Cards travel to league leaders

Brian Caffarey
8:58am, Fri 11th Mar 2016

Cheltenham Town v Woking
Vanarama National League
3pm on Saturday 12 March 2016

The Cards travel to league leaders Cheltenham Town on Saturday on the back of five successive league defeats, including the gut-wrenching loss in the fifth minute of injury time at Eastleigh on Tuesday night. Garry Hill and Cards fans will be hoping for a change of fortune at Whaddon Road but the odds are stacked heavily in the Robinsâ€™ favour as they seek automatic promotion back to the League at the first attempt.

WOKING

It looked as though the Cards would get at least a point at Eastleigh after the home side had been reduced to ten men early in the first half and Joey Jones had given Woking a 1-0 half-time lead. But Keiran Murtaghâ€™s dismissal in the 60th minute evened things up and Jai Reason soon levelled the scores. The Woking goal appeared to have survived a final onslaught when, with virtually the last kick of the match, Will Evans scored to give Eastleigh a vital three points in their play-off chase and to leave Woking still standing on 49 points.

The Cards will of course be without Murtagh on Saturday, while there was still no sign of Bruno Andrade at Eastleigh.

CHELTENHAM TOWN

The Robinsâ€™ already strong squad was boosted in the January transfer window by the signing of striker Dan Holman, who of course had enjoyed a very successful loan spell at Woking from Colchester United. Garry Hill tried hard to keep Dan but, not surprisingly, the Robins were able to make a better offer.

In addition to Dan Holman, Gary Johnson brought in defender Jordan Cranston from Gateshead for an undisclosed fee and 20 year-old defender Cameron Burgess on a youth loan from Fulham for the rest of the season. Midfielder James Dayton also extended his contract, while Lee Vaughan left the club and 16 year-old Luke Thomas joined Derby County for an undisclosed fee plus add-ons.

Other well-known names in the Robinsâ€™ squad include defenders Aaron Downes, who, however, has now been sidelined for the rest of the season, and Daniel Parslow, with York City for many years; top scorer Danny Wright, with Gateshead and Kidderminster Harriers among his former clubs; midfielders Kyle Storer and ex-Don Harry Pell; and striker Amari Morgan-Smith.

Following an injury to regular keeper Dillon Phillips in the defeat at Eastleigh just over a week ago, Johnson brought in Jon Flatt on loan from Wolves, whilst back-up keeper Calum Kitscha has been allowed to join Worcester City on loan but with a 24-hour recall clause.

On Tuesday night the Robins grabbed a late equaliser at Welling United through Dan Holman. By their standards they are going through a bit of a blip at present since they have drawn two and lost one of their last three games but they are still two points clear of Forest Green Rovers.

GETTING THERE

Whaddon Road Stadium
Cheltenham
Glocs
GL52 5NA

By coach

The Cards Trust coach leaves The Laithwaite Community Stadium at 11am, and costs Â£19 for Trust members, Â£24 for non-members and Â£10/Â£12 for under 16s.

To book your place on the coach, please contact the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk or 01483 772470.

By car

The AA-recommended route is via M4 to J15, then joining A419, followed by A417. The directions, given on the Cheltenham FC official website, as you near Cheltenham are: As the A417 continues downhill towards Cheltenham, passing the Air Balloon public house on the left, you will reach a roundabout. Take the first exit signposted Gloucester A417. Continue to junction with M5 motorway then head north on M5 (signposted Worcester). Stay on M5 for one junction then leave at Junction 11 and head towards Cheltenham on the A40. Continue over first roundabout then at next roundabout bear right, following signs for Oxford A40. After half a mile continue over a set of traffic lights. Then after another half a mile continue over some more lights, bearing left slightly and continuing to follow signs for Oxford A40. Go straight over next roundabout (still following Oxford A40). At next traffic lights turn right, then immediately left into Sandford Road. Continue to a mini-roundabout and turn left (still signposted Oxford A40). At next traffic lights continue straight over onto B4075 (signposted Prestbury). After half a mile bear right, staying on B4075 as it becomes Priors Road. Take the next left into Whaddon Road, continue over a mini roundabout and Whaddon Road stadium is on the right-hand side.

By train

Getting from Woking to Cheltenham Spa is not particularly straightforward, involving at least two changes. The 10.25 train from Woking would get you there at 13.24 via Guildford, Reading and Swindon. The 11.00 would get you there at 14.09 via Basingstoke, Reading and Bristol Parkway. Cutting it very fine (taxi definitely needed), the 11.29 would get in at 14.22 via Basingstoke and Reading.

Cheltenham Spa railway station is approximately 2Â½ miles and a good 40 minutesâ€™ walk from the ground. Take the D bus (every 10 mins during the day/20 mins during the evening) from the station to the town centre. Then either walk (15 mins) or take the A bus to Whaddon Road. Alternatively, take a taxi from the station.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults Â£21
Over 65 and Disabled: Â£15
U18 and Students: Â£7

Away fans are accommodated in the Hazlewoods Stand.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 0 Cheltenham Town 1
19 September 2015

Both sides went into this game full of confidence. The Cards had just inflicted the first defeat of the season on Forest Green Rovers to move up to fourth in the table, while Gary Johnsonâ€™s side were beginning to get into their stride, with back-to-back wins over Dover Athletic and Macclesfied Town taking them to third place.

Garry Hill made one enforced change from the midweek win, Chris Arthurâ€™s hamstring injury seeing his place go to on-loan Craig Braham-Barrett, making his debut.

In an even contest the young Cards side attacked brightly, with a number of crosses coming in from John Goddard, Bruno Andrade and Jake Caprice, but no one could apply the finishing touch against a well-organised Robins outfit. In the end, perhaps predictably, given Cheltenhamâ€™s height advantage, the decisive strike came from a corner in the 67th minute, Danny Wright climbing above Terell Thomas to head firmly home.

There was nothing in the manner of defeat to hint at the dreadful run which followed, which saw the Cards plummet to 17th in the table and suffer a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Maidenhead United.

Woking: Jake Cole, Craig Braham-Barrett, Terell Thomas, Brian Saah, Jake Caprice (Giuseppe Sole 81), Bruno Andrade, Jimmy Keohane, John Goddard (Kadell Daniel 81), Keiran Murtagh (c), Harry Cardwell (Joey Jones 55), Dan Holman

Unused subs: Nick Hamman, Godfrey Poku  Cheltenham Town: Dillon Phillips, Jack Barthram, George McLennan, Aaron Downes (c), Rob Dickie, Daniel Parslow, Kyle Storer, Harry Pell, Jack Munns (Asa Hall 72), Amari Morgan-Smith, Danny Wright (Bill Waters 82)

Unused subs: Calum Kitscha, James Rowe, Lee Vaughan  Goal: Danny Wright (67)  Attendance: 2,035 (195 away)

NEXT GAME

The Cards are at home to Merstham on Tuesday night in the semi-final of the Surrey Senior Cup.

The Cards donâ€™t have a game next weekend due to the re-arrangement of their scheduled fixture against Grimsby Town, which will now take place on Tuesday 19 April. The Cardsâ€™ next home game is against Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday 26 March.

Come on, you Cards!

Cards fold to goal ace Holman

Ray Avards
8:10am, Sun 13th Mar 2016

Cheltenham Town 4 Woking 0 
March 12th 2016
 Vanarama National League   

Returning players and a more recognisable line-up could not turn the tide of Wokingâ€™s recent form. They fell to a sixth straight league defeat and are back into the bottom half of the table.

Wokingâ€™s bright start could not disguise their fragility at the back in a defence that has had more reshuffles than a minority government. Matt Robinson, Bruno Andrade, Jake Caprice, Chris Arthur and Joe Quigley came back in to start, displacing Cameron Norman, Joe Robinson, Godfrey Poku, Daniel Carr and the suspended Keiran Murtagh in a 4-4-2, the first three finding themselves on the bench. Bittersweet was the curse of the ex, more like the return of the hex, as Dan Holman took full advantage to score all four goals for the triumphant home side, a rapid brace in each half.

There was no hint of the outcome in the early exchanges. Matty Butcher scampered onto Chris Arthurâ€™s pass, inside left channel, to float a left foot shoot narrowly over Wolvesâ€™ loanee keeper Jon Flattâ€™s crossbar. At the other end, Dan Holman was nearly on the end of Danny Wrightâ€™s flick. Joey Jones slipped half-way inside his half and only Arthur driving the loose ball away for a corner saved the Cards. For Woking, Bruno Andrade danced infield but shot well over from the penalty area edge.

Next, Asa Hallâ€™s swinging shot had Jake Cole diving at full length but it was wide of his right upright. Holman then skied a right footer. Jones was closed down again, the Robins having done their homework on his skill out of defence, the breakthrough shut out at the expense of a corner.

Goddard wormed his way in superbly for the Cards and shot, but beyond the far post and the defence cleared the loose ball.

A debatable corner, with Jake Cole seeming to stop a loose ball off his own player right on the byline, was headed over by a free Cameron Burgess.

Giuseppe Sole then slipped twice in a moment in the opposition area, once on his own and next bringing down a defender and was lectured by the referee.

Hallâ€™s shot was blocked by Caprice on the area edge. For the Cards, Goddard found space inside again and his right foot shot was tipped away by Flatt. Holman was played in deep in the Woking area but a last ditch tackle stopped him. Then he was blocked out of his shot on the edge of the box and resorted to a cross that Cole parried for Mark Ricketts to tidy up. The signs were there for the home side, however, and in seconds Hall helped on to Holman, 8 yards out, with the Woking backline very deep. He fired high into the right of the net for 1-0.

On the restart Wright fired over from six yards from Holmanâ€™s low cross, but was offside. Arthur let in Munns for a run at the heart of defence for the Robins. Luckily his effort was blocked for a corner. Munns took full advantage all the same, with his corner, which fell to Holman in the goal area to stab home his second in quick succession.

A slip by Robinson let in Wright to run at Jones inside the area but the Woking man stayed on his feet to win his tackle. Bartram got up from right back to shoot well over to close the first half.

Half-time: Cheltenham Town 2 Woking 0  

Within a minute of the restart Munns was in on the right and dummied his marker to set up his shot but Jake Cole saved with his legs. At the other end Butcherâ€™s left foot free kick, from an inside right spot, was just over the angle of the goal.

Jones somehow kept out Wrightâ€™s header, Cole needing that help for once, as the ball flew across the goal area. Arthur got bypassed and Holman belatedly got his shot away, but his hat trick chance flew over. He neednâ€™t have worried.

Joe Robinson came on for Andrade, who had taken a knock on his right foot and Woking were now a three at the back. Mark Ricketts could only sky a clearance and the pressure was back on. Wright found space wide on the right and Holmanâ€™s flick header at the near post clinched it for him and his side.

The Robins closed ranks with McLennan on for Cranston and Garry Hill brought on Poku for Arthur, but little changed. Cole made yet another save low down to his right.
Johnny Goddard heel-flicked over his marker and was round him to get in a low shot but a deflection took the pace off it.

Munns helped Holman get round the back of the defensive three on the right and he finished low in the far corner of the net for his and Townâ€™s fourth.

A series of substitutions followed with Robinsâ€™ Harry Pell for Hall, Billy Waters for James Rowe and the Cards' captain Mark Ricketts handing the armband over to be replaced by Cameron Norman.

Munns got in yet again but was not able to finish. Joe Quigley worked space on his own and had Flatt clawing his shot around the post to signal a late flurry of Cardsâ€™ corners. Cameron Norman was so close to his first Cardsâ€™ goal on as one of them fizzed across the six yard line.

Woking now have the respite of a Surrey Cup semi-final at home on Tuesday and then a break until they entertain basement boys Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday, March 26th.   

Woking: Jake Cole, Jake Caprice, Joey Jones, Mark Ricketts (c), (Cameron Norman 74), Chris Arthur (Godfrey Poku 62), Bruno Andrade (Joe Robinson 57), Matt Robinson, Matt Butcher, John Goddard, Giuseppe Sole, Joe Quigley

  Unused subs: Alex Smith, Nick Hamann   

Cheltenham Town:Â Jon Flatt, Jack Barthram, Cameron Burgess, Dan Parslow, James Rowe (Billy Waters 69), Jack Munns, Kyle Storer (c), Asa Hall (Harry Pell 67), Jordan Cranston (George McLennan 60), Dan Holman, Danny Wright

Unused subs: Amari Morgan-Smith, Rhys Lovett   

Goals: Holman 32, 38, 58, 64    

My MOTM: Jake Cole â€“ again, as he refused to give in and kept the score down with another resilient display. Without Holmanâ€™s marksmanship, the Woking 'keeper might have been the dayâ€™s hero.    

Attendance: 2,951

Cheltenham Town LINEUP

WOKING LINEUP
1	Jake Cole
2	Jake Caprice
3	Chris Arthur ('62)
4	Mark Ricketts ('74)
7	Joey Jones
14	Matt Robinson
28	Matt Butcher
15	Bruno Andrade ('57)
11	John Goddard
10	Giuseppe Sole
19	Joe Quigley
BENCH
18	Nick Hamann
26	Cameron Norman ('74)
27	Joe Robinson ('57)
12	Godfrey Poku ('62)
20	Alex Smith