Kingstonian 3 Woking 1
Buildbase FA Trophy 1st Round
15th December 2019

Woking travelled to Tolworth in hope – and in expectation from the fans - for their FA Trophy 1st Round game against Kingstonian at the modest King George Field ground.

Sadly, the old football cliché of the game being a great leveller, and a ‘smaller’ club triumphing in a cup competition over a larger rival two levels above them in the Pyramid, played out again.

It proved to be a well-deserved win for the K’s against all off-colour Cards – and, to rub salt into the wounds, it was a former Card that scored the first of their 3 goals.

Woking fielded a full strength side, with the only difference from the line-up that had started against Hartlepool the previous week being Jamar Loza in for Stuart Donellan.

Kingstonian’s team including Fabio Saraiva, a dead ball specialist for the Cards during the 2016-17 season, and Louie Theophanous.

With a wind blowing from the south-west, it was otherwise relative mild and dry as Woking kicked off under a clear sky. In early moves, Tarpey shot into Tolfrey’s hands and a hopeful cross into the K’s box was cleared for a throw-in.

In the 9th minute, a cross from Tarpey on the right reached Loza whose attempted shot was cleared for a corner – swiftly followed by another as a further strike was deflected out.

5 minutes on, Hall shot to Ross’s left and past the post. Hyde struck the ball wide from a Kretzschmar cross a minute later.

A Kingstonian player was floored by Gerring in the 25th minute, by the right-hand corner of Woking’s penalty area, for which the latter picked up a yellow card. Saraiva took the free-kick, which deflected off the right-hand side of Casey's body in the Woking wall, leaving Ross (pictured above) stranded and watching helplessly as it passed him to his right to nestle in the corner of the net. 1-0 to the home side.

Woking sought to respond. A strong run by Casey ended with a cross to Kretzschmar who was tripped just outside of the K’s area in a central position. Tarpey’s free-kick flew over the bar.

Hector took the ball down Kingstonian’s right in the 42nd minute and passed to Theophanous who was fouled by Poku – another Woking yellow. Hall’s free kick was blocked and a shot from the rebound cleared Woking’s crossbar.

Towards half-time, a great run from Loza on the left, skilfully eluding 2 or 3 K’s defenders ended with him being tripped in the area. Kretzschmar coolly slotted the ball into the opposition net to Tolfrey’s left, to level things up. The home side’s Cook was booked for dissent. That was almost the last action of the first half.

Half-time: Kingstonian 1 Woking 1

Woking briefly displayed a bit more urgency the start of the second half. Tarpey took the ball into the Kingstonian area on the right but his shot was cleared for a corner which Casey floated in; a scramble in the goalmouth ensued with the ball eventually being cleared for a Cards throw-in.

In the 52nd minute, a Tarpey shot hit the K’s crossbar, and the rebound flew over the goal.

A minute later, Theophanous was brought down near the Woking box. His save was pushed away by Ross for a corner, which was headed out. The same striker was thwarted a minute later by a fine tackle as he advanced towards the Cards goal.

The ball finished in the back of the K’s net shortly afterwards but it was declared offside.

Kingstonian started to take hold of the game at this point. A strong attack in the 59th minute finished with a shot by No. 8 Sow that passed narrowly wide of Ross’ left-hand post. He was forced to make a save shortly afterwards. Bennett then hit the target with a close range shot from a pass into the box from the left. 2-1.

Barely 5 minutes later, the home side was awarded another free kick just outside of the Woking area – one which Bennett curled beautifully past a helpless Ross to score the second and effectively seal the game with the score at 3-1.

The Cards made two changes in the 73rd minute, with Ibrahim Meite replacing Tarpey and Paul Hodges in for Kretzschmar; it felt, however, like shutting the door after the horse had bolted.

A ball floated into the K’s box was volleyed by Meite against a defender and out for a corner and Hodges blasted over the bar two shortly after that, but there was little else to encourage the team or fans. Ross tipped another Theophanous free kick over in the closing minutes.

This was a dismal outcome to a disappointing performance from Woking, and a second exit from cup competitions at the first hurdle this season. They left with a need to regroup before the next episode at Ebbsfleet in their encouraging League campaign, and also think ahead to trying to exact revenge over Kingstonian in the Surrey Senior Cup.

Kingstonian 1 Rob Tolfrey, 2 Harry Osborne, 3 Fabio Saraiva, 4 Simon Cooper ©, 5 Ollie Cook, 6 Kenny Beaney, 7 Dan Bennett (17 Tutu Henriques90’), 8 Gus Sow, 9 Louie Theophanous, 10 Reece Hall,11 Dan Hector (Jerry Puemo 90’)

Unused subs: 12 Youssef Bamba, 14 Dan Thompson, 15 Calum Davies, 18 Lewis Pearch, 19 Reuben Bull

Goals: Saraiva 25’, Bennett 66', 70’

Bookings: Cook 44’

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 2 Jack Cook, 3 Josh Casey ©, 12 Nathan Collier, 5 Ben Gerring, 8 Kane Ferdinand, 14 Godfrey Poku, 10 Max Kretzschmar (11 Paul Hodges 72’), 7 Dave Tarpey (18 Ibrahim Meite 72’), 9 Jake Hyde, 22 Jamar Loza

Unused subs: 21 Christian Paulat-Brigg, 4 Manny Parry, 24 Jake Gray

Goals: Kretzschmar 45’ (pen)

Bookings: Gerring 25’, Poku 42’

Referee: Sunny Gill

Attendance: 665

Man of the Match: Jamar Loza