Specsavers
FCP
7:45pm - TuesdayTue 12th NovemberNov 2013
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 1157

Woking
Woking
3 - 0

Dartford
Dartford

Big test for Cards on Tuesday

Brian Caffarey
8:37pm, Sun 10th Nov 2013
Woking v Dartford
7.45pm on Tuesday 12 November 2013

This has all the makings of a tense and hard-fought encounter as the Cards desperately seek a home win against rivals Dartford, who themselves have had a disappointing start to the season. Cards fans will be hoping that new loan signing, the very promising Jack Marriott from Ipswich Town, will help to provide the goalscoring touch that has been missing in recent games. Come on down to Kingfield on Tuesday evening to cheer the Cards on in this crucial game!

WOKING

The Cards were very unfortunate not to get anything out of their last league game, a 2-1 defeat at home to Grimsby Town a week ago, with Grimsby’s winner coming in the 92nd minute after Woking had exerted most of the pressure in the second half. But Garry Hill took some heart from an improved performance, including a promising debut by young Fulham winger Charles Banya and a strong display by half-time substitute John Goddard.

However, the Cards, now third from bottom, need to take full advantage of this run of home fixtures – with Hyde to follow next Saturday – if they are to pull themselves away from the relegation places.

DARTFORD

The Darts, like the Cards, are finding it tougher this season. They currently sit in 18th place, four points and four places above Woking. Away, they have won once (at Tamworth), drawn twice (at Chester and Hereford) and lost six times (at Aldershot, FC Halifax, Luton, Grimsby, Gateshead and Forest Green Rovers). In the First Round of the FA Cup on Saturday the Darts lost 4-2 at Salisbury City.

The Darts lost a couple of key defenders during the summer, with both Tom Champion and Tom Bonner joining Cambridge United, and have also been hit by injury problems. But they still have some fine players in their squad, including the sharp-shooting Ryan Hayes, skipper Lee Burns and Lee Noble. Among the summer arrivals were keeper Alan Julian from Newport County, defender Tyrone Sterling from Dover Athletic, defender Mat Mitchel-King from AFC Wimbledon, and defender Kenny Clark and midfielder Max Cornhill, both from Chelmsford City. A much-trumpeted capture was the long-term loan signing of striker Adam Birchall from Gillingham. A recent addition is Matt Godden, a 22 year-old striker on loan from Scunthorpe United.

The influential Elliott Bradbrook has been out with cracked ribs.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £15
Over 65s and students (with valid student card) £10
U16s £3

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The 56-page matchday programme on Tuesday evening includes a profile of Anthony McNamee and a look back on a great Cards performance of yesteryear. Darts fan Matt Santer gives an opposing view and of course there are all the usual match reports, previews, news and great photos. If you can’t get to the game, you can order a copy from the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk

LAST SEASON

Woking 1 Dartford 0
14 August 2012

A bad-tempered encounter saw the Cards sneak home over ten-man Darts as Gez Sole converted a controversial late penalty.

Both sides came into this fixture on the back of opening-day defeats, the Cards having lost 3-1 at Wrexham whilst Dartford had been beaten 3-2 at home by Tamworth. After a quietish start the game erupted when Lee Noble was sent off in the 35th minute after committing two identical ‘yellow card’ fouls on Kevin Betsy in the space of four minutes. Woking pressed hard in an effort to capitalise before the break but couldn’t find the net, with Louis Wells making a couple of good saves.

The Darts regained their composure after the interval and gave as good as they got for most of the half even though one man short. But in the 81st minute Loick Pires appeared to be hauled down by ex-Card Adam Green. Dartford protested furiously that the offence was outside the box but Gez Sole eventually took the kick and converted – with his celebrations leading to more ill-feeling.

The Darts came close to equalising before a relieved home crowd was able to rejoice in a hard-fought win.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Mark Ricketts (Dean Sinclair 90), Lee Sawyer, Bradley Bubb (Gavin McCallum 67), Kevin Betsy, Loick Pires, Brett Williams (Giuseppe Sole 67)

Unused Subs: Sam Beasant, Jack Parkinson

Dartford 4 Woking 1
1 April 2013

The Darts gained ample revenge in the away fixture, which seemed like a game too far for the Cards, playing their fourth game in seven days. Woking started brightly but Nathan Collier’s excellent strike beat Seb Brown to give the home side an early lead, which was nearly doubled before Jayden Stockley glanced a Billy Knott corner home in the 33rd minute to equalise. The Cards’ woes seemed to begin when both Bradley Bubb and Mark Ricketts had to go off just before half-time and then Lee Noble restored the Darts’ lead in injury time, being quickest to a ball ‘over the top’.

The crucial fourth goal came in the 60th minute when Seb Brown managed to half-block a shot but the ball fell nicely for Charlie Sheringham, who nodded in. The Cards never looked like getting back into the game and Lee Noble rubbed salt into the wounds with a late fourth goal for the hosts.

Woking: Seb Brown, Adam Newton, John Nutter, Brett Johnson (George Frith, 47), Jack Parkinson, Mark Ricketts (Joe McNerney, 44), Billy Knott, Lee Sawyer, Kevin Betsy, Bradley Bubb (Gavin McCallum, 41), Jayden Stockley

Unused subs: Elvijs Putnins, Brett Williams

NEXT UP

The Cards are at home to bottom-of-the-table Hyde next Saturday (16 November) and are then at home to Walton Casuals on Wednesday 20 November in the Surrey Senior Cup. Don’t forget, too, the game between England C and the Czech U21 side on Tuesday 19 November, with a 6pm kick-off, followed by the England v Germany friendly on the big screen in the Cardinals Bar. There is FREE ADMISSION to the England C game.

Come on, you Cards!

Woking score three to win in emphatic style!

Alan Worth
11:40pm, Tue 12th Nov 2013
Woking 3 Dartford 0
The Skrill Premier
12th November 2013


Woking finally managed to break the shackles of a gruesome run of five games without a victory to clinch their second home win of the season. In a fifteen minute, second half “purple patch� the game burst into life as the Cards finally ended their goal drought to rattle in three unanswered goals and see off old rivals Dartford in emphatic style.

Keep it quiet but it really does look as if Garry has managed to find yet another excellent loan signing. Jack Marriott, on loan from Ipswich and making his debut under the watchful eye of his own manager Mick McCarthy, lit up Kingfield with his pace, power and eye for goal. It was the young forward who finally broke the deadlock before setting up his strike partner Scott Rendell for the second.

Garry Hill left his side unchanged apart from the introduction of Marriott, with Gez Sole dropping to the bench. And the Cards duly started this vital fixture very much on the front foot with Rendell almost glancing home his near post header following Charles Banya’s first minute corner.

Betsy managed to get to the bye line almost immediately after but his cross was blocked for a second corner before then dwelling too long on the ball following some neat interplay with Newton and Marriott down the right hand flank and failing to get a shot away.

The game had still not yet settled as Dartford wasted a dangerous free kick just outside the Woking box with a training ground move that failed in embarrassing fashion – the ball trickling away for a goal kick as forwards stood and watched.

Woking’s next real chance provided a glimpse of what Jack Marriott has to offer as, from well outside the box, he flashed a fierce shot past Julian’s right hand post.

The Cards were creating most of the opportunities as they pressed down their right hand flank – a Betsy chip saw Rendell loop his header off target and then a second chance for the striker as Marriott and Banya set him up but this time he fired well wide.

Dartford’s first real chance came after twenty-two minutes. The Cards failed to clear a corner and some desperate defending saw three shots from the Darts blocked in quick succession. It wasn’t pretty but in the end it was effective.

Just after the half hour mark Jack Marriott again created a chance from nothing as he chased down Rendell’s flicked header from a long Beasant clearance and volleyed a left foot shot wide. While at the other end the dangerous Birchall was given far too much space as he turned to shoot just wide, the ball fizzing past the angle of post and bar.

As the half came to a close Betsy and Rendell both had efforts charged down following a Woking corner with Dartford defending in numbers but the half finished with the Cards still unable to find the net. The game had all the hallmarks of yet another frustrating evening as the hosts, looking comfortable at the back seemed to lack the guile needed to open up a Darts defence well marshalled by Kenny Clark and his hardworking team mates.


Half-time: Woking 0 Dartford 0

An early scare for the Cards as the second period began. Lee Noble’s dangerous free kick from the left saw Mitchel-King rise unchallenged to head over and then Woodyard, suddenly with space in front of goal as the Woking defence for once opened up, could only fire harmlessly wide.

But Woking were beginning to dominate and looking far more dangerous. Marriott chased down a long through ball and was only denied as he closed in on goal by a wonderful sliding tackle from Clark. Josh Payne (pictured) then set up Parkinson from the resulting corner but the defender’s long-range effort was just wide.

Just on the hour mark Woking had the ball in the net. Scott Rendell tapped the ball into an empty net from close range after Josh Payne’s stunning long-range effort had come back off a post but the linesman’s flag was up immediately for offside. Then, as the game began to spark into life, Rendell flashed a cross in low from the right for Marriott to slide in but he just failed to connect.

Surely a goal was coming, as the Cards pressed forward and then to the relief of the vast majority of the Kingfield crowd the deadlock was finally broken. The increasingly influential Payne played a diagonal ball into the box and a stretching Jack Marriott was able to deflect the ball past the outstretched hand of Julian and into the far corner. Kingfield celebrated!!

But the Darts were not going to lie down. They now took their turn to look for an immediate equaliser. Sam Beasant dealt with a Ryan Hayes cross and then Godden was left unmarked at the far post. He chested down a cross but the ball was smuggled out for a corner. From the resulting set piece Clark rose unopposed to head over. It was an excellent chance.

At the other end Woking were now making much more use of Banya playing down the right with Betsy switching to the left. And it was the young Fulham loanee who, along with Newton created the next chance for Marriott but the diving Julian magnificently turned his shot away.

On seventy-five minutes the Cards scored a second. This time it was Marriott the provider as he raced away down the left hand side to square the ball expertly for his striking partner Scott Rendell to steer the ball home. And then almost immediately it was three!!

Two minutes later Josh Payne’s excellent free kick from wide on the left was whipped into the box for Joe McNerney to flick home into the far corner. The three points were safe and Woking had little difficulty in seeing out the remaining minutes – even conjuring up a couple more chances as both Banya and Rendell fired wide.

There were smiles all round at the final whistle after this confidence boosting performance and that scintillating fifteen minute goal spree in the second half. Marriott and Rendell worked well together and could form a dangerous and effective strike partnership. Josh Payne looked increasingly dominant in the second half and Banya’s pace, once he gets to see some of the ball, will trouble most defences in this league. At the back the Cards looked solid enough with Beasant given little to do.

The Cards now have to build on this welcome victory next Saturday at home to Hyde. A further three points could well see them out of the bottom four and hopefully the start of the all important climb away from trouble.




Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, John Nutter, Mark Ricketts, Joe McNerney, Jack Parkinson (Mike Cestor 82), Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Scott Rendell, Jack Marriott (Gez Sole 88), Charles Banya (John Goddard 89)

Unused subs: Aaron Howe, Gavin Williams

Goals: Jack Marriott 63, Scott Rendell 75, Joe McNerney 77


Dartford: Alan Julian, Lee Burns, Kenny Clark, Ryan Hayes (Tyrone Sterling 81), Lee Noble, Alex Woodyard (Danny Harris 73), Matt Fry, Max Cornhill, Mat Mitchel-King, Adam Birchall, Matty Godden (Jason Prior 81)

Unused subs: Nathan Collier, Tommy Forecast


Cautions: Lee Noble 76


Attendance: 1157


MOTM: Jack Marriott – a very promising debut and that all important first goal.
WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
2Adam Newton
3John Nutter
8Jack Parkinson ('82)
5Joe McNerney
4Mark Ricketts
20Josh Payne
11Kevin Betsy
30Charles Banya ('90)
21Scott Rendell
25Jack Marriott ('88)
BENCH
1Aaron Howe
15Mike Cestor ('82)
22John Goddard ('90)
9Gavin Williams
10Giuseppe Sole ('88)
Dartford LINEUP
1Alan Julian
20Lee Burns
5Kenny Clark
7Ryan Hayes ('82)
8Lee Noble
35Alex Woodyard ('73)
19Matt Fry
6Max Cornhill
14Mat Mitchell-King
16Adam Birchall
21Matty Godden ('82)
BENCH
11Danny Harris ('73)
9Jason Prior ('81)
15Nathan Collier
4Tyrone Sterling ('82)
22Tommy Forecast

Woking 3-0 Dartford (Steve Thompson Interview)

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