Match Preview | Reinforced Cards looking to return to winning ways against struggling Stones

Glen Harrington
8:07am, Fri 24th Mar 2023

Maidstone United vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 25th March 2023

Woking will be hoping the arrivals of Charlie Wakefield and Charlie O’Connell will help inspire a return to winning ways this weekend as they make the trip to face Maidstone United.

The injury-plagued Cards, who lost defender Luke Wilkinson after just 18 minutes of Saturday’s defeat to Chesterfield, are now without five first-team players, but will be buoyed by their latest arrivals as they target both a play-off place and the advantages of a third-place finish. Despite the loss to their top seven rivals last weekend, Darren Sarll’s side remain in third position on goal difference and hold a 13-point advantage over eighth-place Wealdstone with eight games remaining. And with the prospect of fifth-place Barnet to come on Tuesday evening this is certainly set to be a big few days for the Cards.

It will be intriguing to see how Sarll’s new signings are fitted into Saturday’s team. The returning O’Connell adds some much needed depth at full-back and in centre-midfield, where the loss of Jermaine Anderson and Jake Hessenthaler has proved particularly problematic. Whilst Wakefield will add another wide option in the continued absence of James Daly, although given he has featured just twice for Yeovil in 2023, he may not be ready for an immediate starting berth. Meanwhile, Billy Sass-Davies and Joe McNerney will be competing to start alongside Scott Cuthbert, fresh from signing a contract extension on Friday along with club captain Josh Casey, at centre back.

Opposition Watch

Last season’s National League South title winners have endured a torrid season and are on the verge of an immediate return to the sixth tier. They’ve picked up just 24 points, seven less than their nearest rivals and 13 fewer than Dorking Wanderers, who sit one place above the bottom four. Their home record is marginally better, with 16 points won, but they’ve still won just three games at the Gallagher Stadium, compared to two away from home.

Their last win of any kind came in the FA Trophy, away to Eastleigh, in mid-February, whilst their last league win was against Maidenhead United at the end of November. Since then they’ve taken three points from 17 games, including a nine-match losing run between the start of December and the start of February – with their only respite coming in draws against Yeovil, Gateshead, and Scunthorpe. Their Trophy run was halted at the quarter-final stage by Barnet, on penalties, two weeks ago.

Manager Hakan Hayrettin, now at Dulwich Hamlet, was sacked in early January. Former player George Elokobi has been in caretaker charge and was appointed permanently this week. Their top scorers this season are Jack Barham, with nine, who has recently joined Aldershot, and midfielder Regan Booty, with seven, who was part of the recent England C squad. Other familiar names in the Stones squad include former Shots defender George Fowler and ex-Bromley striker James Alabi.

Recent Meetings

• Woking 3-1 Maidstone United – 3rd December 2022, National League (Ince, Browne, Kellermann)
• Maidstone United 3-2 Woking (AET) – 18th December 2018, FA Trophy (Eyoma, Hodges)
• Woking 1-1 Maidstone United – 15th December 2018, FA Trophy (Edser)
• Woking 4-4,4-4 Maidstone United – 6th January 2018, National League (Ferdinand, Effiong, Carter, Banton)
• Maidstone United 3-1 Woking – 9th September 2017, National League (Ward)

Tickets

Ticket prices are £19 for adults, £15 for concessions (65+/students with valid ID), £9 for youth (11-16 year olds), £3 for juniors (under 11). For more information and to book your ticket please click here.

Match Report | Cards complete spirited late comeback

William Bewsey
10:58am, Mon 27th Mar 2023

Maidstone United 1-2 Woking
Vanarama National League
25th March 2023

Darren Sarll made two changes from the side defeated by Chesterfield, with Solomon Nwabuokei and Joe McNerney in for Ricky Korboa and Luke Wilkinson, whilst returning on-loan defender Charlie O’Connell and new loanee Charlie Wakefield made the bench.

Woking began the game with intent, and a Rohan Ince shot with four minutes gone sailed just over the bar, as the Cards looked to heap more misery onto the lowest placed side in the league.

A spell of Maidstone pressure resulted in no clear-cut chances to note down, and when Jim Kellermann stole the ball down the right hand side, the midfielder cut back for Padraig Amond, whose shot was well cleared off the line.

With 36 minutes gone, a last-ditch interception from Ince prevented a Maidstone shot from just outside the six-yard box, before Scott Cuthbert had to block a goal-bound effort from Sol Wanjau-Smith. Rhys Browne managed to force a good save from Daniel Barden just before half time, as the Cards looked to break the deadlock after a lacklustre first half.

Half time followed, and Woking would have been disappointed with their performance, as Maidstone had the better chances and frustrated the Cards.

Half-time: Maidstone United 0-0 Woking

Maidstone took the lead on 58 minutes, when a move down the right hand side found Josh Shonibare, who finished well on his left foot, burying the ball into the bottom left corner.

A superb cross from substitute Charlie O’Connell was met by the head of Amond, and he powered the ball past Barden to give the Cards an equaliser.

This gave the Woking players and supporters some belief, and Lofthouse fired a shot towards the Maidstone goal, but Barden got a touch to prevent the winger from scoring.

A sharp turn from substitute Marcus Dackers allowed him a chance to test Barden, with the Maidstone stopper doing well to parry the ball away from goal, as Woking looked to pile the pressure onto a fragile Maidstone defence. Dackers and Wakefield were making a difference after coming off the bench, looking to stretch the Stones and winning fouls and set pieces.

With just a minute left of stoppage time, an O’Connell corner was met by the head of Amond, who found the back of the net and won the game for the Cards, cue jubilation for the travelling Woking contingent.

Despite a below par performance for much of the game, Woking dug deep, and managed to turn one point into three, a result that could be even more crucial come the end of the season.

Woking: 22 Will Jaaskelainen, 2 Kyran Lofthouse, 3 Josh Casey, 4 Scott Cuthbert, 5 Joe McNerney, 10 Padraig Amond, 12 Dan Moss (15 O’Connell 45’), 14 Rhys Browne (21 Wakefield 82’), 16 Sol Nwabuokei (20 Dackers 69’), 17 Jim Kellermann, 24 Rohan Ince

Unused subs: Craig Ross, Billy Sass-Davies

Goals: Amond 72’, 94’

Bookings: Kellermann 32’, Moss 47’, Jaaskelainen 50’

Maidstone United: Daniel Barden, George Fowler, Raphe Brown (Binnom-Williams 80’), Sol Wanjau-Smith (Viggars 66’), Dom Odusanya, Regan Booty, Kevin Berkoe, Sam Bone, Mamadou Jobe, Josh Shonibare (Touray 73’), Bivesh Gurung

Unused subs: Hadler, Alabi

Goals: Shonibare 57’

Bookings: Barden 77’

Referee: Ben Atkinson

Attendance: 2117 (442 Woking)

Man of the Match: The calm head of Scott Cuthbert helped settle down the Cards despite a nervy first 70 minutes, and fresh from extending his contract, the Scotsman was once again excellent in defence.

Maidstone United LINEUP
31	Daniel Barden
5	George Fowler
16	Kevin Berkoe
6	Raphe Brown ('81)
22	Sam Bone
24	Mamadou Jobe
14	Dom Odusanya
15	Regan Booty
26	Joshua Shonibare ('74)
29	Bivish Gurung
9	Solomon Wanjau-Smith ('66)
BENCH
1	Tom Hadler
18	Jerome Binnom-Williams ('81)
7	James Alabi
10	Ryan Viggars ('66)
17	Ezio Touray ('74)

WOKING LINEUP
22	Will Jaaskelainen
12	Dan Moss ('46)
3	Josh Casey
4	Scott Cuthbert
5	Joe McNerney
24	Rohan Ince
17	Jim Kellermann
2	Kyran Lofthouse
16	Solomon Nwabuokei ('67)
14	Rhys Browne ('82)
10	Padraig Amond
BENCH
13	Craig Ross
29	Billy Sass-Davies
15	Charlie O'Connell ('46)
21	Charlie Wakefield ('82)
20	Marcus Dackers ('67)