Match Preview | Cards look to bounce back after heaviest defeat of the season

Glen Harrington
11:17am, Fri 21st Apr 2023

Woking vs Gateshead
Vanarama National League
Saturday 22nd April 2023

Woking will be looking to put an end to a run of three home games without a win when they host in-form Gateshead at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Saturday.

The Cards have faltered of late, winning only four of their last ten, including just one home win, and on Saturday suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign away to promotion-chasing Notts County. That result, combined with back-to-back wins for Chesterfield on Saturday and Tuesday, means that Darren Sarll’s side now look most likely to finish fourth – they are five points behind the Spireites, albeit with a game in hand, and will likely need to win all three of their remaining games, in addition to hoping Chesterfield drop points in one of their two fixtures, to secure third. The prize for finishing fourth will likely be a play-off eliminator with one of Bromley or Eastleigh, followed by a trip to Chesterfield for the victor.

Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Woking fans can take heart in the fact that a squad which has battled injuries and illness over the last fortnight is reportedly on the mend. Sarll confirmed in his most recent interview that Luke Wilkinson and Charlie Wakefield have re-joined the squad, whilst several others have recovered from illness, with just one absentee from training. Reece Grego-Cox, Jake Hessenthaler, and Jermaine Anderson remain long-term misses through injury.

Opposition Watch

Gateshead have had an excellent season, particularly since the turn of the calendar year, as after flirting with the relegation places for much of the first-half of the campaign they have pulled comfortably away from the bottom four, as well as securing a trip to Wembley in the upcoming FA Trophy final. They are currently in 16th place, with 53 points from 43 games, seven points clear of the relegation places – with Tuesday’s results confirming their place in the division for next season.

It's been a remarkable run for last season’s National League North title winners, who prior to defeat at home to Bromley last Saturday had gone 10 games undefeated in all competitions, including a run of six straight league wins across March and April. In that time they thrashed Dagenham (3-0), Yeovil (4-0), and Eastleigh (5-2), as well as beating Barnet in their FA Trophy semi-final.

Managed by Mike Williamson, a former Premier League defender with Newcastle United, they have coped remarkably well with the loss of Notts County duo Macauley Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott, who fired them to promotion last season, with February signing Marcus Dinanga hitting a particularly well-timed purple patch – netting 7 goals in 10 games – to help secure their National League status. Other players to look out for include club captain Greg Olley, an attacking midfielder and one-time England C international, and winger Adam Campbell, who played briefly in the Premier League for Newcastle.

Recent Meetings

• Gateshead 1-3 Woking – 22nd October 2022, National League (Grego-Cox, Anderson, Wilkinson)
• Gateshead 1-1 Woking – 23rd January 2018, National League (Grego-Cox)
• Woking 2-1 Gateshead – 5th August 2017, National League (Effiong, Ward)
• Gateshead 2-1 Woking – 18th March 2017, National League (Thomas)
• Woking 3-0 Gateshead – 26th November 2016, National League (Ugwu 3)

Tickets

Ticket prices are £20 for Adults, Concessions £15, Next-Gen £12, and just £5 for Under 16s. For more information and to book your ticket please click here.

Match Report | Cards dig in for crucial three points against tenacious Heed

William Bewsey
7:43pm, Sat 22nd Apr 2023

Woking 2-1 Gateshead
Vanarama National League
22nd April 2023

Darren Sarll made one change to the side defeated at Notts County, with Solomon Nwabuokei replacing Kyran Lofthouse, but there was a welcome return to the bench for both Charlie Wakefield and Luke Wilkinson.

Just three minutes into the game, a Josh Casey corner flew past Filip Marschall’s misjudged superman dive, with Rhys Browne on hand to head home into an empty net, a horrible mistake from the Heed keeper, but a super start for the Cards.

With just over ten minutes on the clock, good Woking play saw Padraig Amond’s scuffed shot fall to Solomon Nwabuokei, who was taken out by Lirak Hasani, penalty to the Cards. Browne stepped up and put behind his penalty woes, slotting down the middle, past Marschall’s dive to give Woking a two-goal lead.

A superb Woking breakaway then almost led to a third, after Browne found Jim Kellermann, whose arrowed shot was just wide of the bottom corner, as the Cards were displaying some real confidence in their passing game. Browne should have wrapped up the match ball when a superb cross from Amond met him at the back post, but the man with 20 goals to his name couldn’t keep his header down.

After stealing the ball from the Heed defence, Browne drove into the box, but a good save by Marschall denied him once again.

Half time arrived with the Cards in a commanding position, with several players looking confident and creating chances, a good sign with the playoffs looming.

Half-time: Woking 2-0 Gateshead

After 15 minutes of dominance from the Cards, Gateshead got a goal back when Stephen Wearne’s cut back found Adam Campbell, and his deflected shot crept into the net.
Amond forced a save from Marschall after a low cross from Dan Moss wasn’t dealt with, before James Daly fired over after good work from Nwabuokei.

A head injury to Daly meant he had to come off, however, with Woking having used all three substitutions, it meant the Cards would have to play the last ten minutes plus injury time with ten men.

A big chance for Owen Bailey at the back post drew a huge save from Will Jaaskelainen before the follow up was blazed over, as the game went into five minutes of injury time. Another huge save from Jaaskelainen to deny Bailey saw nerves around the Laithwaite go up a few notches.

But the Cards held on, and with Chesterfield losing, are once again in control of that third place finish, and a home semi final, but only if they can beat Halifax at the Laithwaite on Tuesday night.

Woking: 22 Will Jaaskelainen, 12 Dan Moss, 3 Josh Casey, 4 Scott Cuthbert, 18 Kacper Lopata (5 McNerney 73’) , 8 James Daly, 10 Padraig Amond, 14 Rhys Browne (21 Wakefield 64’), 16 Solomon Nwabuokei, 17 Jim Kellermann (15 O’Connell 45’), 24 Rohan Ince

Unused subs: Marcus Dackers, Luke Wilkinson

Goals: Rhys Browne 3’, 12’

Bookings: Kellermann 44’

Gateshead: Filip Marschall, Owen Bailey, Louis Storey, Ethan Pye, Ed Francis, Callum Whelan, Lirak Hasani, Stephen Wearne, Greg Olley, Adam Campbell (Conteh 84’), Marcus Dinanga (Harris 84’)

Unused subs: Montgomery, Tinkler, Ward

Goals: Campbell 64’

Bookings: Storey 31’

Referee: Dean Watson
Attendance: 3519
Man of the Match:. Scott Cuthbert put in a typical performance, judging his defensive work to perfection.

WOKING LINEUP
22	Will Jaaskelainen
12	Dan Moss
3	Josh Casey
4	Scott Cuthbert
18	Kacper Łopata ('73)
24	Rohan Ince
17	Jim Kellermann ('46)
16	Solomon Nwabuokei
8	James Daly
14	Rhys Browne ('65)
10	Padraig Amond
BENCH
5	Joe McNerney ('73)
6	Luke Wilkinson
15	Charlie O'Connell ('46)
21	Charlie Wakefield ('65)
20	Marcus Dackers

LINEUP
1	Filip Marschall
20	Lirak Hasani
3	Ethan Pye
6	Louis Storey
8	Owen Bailey
18	Ed Francis
33	Callum Whelan
44	Stephen Wearne
10	Greg Olley
11	Adam Campbell ('84)
9	Marcus Dinanga ('84)
BENCH
31	James Montgomery
2	Robbie Tinkler
12	Daniel Ward
19	Will Harris ('84)
42	Kamil Conteh ('84)