Lovetts
FCP
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 18th JanuaryJan 2014
Park View Road | Att: 809

Welling Utd
Welling United
3 - 0

Woking
Woking

Cards hope for away joy

Brian Caffarey
4:08pm, Thu 16th Jan 2014
Welling United v Woking
3pm on Saturday 18 January 2014

Garry Hill’s side continue their quest for mid-table safety with a trip to old foes Welling United on Saturday. Last season’s Conference South champions started the season strongly but have faded a little, so the Cards will be hoping for some joy at Park View Road. The Wings, however, will be smarting from their midweek home defeat by Hyde United and will be keen to complete a ‘double’ over Woking. So, expect the usual fiercely-contested game between these two clubs.

WOKING

The departures of loanees Jack Marriott, Scott Rendell and Charles Banya may have left the Cards looking depleted up front but a fine, spirited all-round display, with Gez Sole leading the line, produced a much more emphatic victory against Braintree Town than the 1-0 scoreline suggests. But Garry Hill will be well aware that his side will need more than scrambled goals from a central defender if they are to fare as well in the coming weeks, so he will undoubtedly be continuing to do his best to strengthen his strike force.

The Cards, in 17th place in the table, are five points above the relegation places but with a game in hand on several of the clubs around them.

WELLING UNITED

The Wings, last season’s Conference South champions, sit in 14th place in the table, three points above Woking, having played one game more. Jamie Day’s side have hit a sticky patch recently, winning only one of their last seven league games (2-1 at Dartford on Boxing Day). They hit their lowest point of the season on Tuesday night when they were surprisingly beaten 2-0 at home by bottom-of-the-table Hyde, the latter’s first win of the campaign. Welling were beset by injuries, with key striker Ross Lafayette and midfielders Jake Gallagher and player/manager Jamie Day missing, whilst ex-Card Loick Pires was also unavailable, having suffered a leg fracture. Jamie Day described the performance as ‘rubbish’, the worst he’d experienced as Welling’s manager. Hyde played well and thoroughly deserved their victory by all accounts, with the Wings looking weak up front. Skipper Lee Clarke and Kiernan Hughes Mason came off the bench when the Wings were one goal adrift but were unable to change things round.

Jamie Day, like Garry Hill, has experienced a frustrating time so far during the transfer window but hopes to bring in a loanee before Saturday and may well pick himself to start too.

GETTING THERE

Welling United FC
Park View Road
Welling
Kent
DA16 1SY
Website:www.wellingunited.com

By Coach

The Cards Trust coach leaves Kingfield at 12.30pm. Prices are £12 for members and £17 for non-members. Ring (01483 772470) or email the Club Shop (shop@wokingfc.co.uk) to book.

By Car

Leave the M25 at Junction 2. At the roundabout, take the A2 towards Central London. Leave the A2 at the third exit (Danson Interchange, signposted A221 to Bexleyheath and Sidcup). Turn right (second exit) at the roundabout at the end of the slip road, and then turn right (third exit) at the next roundabout. Go under the A2 bridge and up the slope to another roundabout. Take the second exit and follow the road (Danson Road) to the traffic lights at the end. Turn left at the lights onto Park View Road. The ground is on the left. There is no car park, but plenty of street parking is available.

By Train

Nearest station: Welling

From Woking take the train to Waterloo. Then from Waterloo East catch the train to Welling. Direct trains, from Platform A, are at 05 and 35 minutes past the hour and take 28 minutes e.g. the 13.35 arrives at 14.03 and the 14.05 arrives at 14.33. Other trains involve a change at London Bridge – or, alternatively, you could get the tube to London Bridge from Waterloo and start your journey from there. On the way back, direct trains to Waterloo East are at 04 and 34 minutes past the hour, with slower trains (involving a change at London Bridge) leaving at 13 and 43 minutes past the hour. The ground is an easy 15-20 minutes’ walk from the station. Just walk down to the main road (Bellegrove Road/Welling High Street), turn left and keep going till you reach the ground on your right. Buses 89, 486 and B16 pass the ground.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £15
Students: £10
Concessions (Over 60/U16): £9
U12: Free with an adult
Seating: £1 – pay at grandstand

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 2 Welling United 4
24 August 2013

A good away win at Chester on the previous Saturday did not prepare Cards fans for this morale-sapping defeat against Jamie Day’s side in the second home game of the season. Garry Hill’s side had only themselves to blame, giving away three goals in a dreadful 15-minute spell midway through the first half. First, Aaron Howe managed to punch the ball into his own net. Four minutes later Doug Bergqvist had acres of space to head home Joe Healy’s cross. Then Brett Johnson dallied and was robbed by Ross Lafayette, who crossed for an easy goal for former Woking trialist and ex-Sutton favourite Harry Beautyman. Johnson pulled a goal back before half-time as he converted a pull-back from Gavin Williams.

Things got worse immediately after the break when Jack Parkinson, playing against his former club, picked up a second harsh yellow card and was sent off. (This was Woking’s third red card in successive games, following those waved at Gez Sole and Josh Payne.) Joe McNerney was thrown up front to partner George Bowerman but, almost inevitably, the returning Loick Pires added a fourth for the Wings on the break. McNerney immediately pulled a goal back to make it 2-4 but plenty of Woking pressure did not produce another goal.

This defeat turned out to be the first of four successive losses.

COMING UP

The Cards are at home to Chester on Tuesday 21 January. Kick-off is at 7.45pm. Woking will be keen to keep as much distance as possible between themselves and Chester, so come along and support the Cards in this important game. Make sure you’ve got a note too of the re-arranged home game against Hereford United: Monday 3 February.


Come on, you Cards!



Cards well beaten by determined Wings

Brian Caffarey
9:28pm, Sat 18th Jan 2014
Welling United 3 Woking 0
The Skrill Premier
18 January 2014

Cards fans won’t look back on this match with much pleasure. A resolute and determined Welling side, smarting from their midweek home defeat at the hands of lowly Hyde, outfought Woking and should have been ahead before Keiran Murtagh’s second booking just before half-time gave Garry Hill’s side a hugely difficult post-interval task. Predictably, Welling piled on the pressure and the eventual three-goal margin did not flatter Jamie Day’s side.

The pitch, though quite heavily sanded and soft, was surprisingly playable after the recent heavy rain. Woking lined up as against Braintree, with Gez Sole having the unenviable remit of leading the line, with little support as it turned out, against the far taller Blaine Hudson and his fellow defenders. It didn’t help that a good many of the balls aimed at him were in the air, where of course he stood virtually no chance of success. In spite of that he worked tirelessly and could not be faulted for his application.

In a scrappy opening to the game both sides found it hard to keep possession or pick a pass as players were quickly harried into submission. But even in the early stages of the tough physical battle there were signs that it was the home side who were much more likely to create chances. A fine tackle by Mark Ricketts, in the fifth minute, on the edge of the area prevented Lafayette pulling the trigger, whilst three minutes later Beautyman blasted over as he stretched to reach a fine cross from the impressive Guthrie.

Woking’s attacking intentions weren’t helped by the fact that John Goddard found himself shackled by Fazakerley, with Kevin Betsy on the other flank rarely managing to get into the game. Josh Payne and Keiran Murtagh occasionally managed to push forward and threaten but were increasingly occupied in defensive duties as the half progressed and Welling gradually assumed greater and greater control of the game.

A reasonable chance fell to Clarke in the 11th minute but he could only manage a weak shot straight at Sam Beasant. Woking’s first dangerous attack was in the 21st minute when Sole latched superbly onto a long clearance from Beasant, turned his marker and just failed to reach Betsy with an intercepted pass.

Welling had another decent chance shortly afterwards after Guthrie had managed to surge through several tackles and find Clarke but his deliberate side-footed effort was again easy meat for Beasant.

As the midway point of the half was reached both sides were still finding it hard to pick out telling passes but the main difference was that Welling looked to have some firepower up front when they did get forward whereas Woking rarely threatened.

On the half hour mark Murtagh picked up a wholly unnecessary yellow card as he obstructed a free-kick, an indiscretion for which he and his team were to pay dearly fifteen minutes later.

Healy did well to bring the ball down on the edge of the area but, again, the shot was weak and caused no problems for Beasant. Woking’s increasing frustration was apparent as Goddard was booked, after planting his foot high into Hudson, but the Cards did threaten again around the 35-minute mark. A lobbed ball forward saw the home keeper Butcher run out of his area to head away, with the ball falling to Murtagh but the ball was taken off his foot before he had time to react.

It looked as though Welling had finally achieved a breakthrough when, after a break down Woking’s right, the ball was played inside to Beautyman but his fierce shot cannoned off the underside of the bar and away to safety. A Hudson header drifted wide on the 40-minute mark before Guthrie unleashed a superb left-footed effort from distance which looked destined for the top corner but it drew an exceptional one-handed save from Beasant, tipping the ball over the bar.

Just as it seemed that Woking would reach half-time unscathed Murtagh slid recklessly and unnecessarily into a tackle well away from any danger zone. A yellow card was inevitable, followed by the brandishing of the red.

There was just time for a deflected shot from Guthrie, followed by two corners, before the ten men in yellow trudged off to their dressing room.

Half-time: Welling United 0 Woking 0

Predictably, Woking were soon on the back foot after the break and it seemed only a matter of time before Welling would make their advantage pay. Beasant was soon in action, tipping the ball over the bar. Lafayette volleyed well wide but Beautyman’s swerving effort was on target, Beasant parrying before Joe McNerney cleared.

The breakthrough finally came in the 62nd minute. Cargill broke down the Woking right. Adam Newton was not able to prevent the hard, low cross and Healy had the easy task of steering the ball home from close range to make it 1-0.

A few minutes later Garry Hill made two changes, bringing on Reece Beckles to make his league debut, giving Sole some welcome support up front, and Brett Johnson. Goddard and John Nutter were the players to make way.

There was a scare for the home side when Lee Butcher almost lost control of a Hudson back header but they seemed rather fortunate when the referee awarded a penalty against Mike Cestor after he had tousled with Lafayette on the left of the Woking area. Beasant made a fine save from Lafayette’s spot kick but Healy was on hand to thrash the ball back into the net to make it 2-0.

The only bright spot for Cards fans in the remainder of the game was a spirited cameo from Beckles, whose pace and determination at least gave the Welling defenders something to think about as they sought to calmly see out the match. One break on the left almost saw Sole played in.

Woking’s awful day reached its apogee when Johnson fluffed a clearance in the box, with Clarke quickly poking the ball beyond Beasant to make it 3-0.

On the day the Cards failed to match the home side’s resolve and determination, being outfought and outmuscled, although there were some decent performances from Sam Beasant, Joe McNerney, Mike Cestor and Josh Payne in particular. Keiran Murtagh’s sending-off may be regarded as the turning point but Woking were already second best by that stage and lucky still to be level. Gez Sole worked hard but the side desperately needed someone up front who could compete physically and hold the ball up.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, Joe McNerney, Mike Cestor, John Nutter (Reece Beccles 70) , Mark Ricketts, Josh Payne, Kevin Betsy, Keiran Murtagh, John Goddard(Brett Johnson 70), Giuseppe Sole (Niall Wright 87)

Unused subs: Andy Little, Anthony McNamee

Booked: Keiran Murtagh, John Goddard, Reece Beckles

Sent off: Keiran Murtagh (two yellow cards)

Welling: Lee Butcher, Loui Fazakerley, Doug Bergqvist, Lee Clarke, Kurtis Guthrie (Luis Cumbers 76), Ross Lafayette (Kiernan Hughes-Mason 84), Blaine Hudson, Harry Beautyman, Baily Cargill, Josh Wakefield, Joe Healy

Unused subs: Jamie Turner, Jack Obersteller, Connor McLaren

Goals: Joe Healy 62 and 75, Lee Clarke 83

Booked: Doug Bergqvist, Loui Fazakerley, Blaine Hudson, Josh Wakefield

My Woking MOTM: Mike Cestor (pictured)

Attendance: 809


Welling United LINEUP
WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
2Adam Newton
3John Nutter ('70)
5Joe McNerney
15Mike Cestor
4Mark Ricketts
20Josh Payne
26Keiran Murtagh
11Kevin Betsy
22John Goddard ('70)
10Giuseppe Sole ('87)
BENCH
28Andy Little
6Brett Johnson ('70)
17Niall Wright ('87)
14Anthony McNamee
34Reece Beckles ('70)

Welling United 3-0 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

Interview with Niall Wright and Reece Beckles

David Holmes
7:07pm, Sat 18th Jan 2014

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