MKJ Group
BSBP
7:45pm - ThursdayThu 28th MarchMar 2013
| Att: 609

Nuneaton Town
Nuneaton Town
0 - 0

Woking
Woking

Cards on the road again

Brian Caffarey
4:24pm, Wed 27th Mar 2013
Nuneaton Town v Woking
7.45pm on Thursday 28 March 2013

The Cards continue their hectic schedule with a hastily-rearranged trip to Nuneaton Town tomorrow (Thursday) evening: the game was originally due to have been played last Saturday. The side may be leg-weary but confidence will be high after a superb 2-2 draw at league leaders Kidderminster Harriers on Tuesday evening. But they will be up against a Nuneaton side desperate to grab points to avoid a quick return to the Conference North and to gain some revenge for the 6-1 hammering they received at Kingfield earlier in the season. Don’t forget that it’s Hereford United at home on Saturday, with free entry for U16s!

WOKING

Garry Hill’s side did fantastically well to gain a point at Kidderminster, who had won nine out of their last ten games, including six straight wins at home. The Cards showed just how far they’ve come this season: far from being over-awed, they attempted to match arguably the best footballing side in the league and managed to take the game to the Harriers for significant periods.

Garry had the luxury of being able to field both Billy Knott and Lee Sawyer in midfield: so often, one or the other has been missing. When you add in the sublime skills of Kevin Betsy and the superb harrying of Mark Ricketts and the ever-improving Jack Parkinson (missing on Tuesday), that’s a midfield line-up to savour! It must remind Thommo of the Woking sides which he graced.

NUNEATON TOWN

Tuesday evening’s 1-0 defeat at Mansfield Town saw Nuneaton slip back into the bottom four, two points adrift of Stockport but with a game in hand. Before that Nuneaton had notched some impressive results, especially at home: a 0-0 draw against Luton and 1-0 wins over Lincoln and, the previous Tuesday, Grimsby Town (the Mariners’ fourth consecutive defeat). The defeat at Mansfield was only their first in their last six league games. Nuneaton’s run-in to the end of the season includes fixtures against quite a few of the clubs who are also fighting to avoid the drop, so their fate is very much in their own hands.

Their record shows that they are quite a difficult nut to crack on their home territory: they’ve won seven, drawn eight and lost only five games at home, scoring 25 goals and conceding 22.

Nuneaton have recently brought in Louis Moult from Northampton Town on loan. Strikers include Kyle Perry, who notched 17 goals for Tamworth the season before last.

GETTING THERE

Nuneaton Town FC
Triton Showers Community Arena
Liberty Way
Nuneaton
Warwickshire
CV11 6RR

Official website: www.nuneatontownfc.com

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

By car
Exit the M6 at Junction 3 and follow the A444 into Nuneaton. At the Coton Arches roundabout turn right into Avenue Road, which is the A4254 signposted for Hinckley. Continue along the A4254 following the road into Garrett Street, then Eastboro Way, then turn left into Townsend Drive. Follow the road round before turning left into Liberty Way for the ground. There is parking at the ground at a cost of £2.

By train
The nearest station is Nuneaton. It’s just about feasible to do the journey there and back by train on Thursday. The 17.10 from Euston arrives at 18.11, or, cutting it very fine, the 18.10 gets in at 19.12. Returning, you’d have to make sure to get the 22.17, arriving at Euston at 23.56.

The ground is about a 30-minute walk from the station or there are taxis available.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £14
Concessions: £10
12-16s: £5
Under 5-11s: £2

Woking fans will be in the fully-covered West Stand.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 6 Nuneaton Town 1
6 September 2012

This was the perfect response to four consecutive defeats, calming the nerves of Cards fans and, as it turned out, paving the way for the Cards’ first away win the following weekend, at Stockport. Garry changed things round a bit, bringing in Adam Doyle and Dean Sinclair to start, along with Bradley Bubb returning from injury. And it was Bradley who made the headlines the following day with four second-half goals.

There was not much sign of this avalanche of goals in the first half as the visitors brought several excellent saves out of Aaron Howe before a quick break out of defence in the 25th minute saw Gavin McCallum finish sweetly to give the Cards the lead. This was doubled just before the interval when Lee Sawyer finished another break by Bradley and Kevin Betsy.

It was the ‘Bradley Bubb show’ in the second half as the Aldershot loanee displayed his best finishing skills. But Aaron Howe was also in good form, saving a penalty before, much to his annoyance, the Woking defence parted to allow Nuneaton to grab a late consolation goal.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Adam Doyle, Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Jack Parkinson, Dean Sinclair (Brett Williams 59), Lee Sawyer (George Frith 63), Kevin Betsy, Bradley Bubb (Loick Pires 71), Gavin McCallum

Unused Subs: Sam Beasant, Mike Cestor

Goal(s): McCallum 25, Sawyer 45, Bubb 48, 55, 68 & 70

Booked: Sawyer 45, McNerney 64

Nuneaton Town: Ben McNamara, Delroy Gordon, Stephen O’Halloran, Gavin Cowan, Gareth Dean, James Armson (Robbie Thompson-Brown 53), Daniel Sleath, Adam Walker, Andy Brown, Wesley York (Kyle Patterson 59), Kyle Perry (Jon Adams 73)

Unused Subs: Tom James, Simon Forsdick

Goal(s): Brown 90

Booked: Armson 36, McNamara 70

Attendance: 1,512

NEXT GAME

The Cards have a very attractive home fixture against Hereford United this Saturday, with all U16s being admitted free. There are only four more home games left, so make a date with Kingfield on Saturday afternoon!

Come on, you Cards!

Cards Draw Blank at Triton Arena

Ray Avards
5:07pm, Fri 29th Mar 2013
Nuneaton Town 0 Woking 0
Blue Square Bet Premier
28th March 2013


Woking showed industry aplenty without ever being able to unlock Nuneaton in this hastily-rearranged game, thanks to the home side’s groundstaff and volunteers, on a pitch bordered by a margin of snow. Despite that or perhaps because of the recent blanket of snow the pitch looked reasonably good.

This result would have been no surprise to followers of form. Nuneaton’s escape plan from the bottom four has been dug out of 3 wins and 2 draws in six matches that have yielded only 4 goals scored in total, prior to the 2-2 draw here with Braintree last time out. The Cards took 11 games to register their first draw in the league and 33 for their third. Inevitably the pendulum has swung and they have gained parity in 5 of their last 8.

Given the limited numbers in their first team squad, Woking’s own rotation policy has meant management have been active in switching players’ positions around to freshen it up. Jack Parkinson returned to central defence for Brett Johnson and Mike Cestor stepped in for John Nutter in a familiar 4-5-1, allowing Bradley Bubb and Kevin Betsy to play wide in support of spearhead, Jayden Stockley.

Boro’ set about Woking from the off. York a threat on the right and Walker on the left. Sights of goal were restricted for both sides on a frost-bitten night as the Cards' cohesion in midfield nullified Boro’ thrusts. Jayden Stockley helped out the defence following Phillips' free-kick and Seb Brown saved Gavin Cowan’s effort. Jack Parkinson was on hand to block Armson’s shot and Adam Newton to divert O’Halloran’s cross.

Brown was called into action again to save from York on the half-hour mark. Fouls were given away with Cowan’s direct free-kick threatening the Woking goal. Yet it was Billy Knott, in behind the Boro’ defence at last, who should have scored but shot wide to Burge’s right.

Slick passing, flicks and touches between Stockley, Betsy and the midfiield hub especially threatened to unhinge Boro’s backline without creating clear shooting chances. Pressure was building on the home goal with first Joe McNerney and then Billy Knott ’s free-kick, the latter being returnedd to him for a shot well wide. McNerney also got up to head wide of the left-hand post after Kevin Betsy had a won a corner for Billy Knott to swing in at the near post.

The players looked glad to get in at half-time with honours even: Garry Hill’s concern being not enough chances to show for the amount of approach play.

Half-time: Nuneaton 0 Woking 0

From the start of the second half Woking were back on the offensive. Gavin McCallum replaced Stockley, freeing Betsy to operate ‘in the hole’ behind him and Bradley Bubb. This put the Cards on the front foot and threatened to take the game away from Boro’.

Betsy’s twists and turns with the ball probed the Boro’ right and Billy Knott made inroads from midfield on the left. Lee Sawyer, so often the spare man at the breakdown from corners or free-kicks, sought space to deliver a telling cross. In one break into the left-hand of the penalty area, he had the ball rolling under the sole of his boot to tempt the rash challenge or make a telling pass. Mike Cestor showed his close control later in a short run, weaving past four tackles.

Chances remained few and far between, though. Bradley Bubb when completely free got up at the far post to Adam Newton’s cross for Burge to save high and one-handed to his left but the flag was already up. Instead Dean, up from the back and winning a lot in the air for Boro’, was narrowly wide of the left-hand post through a crowd of players when a corner broke invitingly for him. York followed this up by shooting wide on the hour mark.

It was Phillips who next stung Brown’s fingertips with a rasping drive. Later, another raking shot was just over from the left-hand side of the area. Meanwhile Joe McNerney was prominent breaking up Boro’ thrusts as they increasingly relied on counter-attacks to get back in the game. His intervention was crucial to get his body in the way of the shot at an unguarded net when Brown came out to smother but the ball broke free.

Bradley Bubb again, from Sawyer’s cross, should have made the keeper work on 70 minutes, but did not get over the ball. His efforts were rewarded by a rest as young Adam Francis joined the action in his place just afterwards.

Boro’ were counter-attacking with good effect now, Aaron Phillips raiding on the overlap on the right, aided and abetted by York. Twice Phillips slid in low crosses and Seb Brown pawed Armson’s effort away at full stretch. Northampton loanee Louis Moult, who had joined the action for Adam Walker, lashed straight at Brown after the ball broke for him from the cut-back by the raiding Phillips.

Forsdick was booked for his challenge on Mark Ricketts that prevented a midfield break. A booking for Jack Parkinson also, following a prolonged niggle that seemed to involve more than him, at a corner. He was still discussing it with Referee Toner afterwards, perhaps a request for a photocopy of any report!

In the end the Cards held out with some energy to spare, which they will need to survive this punishing sequence of four games in seven days. The management team have been absolutely true to their word and applied their understanding of the steep learning curve for some of the younger players and a few of the older heads in this division. Woking have found a way to avoid defeat and are now a nuisance on an off day and a serious threat when they are on their game for any team they face.

Woking: Seb Brown, Adam Newton, Jack Parkinson Joe McNerney, Mike Cestor Mark Ricketts, Lee Sawyer, Billy Knott (George Frith 82), Kevin Betsy, Bradley Bubb(Adam Francis 74), Jayden Stockley(Gavin McCallum 46).

Unused subs: Elvijs Putnins, John Nutter

Cautions: Jack Parkinson 85

Nuneaton Town: Lee Burge, Aaron Phillips , Gavin Cowan, Gareth Dean, Simon Forsdick, Stephen O’Halloran, Adam Walker (Louis Moult 57), James Armson, Danny Sleath (James Dance 73), Wesley York, Andrew Brown.

Unused subs: Neil Cartwright, Delroy Gordon, Jon Adams

Cautions: Forsdick 78, Dean 85

Attendance: 609

MOTM: Seb Brown as his saves secured this hard-won point against opposition desperate for a win
Nuneaton Town LINEUP
23Lee Burge
3Aaron Phillips
21Steven O'Halloran
4Gavin Cowan
5Gareth Dean
14Simon Forsdick
12James Armson
6Adam Walker ('57)
10Andrew Brown
7Wes York
13Daniel Sleath ('73)
BENCH
25James Dance ('73)
27Louis Moult ('57)
15Delroy Gordon
11Jon Adams
2Neil Cartwright
WOKING LINEUP
30Seb Brown
2Adam Newton
3Mike Cestor
5Joe McNerney
8Jack Parkinson
4Mark Ricketts
15Lee Sawyer
24Billy Knott ('82)
9Bradley Bubb ('74)
11Kevin Betsy
25Jayden Stockley ('45)
BENCH
18Elvijs Putnins
26John Nutter
22George Frith ('82)
19Gavin McCallum ('45)
17Adam Francis ('74)

Nuneaton Town 0 - 0 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

Seb Brown Interview

David Holmes
8:33am, Fri 29th Mar 2013
Seb Brown spoke to David Holmes after the game at Nuneaton.

Se Brown:







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