FCP

7:45pm - TuesdayTue 1st AprilApr 2014
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 1315

Woking

2 - 1

Forest Green Rovers

Can the Cards make it five in a row?

Brian Caffarey
8:53pm, Sun 30th Mar 2014

Woking v Forest Green Rovers
7.45pm on Tuesday 1 April 2014

The Cards have been in great form and will be hoping to make it five league wins on the trot on Tuesday evening. However, this is likely to be a tough test for Garry Hillâ€™s side since Forest Green Rovers will be desperate for points to advance their play-off ambitions and certainly have some talented players in their squad. Come down to Kingfield and cheer on the Cards!

WOKING

In the first 20 minutes or so of Saturdayâ€™s 2-1 win over Wrexham it looked as though the Cards were going to blow their visitors away as they attacked almost non-stop, creating some excellent chances with their attractive play. But a deserved lead was quickly cancelled out by a poorly-defended free-kick and thereafter Wrexham were much more in the game. Joey Jones, in for the suspended Josh Payne and winning the â€˜man of the matchâ€™ award, restored Wokingâ€™s lead in the second half and the side held out reasonably comfortably after that and indeed might well have added to their lead.

Aaron Howe had to be replaced by Sam Beasant towards the end of the first half on Saturday and will presumably be a doubt for Tuesday evening. Josh Payne will once again be missing, with Joey Jones no doubt replacing him again.

A win on Tuesday evening could take the Cards up as high as 12th place in the table and only seven points off the play-off places.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS

Rovers started the season as one of the promotion favourites, a judgment that seemed to be borne out by their 8-0 thrashing of Hyde on the opening day. But subsequent results were modest at best, with September and October proving disastrous, the latter seeing five straight defeats in the league and FA Cup. Things began to pick up from November onwards following Ady Pennockâ€™s arrival in place of Dave Hockaday. But the weather put paid to any games for almost a month from late January, with the result that they had an extremely busy March, playing eight league games. Four wins, two draws and two defeats werenâ€™t quite good enough to take them into the play-off places, with their last game seeing a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Southport last Thursday in front of the BT cameras. Rovers presently sit in 11th place in the table, only five points off the play-off places and with a game or two in hand on several of the clubs above them.

Rovers have invested heavily in a very strong squad and were active in the transfer window. The most high profile arrival was that of 37 year-old Lee Hughes, described as a â€˜fantastic kidâ€™ (!) by his former manager, Micky Adams. Hughes originally made his name with Kidderminster Harriers many moons ago but arrived from Port Vale, for whom he scored 10 goals in 18 starts last season.

A very familiar name to Woking fans will be that of defender Luke Oliver, who recently signed a contract to stay at Rovers till the end of the season, having played over 100 games for Bradford City.

Rovers had a major change in their strikers midway through the season. Ex-Barrow, Luton and York City hitman Jason Walker, who had been signed in the summer, went on loan to Southport. Matthew Barnes-Homer joined Cambridge United; Reece Styche went on loan to Wycombe Wanderers with a view to a permanent transfer; and Matty Taylor joined Chester on loan. Luke Rodgers, a very experienced striker with 136 goals in 460 appearances here and abroad, has joined Rovers, playing his first game at Southport. He boosts a strike force which also contains James Norwood, Danny Wright and Magno Vieira in addition to Lee Hughes. The most recent arrival is Bradley Jordan, a young midfielder on loan from Charlton Athletic.

ADMISSION PRICES

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

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The 56-page programme printed for the postponed fixture will be sold at a bargain price of Â£2 and will include an extra update from Garry Hill following the Wrexham game and new team sheets. The programme includes an interview with new Club Director and Club Chaplain Ian Nicholson, a profile of FGRâ€™s â€˜greenâ€™ chairman, Dale Vince, and another â€˜where are they now?â€™ feature, looking at the subsequent careers of some former Woking favourites. And of course there are all the usual match reports, previews, news and great photos. If you canâ€™t get to the game, you can order a copy from the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 2 Forest Green Rovers 0
26 February 2013

This was a superb all-round team performance by the Cards against a team challenging for promotion. Garry Hill started with the same side that had secured an away win at Southport, which meant a home debut for on-loan keeper Seb Brown.

The first half was fairly even, with Rovers perhaps playing the â€˜prettierâ€™ football, but Wokingâ€™s confidence grew as the game progressed and they took the lead in the 51st minute with an excellent strike from the hugely impressive Kevin Betsy, smashing the ball into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

It was no great surprise when the Cards increased their lead in the 78th minute, Jack Parkinson swivelling and firing home after a massive scramble in the Rovers box.

The Cards held out comfortably enough for a win that took them to 9th place in the table and only three points short of their initial 50-point target.

Woking: Seb Brown, Adam Newton, Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Mike Cestor (Gavin McCallum 89) Mark Ricketts, Jack Parkinson, Kevin Betsy, John Nutter, Bradley Bubb (George Frith 90), Jayden Stockley (Brett Williams 84)

Unused subs: Elvijs Putnins, Loick Pires

Goals: Kevin Betsy (51), Jack Parkinson (78)

Cautions: Nil

Forest Green Rovers: Sam Russell, Jared Hodgkiss, Chris Stokes, Jamie Turley, Yan Klukowski, Magno Vieira, Matt Taylor, Eddie Oshodi (Lee Fowler 46), Ed Asafu-Adjaye, James Norwood (Yemi Odubade 57), Paul Green (Ben Wright 74)

Unused subs: Omar Koroma, Aaran Racine

Cautions: Eddie Oshodi (43)

Attendance: 1105

NEXT UP

The Cards travel to Hereford next Saturday (5 April) and then to Grimsby Town the following Tuesday (8 April). Their next home game is on Thursday 10 April when they take on high-flying Cambridge United, quickly followed by another home game on Saturday 12 April when Alfreton Town are the visitors.

Come on, you Cards!

Cards Extend Winning Streak

Frankie Hullett
9:56am, Wed 2nd Apr 2014

Woking 2 Forest Green Rovers 1 
The Skrill Premier 
1st April 2014  

Goals in the last half-hour from Scott Rendell and Jack Marriott were enough to turn around a one goal deficit after Lee Hughes had put Forest Green Rovers in front at the Kingfield Stadium. 

Woking started the brighter of the two sides and it was Kevin Betsy (pictured) pulling the strings on the right wing, turning Chris Stokes inside out before delivering a dangerous cross. On fourteen minutes, Woking were close to going behind, however, when Danny Wright managed to get to a long ball before Sam Beasant in the Woking goal and poke it past him. Beasant had Joe McNerney to thank as he was on hand to put it behind for a corner.

McNerney was then involved at the other end when his goal-bound header from a John Goddard corner was cleared off the line at the post. Keiran Murtagh was the next to come close. After hitting a volley into the ground the ball span viciously, meaning that Rovers' 'keeper Sam Russell was unable to gather it cleanly. Luckily for Russell, his fumble narrowly evaded Scott Rendell who was following in.

On thirty-nine minutes, a deep Paul Green cross from the right was heading for an unmarked Stokes, but, fortunately for the Cards' defence, Wright heard no call and glanced it on, taking it past the Rovers' full-back. Two minutes later Woking should have taken the lead. Rovers failed to clear a Goddard free kick from the right wing and it sat up nicely for Rendell, who smashed it over the bar from six yards.  

Half-time: Woking 0 Forest Green Rovers 0  

Early in the second half, it was Beasant in the Woking goal who was able to gather the ball at the second attempt after a devilish cross. A few minutes later, Marriott was denied a clear one-on-one when Aarran Racine flicked it away for a corner but injured himself in the process. Minutes later the injured Racine, still on the pitch, stopped playing when Marriott brought the ball down in the centre circle. The Ipswich loanee continued playing, as he was entitled to do, and fed Rendell on the left, but his shot was weak and easily saved by Russell.

In the sixty-third minute, Rovers were to punish Woking for their missed chances. Veteran Lee Hughes showed his class as his first touch inside the Woking box set himself up for a volley from the angle which he smashed into the far corner of the net for an excellent finish.

Rovers were ahead for just four minutes, however, after substitute Eddie Oshodi was adjudged to have handled when bringing the ball down inside the box. This was a good break for the Cards, as any neutral watching may have considered the decision a little harsh as the assistant referee drew the referee's attention to the infringement, the latter being quite close to the action himself. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Rendell stepped up to the spot and waited for the 'keeper to move before coolly slotting the ball down the middle to level.

Woking could now taste blood and attacked again and again looking to take the lead. First to test the hands of Russell was John Nutter with a dipping volley from the left wing. Next, after a brilliant Goddard cross was Marriott, whose downward header forced a save from the very top drawer from Russell. In the eighty-first minute, it was Marriott again who found some room to hit one with his left foot which Russell again got the better of.

Just a minute later, Russell was trumped as a lobbed pass from John Goddard found Marriott in the box. The youngster showed great composure to hit it first time on the half-volley low into the far corner of the net for a fine goal.

Betsy then went very close to wrapping it up for the hosts when Jamie Turley missed his clearance and the veteran midfielder strode on to crash a great strike against the underside of the crossbar.

The home team were nearly made to pay for their missed chances late into stoppage time when a deep Green cross was met with a looping header by Hughes. Sighs of relief spread across Kingfield when the header dropped just inches wide of the post.

Woking saw out the remaining minutes of injury time to notch their fifth successive win in the Skrill Premier and put themselves within just a point of Forest Green Rovers in mid-table. Skrill Premier Manager of the Month for March Garry Hill was no doubt a very contented man after the match, but will now be turning his attention to Edgar Street on Saturday when the Cards travel to take on financially troubled Hereford United.

 Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton (Mike Cestor 90), John Nutter, Mark Ricketts (c), Joe McNerney, Kevin Betsy, Keiran Murtagh, Scott Rendell, John Goddard, Jack Marriott (Brett Johnson 88), Joey Jones  

Unused Subs: Reece Beckles, Giuseppe Sole, Andy Little  

Goals: Scott Rendell 68 (pen), Jack Marriott 82  

Cautions: None  

Wrexham: Sam Russell, Chris Stokes (Alhassan Bangura 76), Jamie Turley, James Norwood, Yan Klukowski, Danny Wright (Luke Rodgers 86), Aarron Racine (Eddie Oshodi 53), Paul Green, Luke Oliver, Lee Hughes, Bradley Jordan  

Unused Subs: Matt Taylor, Paul White  

Goal: Lee Hughes 63  

Caution: Eddie Oshodi 67  

Sponsorâ€™s MOTM: Kevin Betsy - a constant threat throughout, creating chances for the Cards from start to finish. 

Attendance: 1,315

WOKING LINEUP
18	Sam Beasant
2	Adam Newton
3	John Nutter
5	Joe McNerney
4	Mark Ricketts
30	Joey Jones
26	Keiran Murtagh
11	Kevin Betsy
22	John Goddard
21	Scott Rendell
25	Jack Marriott
BENCH
28	Andy Little
6	Brett Johnson
15	Mike Cestor
10	Giuseppe Sole
34	Reece Beckles