Havant & Waterlooville 1 Woking 1
Blue Square Bet South
1 January 2011



Woking began the New Year with a well-earned draw at Havant & Waterlooville and thereby extended their unbeaten run to twelve games. This was not the fluent affair, graced with four superb goals that had marked last weekend’s fixture with the Hawks at Kingfield, but the Cards did enough to secure a point through Joe Keehan’s headed effort twenty-five minutes into the second period.

Graham Baker made two changes to his side that had secured last Sunday’s win with Moses Ademola making a start in place of Dave Gilroy and Jerome Maledon replacing Mark Ricketts.

As has happened rather too often this season, the Cards made a slow start and with the Hawks looking the much sharper side early on it was the hosts, playing down the slope, who had the early opportunities. Within the first ten minutes Havant had forced three corners in quick succession and it wasn’t until the ninth minute before some good interplay in midfield enabled Ricky Anane to find space on the right. The home side cleared his resulting low cross.

Havant had a good chance after fourteen minutes. Joe McNerney’s attempted header back to Andy Little, skipper for the day, was far too short. The dangerous Fogden was in quickly one-on-one with Little but as he collided with the Cards’ keeper the ball squirmed away past the post with the home fans screaming for a penalty.

With twenty-five minutes gone, 'man of the match' Lee Sawyer (pictured) made a wonderful run which took him half the length of the pitch. He then squared the ball from the bye line for Elvis Hammond but the striker’s shot was blocked. And almost immediately Ademola had a long-range effort from outside the box but this time his shot was well over.

Gez Sole was now brought on to replace the injured Igoe to warm applause from the travelling Cards support. But it was the visitors who were now beginning to get back into the game with Sam Hurrell forcing a low save from Howe.

On the point of half-time Havant wasted the best chance of the half with Tiryaki heading over at the far post from Sole’s pinpoint cross.

Half-time: Havant & Waterlooville 0 Woking 0

Within three minutes of the re-start Hurrell made a quick break down the left flank after a pass from Ademola had put him in the clear. The winger’s cross, directed at Hammond, was just too close to keeper Howe, who was able to clear.

Havant took the lead on fifty-one minutes after Reiss Noel was adjudged to have handled the ball on the edge of the Woking box. From twenty yards out Tiryaki blasted the free-kick into the far corner of the net, giving Little no chance. It was almost a replica of the goal he scored in the first match, with Sole making the initial dummy run.

Almost immediately the Hawks had an opportunity to double their lead. A slip at the back provided Fogden with space but his shot flashed past the left-hand post. And then after Sole had been tripped by Noel, Hopkinson’s free-kick found its way to Fogden but this time his shot was cleared off the line by McNerney.

Woking were now managing to break quickly from defence and, playing down the slope, created a number of half chances. Hammond was pulled back on the edge of the box but Sawyer’s free-kick was well over. Ricky Anane was then able to make a good break down the right-hand flank but his cross was just too deep for Hammond lurking at the far post. On sixty-five minutes the Cards’ front man had the ball in the net but the goal was ruled out for an offside decision.

On seventy-two minutes the Woking pressure finally produced an equaliser. Again it was Anane the provider as he got to the right-hand bye line to chip a delightful cross onto Joe Keehan’s head. The midfielder made no mistake as he powered his header home.

Three minutes later Anane again broke quickly and released Hammond. Howe saved his shot from a tight angle at his near post. And then there was yet another quick break as Doyle released Hurrell but the winger’s shot was turned away for a corner.

Finally, two half chances fell to Sole late on but his close-range volley after a Hopkinson free-kick was blocked and then, almost through on goal, he was denied after great covering back from substitute Aswad Thomas.

This draw means that Woking remain in eleventh place in the table and needing a good home win on Monday against Boreham Wood to push them closer to a play-off position.




Woking: Andy Little, Ricky Anane, Reiss Noel, Jerome Maledon, Joe McNerney, Adam Doyle, Moses Ademola (Dave Gilroy 68), Lee Sawyer (Aswad Thomas 72), Elvis Hammond (Craig Faulconbridge 80), Joe Keehan, Sam Hurell

Unused subs: Mark Ricketts, Alan Inns

Havant: Howe, Newton, McDonald (Cashman 85), Ramsey (Hinshelwood 65), Pearce, Simpemba, Fogden, Hopkinson, Williams, Tiryaki, Igoe (Sole 27)

Unused subs: Sewell, Ashmore

MOTM: Lee Sawyer

Attendance: 986