minutes when Kevin Betsy passes to Stockley on the edge of the penalty area. He's bundled over and Woking gain a free-kick in a dangerous position. Stockley takes the kick himself but hits the wall. Barrow immediately go upfield and Paul Rutherford crosses only to see the ball go agonisingly past the far post but Barrow gain a corner. Baker takes it and the experienced Efe Sodje rises unchallenged to head just wide.

Woking are struggling to control Barrow's midfield and nearly concede again on the half hour when a Richie Baker free-kick into Woking's box causes problems. Newton hesitates in clearing the ball and Danny L Rowe nips in to toe-poke the ball just past the post. Paul Rutherford is causing havoc down the right and puts in several dangerous crosses and it's Barrow who finish the half well on top with Danny L Rowe sending a shot just over the bar.

Half-time: Barrow AFC 1 Woking 0

The second half starts in similar fashion to the first when straight from the kick-off Brett Williams gets the ball and drifts into the left of the Barrow penalty area but shoots straight at the keeper. Barrow immediately break upfield with Paul Rutherford, who gets to the goal line and crosses. Seb Brown pushes away the cross but straight to Danny L Rowe, who crosses back in but Woking clear. After 49 minutes, Mark Ricketts is dispossessed by Danny L Rowe on the halfway line. He releases Adam Boyes, who goes past Parkinson and into the area. He shoots and Seb Brown blocks.

Woking fall further behind in the 53rd minute when Gavin Skelton goes down Woking's right. He passes to Danny L Rowe, who's fouled on the edge of the area by Lee Sawyer. The free-kick is almost in an identical position to Jayden Stockley's in the first half but, unlike Stockley, Danny L Rowe sends his kick superbly over the wall and into the bottom left-hand corner of Seb Brown's net to make it 2-0.

Shortly afterwards, Woking's night goes from bad to worse when Lee Sawyer lunges in on Paul Rutherford, upending the tricky winger right in front of the Woking bench. The referee has no hesitation in brandishing the red card, leaving the Cards with a mountain to climb. Garry Hill then brings on George Frith for Brett Williams and Woking have their best spell of the half following this change. After 65 minutes Adam Newton releases Betsy down the right. He goes to the goal line and gains a corner. McCallum takes the corner, which is cleared to George Frith on the edge of the area. He shoots, but just agonisingly wide. Soon after this, Betsy picks up the ball on the halfway line and surges through the Barrow ranks and into the area but ultimately shoots wide when well placed.

The match drifts somewhat now. Danny L Rowe shoots over when in a good position. Then Adam Boyes breaks clear into the Woking area but Brown smothers his shot well. Then finally good skill from Betsy on the left touchline gets him away from his marker. He passes to Loick Pires (who had replaced Jayden Stockley) but he shoots high and wide. The final whistle comes with Woking ultimately well beaten 2-0.

Overall, a disappointing performance by Woking especially when considering their recent good run. The absence of Billy Knott was clearly evident and the sending-off of Lee Sawyer didn't help. However, the fact that Woking were unable to really test a Barrow defence and goalkeeper which recently conceded 13 goals in two matches will be a worry to Garry Hill and Steve Thompson as they try to pick Woking up for Saturday's tricky trip to Southport.

Woking: Seb Brown, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Mark Ricketts (capt), Jack Parkinson, Kevin Betsy, Brett Williams (George Frith 59), Lee Sawyer, Brett Johnson (Adam Doyle 67), Gavin McCallum, Jayden Stockley (Loick Pires 76)

Unused subs: Joe McNerney, Elvijs Putnins

Cautions: Mark Ricketts 63

Sent Off: Lee Sawyer 56

AFC Barrow: Danny Hurst, Garry Hunter, Gavin Skelton, Mike Pearson, Efe Sodje, Paul Rutherford (Sean McConville 68), Richie Baker, Alex-Ray Harvey, Adam Boyes (Lee Mc Evilly 90), Danny L Rowe, Danny Rowe

Unused subs: Shaun Pearson, Matt Flynn, Tom Eckersley

Goals: DL Rowe 9, 53

Cautions: Garry Hunter 17

Attendance: 624

MOTM: Kevin Betsy – the few moments of quality and danger came from Kevin.
Barrow LINEUP
1Danny Hurst
3Gavin Skelton
5Mike Pearson
16Efe Sodje
7Paul Rutherford ('69)
8Richie Baker
11Danny M Rowe
14Alex-Ray Harvey
15Garry Hunter
9Adam Boyes ('90)
10Danny L Rowe
BENCH
21Shaun Pearson
2Mat Flynn
20Tom Eckersley
22Sean McConville ('69)
17Lee McEvilly ('90)
WOKING LINEUP
30Seb Brown
2Adam Newton
3Mike Cestor
8Jack Parkinson
16Brett Johnson ('67)
4Mark Ricketts
15Lee Sawyer
11Kevin Betsy
19Gavin McCallum
14Brett Williams ('59)
25Jayden Stockley ('76)
BENCH
18Elvijs Putnins
5Joe McNerney
6Adam Doyle ('67)
7Loick Pires ('76)
22George Frith ('59)

Garry Hill Interview

Nick Shaw
11:03pm, Tue 19th Feb 2013
John Moore speaks to Garry Hill following Woking's 2-0 defeat at Barrow this evening.



Garry Hill:








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