Eastleigh 1-0 Woking
Vanarama National League
4th February 2023

Darren Sarll made three changes to the side that were held by Torquay in midweek, with welcome returns for Luke Wilkinson and Jermaine Anderson after injury and suspension, replacing Scott Cuthbert and Solomon Nwabuokei, whilst James Daly dropped to the bench in place of Jake Hessenthaler.

The opening exchanges at the Silverlake Stadium were very scrappy and evenly matched, with both sides trying to work out how to break the other down.

With twelve minutes on the clock, a slip from an Eastleigh defender allowed Jermaine Anderson the chance to shoot from just inside the box, but his curler was deflected wide.

The Cards looked the more likely to open the scoring, picking up plenty of the second balls and trying to unlock the Spitfires defence, with several balls over the top causing problems for the opposition back line. Jake Hessenthaler drove a shot towards goal, but another Eastleigh block caused the danger to fade away.

The hosts had their first chance of the game near the half hour mark, former Card Charlie Carter’s tricky footwork beating Moss, but his dangerous ball across the box was dealt with by a mixture of Ross and his defence.

Jim Kellermann found himself in the book for bringing down dangerman Vincent Harper on the break, and from the resulting free kick, Christian Maghoma ought to have done better with a free header, which looped wide of the Woking goal.

Half-time followed shortly after, with both sides cancelling each other out in the first 45 minutes.

Half-time: Eastleigh 0-0 Woking

The Cards nearly broke the deadlock just a minute into the second half, after a teasing cross from Casey rebounded into the path of Rhys Browne, who stabbed the ball wide.

Two minutes later, some brave defending from Moss stopped Eastleigh from taking the lead. Carter’s cross bounced invitingly for Kairo Mitchell to strike, and the right-back took a shot to the face to prevent the danger.

But the home side broke the deadlock just moments later, a break from a Woking corner led to Vincent Harper driving into the box and slotting the ball past Craig Ross.

The Spitfires took control of the game after the goal, a Danny Whitehall volley needed to be deflected behind, as Woking struggled to keep the ball. Alfie Lloyd almost lobbed Ross in identical fashion to that of Torquay’s goal in midweek, but luckily for the Cards, the shot travelled wide.

Woking almost had an equaliser with ten minutes left. A superb cross from substitute Kyran Lofthouse was met by fellow sub Marcus Dackers, but his header hit the inside of the post and bounced away from goal.

In injury time, a James Daly flick on found Amond through on goal, but he blazed over the bar to sum up Woking frustration. A Casey free kick then found the head of Dackers, but Joe McDonnell tipped the effort over the bar.

In truth, it was a case of too little, too late for the Cards. They will look to bounce back when they face Chesterfield on Tuesday night at the Technique Stadium.

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 3 Josh Casey, 5 Joe McNerney, 6 Luke Wilkinson, 10 Padraig Amond, 12 Dan Moss, 14 Rhys Browne (20 Dackers 68’), 17 Jim Kellermann, 19 Jake Hessenthaler (2 Lofthouse 62’), 23 Jermaine Anderson (8 Daly 68’), 24 Rohan Ince

Unused subs: Charlie O’Connell, Scott Cuthbert

Bookings: Jim Kellermann 38’, Kyran Lofthouse 79’

Eastleigh: Joe McDonnell, Christian Maghoma, Corey Panter, Oscar Rutherford, Charlie Carter, JJ McKiernan, Ouss Cisse, Alfie Lloyd, Danny Whitehall (Hesketh 78’), Kairo Mitchell, Vincent Harper

Unused subs: Aaron Martin, George Langston, Lewis Payne, Ross Flitney

Goals: Harper 51’

Bookings: Lloyd 94’

Referee: Aji Ajibola
Attendance: 2528 (622 Woking fans)
Man of the Match: Luke Wilkinson fitted back into the side seamlessly after a long injury layoff, and will prove to be crucial as we enter the business end of the season.