WOKING v CRAWLEY TOWN

WOKING v CRAWLEY TOWN (KIDS FREE!)

3pm on Friday 26 December 2008

Our Boxing Day treat is the visit of Steve Evans?s high-flying Crawley Town. Woking fans will probably remember Mr Evans?s last visit to Kingfield; see below if you need reminding! It is unlikely that he and his Red Devils will be bringing much Christmas cheer with them, so the Cards will have to make their own. I?m sure the best Christmas present for Phil Gilchrist and his Woking side would be three points! Don?t forget that kids under 16 will be admitted free, so round up a party: you?ll know you?ll have had enough of the relatives and TV by then!

WOKING

It?s amazing how a win can lift the spirits! The gloom engendered by our feeble FA Trophy exit to Salisbury City was largely swept away by a well-earned victory at Lewes last Saturday. OK, it wasn?t the prettiest of wins but there were some (insufficiently-appreciated) positives, including an assured performance at centre-back by Patrice Konan, some admirable industry by Daniel Spence, Giuseppe Sole and Matt Pattison in a re-shuffled midfield, the best ?half? so far in a Woking shirt from Joel Ledgister and Wilf rediscovering his scoring form, with a terrific second goal to cap a hard-working display as the lone forward.

We?ll still be missing Tom Hutchinson and Paul Lorraine on Boxing Day ? and Goma Lambu looks likely to be on the bench again ? but at least we can go into the match with improved morale following a much-needed three point haul.

CRAWLEY TOWN

The Red Devils were BSP pace-setters for quite a while before a poor run, compounded by a 3-0 defeat by Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup, saw them slip out of the top five. They come to Kingfield, though, on the back of an impressive revival of form, which has seen them dispose of Northwich and Chesham (FA Trophy) away and Altrincham and Kidderminster at home.

Crawley now sit in 5^th place, with 41 points from 23 games. They have won 4, drawn 3, and lost 4 away from home, scoring 13 goals and conceding 12. They are the second-highest scorers in the league. Steve Evans ? who has been known to resort to hyperbole before! ? described his side as the best in the BSP after their win over 10-man Kidderminster, but even the Harriers? manager Mark Yates had to concede that Crawley were the best passing side his team had so far encountered.

Whatever one thinks of Steve Evans ? and most followers of Conference football won?t readily forget his part in securing Boston?s ill-deserved promotion at the expense of the Daggers and his subsequent suspended prison sentence, quite apart from his subsequent disgraceful touchline antics ? he does seem to have the knack of gathering some very useful players around him. Up front Jon-Paul Pittman ? who has only made the bench in some games! ? gave us a hard time last season. He?s had to play second fiddle recently to Michael Malcolm, imported from Weymouth. Jamie Cook, once with Stevenage Borough, is an accomplished midfielder ? he ran the show for much of the corresponding fixture last season ? and Thomas Pinault is also dangerous going forward. Evans can also call on the experienced Simon Weatherstone and another ex-Broadhall Way player in the impressive Dannie Bulman, plus ex-Shayman Lewis Killeen. The defence includes ex-Card Chris Giles and another ex-Shayman in Adam Quinn.

RECENT ENCOUNTERS

2006/07

Woking 1 Crawley Town 2

Crawley Town 0 Woking 0

Last season

Crawley Town 5 Woking 3

18 September 2007

This game was an eventful encounter! Paul Lorraine was sent off in the 9^th minute for using his hand to prevent a certain goal. Guy Madjo converted the penalty. Woking replied with a penalty of their own, Joe Gatting scoring (his only league goal for the Cards in his loan spell), but Jon-Paul Pittman netted two to put Crawley 3-1 up at the break. Thomas Pinault made it 4-1 before Tom Hutchinson reduced the deficit. Madjo scored again to make it 5-2 before, at the death, on-loan Paul Hakim curled a superb left-footed shot past ex-Card Ashley Bayes to make the final score 5-3.

Woking 1 Crawley Town 1

26 January 2008

With three ex-Cards in the Red Devils? line-up it was almost inevitable that one of them, Kevin James, should put Crawley in the lead after Woking had lost the ball in midfield, exposing themselves to a quick counter-attack. James nonchalantly nodded in the cross at the far post. Deep into injury time (the third minute of two extra minutes according to Steve Evans!) Marvin Morgan rammed home the equaliser after Gez Sole had nodded down a Goma Lambu cross. Mr Evans had to be escorted from the field by stewards and eventually ended up sitting in the stand. Woking had the better of the second half, with Morgan in outstanding form and good support from Jason Norville, who had a header disallowed.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

We?ve got a great matchday programme lined up for you, with some amusing holiday reading. Some of the highlights are:

Plus all the usual reports, previews and news from around Kingfield, not forgetting great action shots from our wonderful Club photographer, David (?Bailey?) Holmes. Only ?2.50. Make sure you get your copy. Order one from the Club Shop if you can?t get there on Friday.

Come on, you Cards!