Match Preview | Cards hoping to improve away form after another impressive win

Glen Harrington
7:56am, Sat 1st Oct 2022

FC Halifax Town vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 1st October 2022

The contrast between Woking’s home and away form grew even further last Saturday, as the Cards defeated last season’s play-off finalists Solihull Moors at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Goals from James Daly and Kyran Lofthouse proved the difference for Darren Sarll’s side who moved into the play-off places for the first time this season with the 2-0 win. Woking have now taken 12 points from a possible 15 at home this season, compared to just four out of 15 away from home, and will be aiming to go some way to setting that right this weekend when they travel to FC Halifax Town. After a win at Torquay and a draw at Wealdstone, their last away outing ended in a third away defeat, as they were beaten 1-0 at Maidenhead United.

Sarll has admitted that his squad could be depleted this weekend – Jack Roles is definitely out through illness, whilst up to three other players could also fail to make the trip. Between that, and the prospect of a trip to Southend only three days later, the Woking boss has confirmed that he will have to utilise his squad’s strength in depth, meaning the likes of Ricky Korboa, Jake Vokins, and Joe McNerney could make a rare start.

Opposition Watch

Halifax are in their sixth consecutive season in the fifth tier after promotion from National League North in 2017 – bouncing back after just one season following relegation the previous campaign. Otherwise, their brief history has been one of almost universal success, having won three promotions in four seasons between 2010 and 2013 following the club’s reformation in 2008.

Their time in the National League – either side of their relegation – has also been successful, with three play-off appearances in eight years, including in both 2020 and 2022. Last term they finished fourth but lost their play-off eliminator to Chesterfield. As a result, this summer has been one of huge change at the Shay, with manager Pete Wild moving into the EFL with Barrow and taking last season’s top scorer Billy Waters with him.

Several other notable departures followed from last season’s successful squad, including Niall Maher (Grimsby Town), Tom Bradbury (Cheltenham Town), Jay Benn (Lincoln City), and Kieran Green (also Grimsby). New manager Chris Millington, formerly assistant to Wild, has led the rebuild, bringing in 13 new players including, most notably, four members of the Stockport County team that won the National League last season – Sam Minihan, Millenic Alli, Jordan Keane, and Jamie Stott. Also amongst their new additions were Emmanuel Dieseruvwe from Tranmere, who played a key role in Grimsby’s run through the play-offs last season, and Hull City defender Festus Arthur.

After ten games they are in 22nd place with just eight points – above last place Torquay on goal difference alone. After picking up just one point and one goal from their first five games, their form looked to have turned a corner after a 2-0 win at Scunthorpe, a 1-1 draw at Maidenhead, and a 2-0 home win over Gateshead, but they were thrashed 5-1 at Aldershot Town two weeks ago, before losing 1-0 at Eastleigh last time out to leave them mired in the bottom four.

Recent Meetings

• FC Halifax Town 2-1 Woking – 9th April 2022, National League (Kretzschmar)
• Woking 2-3 FC Halifax Town – 28th August 2021, National League (Maguire-Drew, Oakley)
• FC Halifax Town 1-0 Woking – 27th April 2021, National League
• Woking 0-0 FC Halifax Town – 17th October 2020, National League
• FC Halifax Town 0-2 Woking – 7th March 2020 (Kretzschmar, Hyde)

Tickets

Ticket prices are £21 for Adults, Concessions £18, 12-17 Year-Olds £9, and £4 for Under 12s.. For more information and to book your ticket please click here.

Match Report | Cards comfortably beat Shaymen

Connor Laing
2:23pm, Mon 3rd Oct 2022

FC Halifax Town 0 Woking 4
Vanarama National League
1st October 2022

Woking comfortably overcame FC Halifax Town in a 4-0 victory at the Shay on Saturday in the Vanarama National League.

An early first half goal from James Daly, added to by an own goal from Kian Spence gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at the break.

A quickfire double from Reece Grego-Cox with less than 15 minutes to play condemned the Shaymen to defeat.

The Cards remain in 7th in the league while Halifax dropped to the foot of the table.

Darren Sarll made just the one change to the starting eleven that overcame Solihull Moors at the Laithwaite Community Stadium last weekend, with Jim Kellermann returning to the side and Jermaine Anderson dropping to the substitutes bench.

Joe McNerney and Ethan Wady also returned to the matchday squad, replacing Jack Roles (illness) and Sid Nelson.

The Cards started strongly, causing problems from the outset. Daly linked up with Amond in the third minute to get into the box, but Sam Johnson did well to push it wide as the number eight tried to jink around the goalkeeper.

Grego-Cox then had a very good chance three minutes later when he was found by a Kellermann cross, but he could only divert his effort over from close range on the stretch.

However, the visitors would eventually take the lead three minutes after. Amond cleverly beat the offside trap to latch onto a ball over the top of the Halifax defence. He lifted the ball back into the middle towards Grego-Cox who acrobatically hooked it towards Daly who headed home into an empty net.

With just 17 minutes played, the Cards doubled their lead. Daly was involved again, receiving a quick throw before driving into the box. His shot was initially blocked by Johnson before the ball rebounded back off the retreating Kian Spence and rolled into the back off the net.

Kellermann picked up knock with half an hour played, with Jermaine Anderson coming onto replace him.

Anderson was straight into the thick of the action, helping create another excellent chance for Woking on 34 minutes. Lofthouse played a one-two with the substitute down the right before putting in a low ball. It deflected off a Halifax defender, onto the post, before Grego-Cox somehow put the ball wide from close range.

In the 45th minute, Jamie Cooke’s header skimmed off the top of the Woking bar, in Halifax’s best chance of the half.

A disgruntled Halifax home support greeted the half-time whistle with boos.

Half-time: Halifax Town 0 Woking 2

Amond came close to his first Woking goal again ten minutes into the second period. Wilkinson’s set-piece was met by the head of the forward but agonisingly saw it come back off the angle between post and bar.

When he got his next opportunity, he remained unselfish to tee-up Grego-Cox to finish off an excellent move. Ince turned nicely to on the edge of the box before feeding it into Amond. He calmly took it in his strike and played it to Grego-Cox to sweep into the bottom corner with his left foot, with 15 minutes to play.

Less than three minutes later, the Irishman made it a brace. Ince shifted the ball inside the area well to create a shooting opportunity for himself. His shot was parried by Johnson before Grego-Cos pounced onto the loose ball to tap in from close range.

In the final minute of the 90, Summerfield hit the post with a left-footed shot from just inside the box for the hosts.

The Shaymen were not very pleased at the sound of the final whistle, a polar opposite to the travelling Cards support who had a great day out in West Yorkshire.

Full-time: Halifax Town 0 Woking 2

Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson; 3 Jack Senior, 5 Jesse Debrah, 8 Kian Spence, 9 Mani Dieseruvwe, 16 Jordan Keane ©, 19 Jamie Cooke, 20 Harvey Gilmour, 22 Festus Arthur (4 Luke Summerfield 56’), 24 Same Minihan, 35 Osayamen Osawe (21 Milli Alli 31’)

Unused subs: 2 Tyler Golden, 15, Tom Clarke, 25 Jordan Slew

Bookings: Dieseruvwe 35’, Arthur 54’

Woking: 13 Craig Ross; 3 Josh Casey ©, 4 Scott Cuthbert (5 Joe McNerney 60’), 6 Luke Wilkinson, 12 Dan Moss; 8 James Daly, 17 Jim Kellerman (23 Jermaine Anderson 30’), 24 Rohan Ince, 2 Kyran Lofthouse; 9 Reece Grego-Cox (29 Jake Vokins 79’), 10 Padraig Amond

Unused subs: 1 Ethan Wady, 7 Ricky Korboa

Referee: Scott Simpson

Attendance: 1845

Man of the Match: Rohan Ince. Battled all afternoon in the middle and was influential in the final two goals.

FC Halifax Town LINEUP
1	Sam Johnson
24	Sam Minihan
3	Jack Senior
5	Jesse Debrah
22	Festus Arthur ('56)
16	Jordan Keane
8	Kian Spence
20	Harvey Gilmour
19	Jamie Cooke
9	Emmanuel Dieseruvwe
35	Osayamen Osawe ('31)
BENCH
2	Tylor Golden
4	Luke Summerfield ('56)
11	Sam Smart
15	Tom Clarke
21	Millenic Alli ('31)

WOKING LINEUP
13	Craig Ross
12	Dan Moss
3	Josh Casey
6	Luke Wilkinson
4	Scott Cuthbert ('60)
24	Rohan Ince
17	Jim Kellermann ('30)
2	Kyran Lofthouse
8	James Daly
9	Reece Grego-Cox ('79)
10	Padraig Amond
BENCH
1	Ethan Wady
5	Joe McNerney ('60)
29	Jake Vokins ('79)
23	Jermaine Anderson ('30)
7	Ricky Korboa