Cards target fifth successive league win

Maidenhead United v Woking
7.45pm on Tuesday 22 February 2011

Four successive league wins. Nine goals scored. None conceded. And some lovely passing football too! The Cards go into Tuesday night’s game on a roll but Woking fans will remember that the Magpies so nearly derailed our late charge for the play-offs last season. Garry Hill doesn’t seem like the sort of manager, though, who’d have much truck with complacency.

WOKING

Saturday’s comfortable 2-0 win against Staines Town sets the Cards up nicely for two away trips, to Maidenhead tomorrow and Lewes on Saturday. Both sets of opponents are fighting for their lives at the other end of the table, and Lewes in particular are in good form, so no one in the Kingfield camp will be thinking that the points are in the bag. But if the Cards play the sort of football we saw in the second half at Bishop’s Stortford and at times on Saturday they will be very hard to resist. No doubt, injuries permitting, Garry will start with the same eleven as on Saturday but Craig ‘step-over’ Dobson will be itching to have another outing on the right flank after his cameo appearance against Staines so Ricky Anane et al will have to be on their toes.

MAIDENHEAD UNITED

The Magpies sit in 20th place in the table with 25 points from 26 games. They’ve won only two league games at home, drawing four and losing six, with eleven goals scored and twenty-two conceded. They haven’t won a league game since beating Bromley away 2-0 on 30 December 2010.

The Magpies’ squad includes ex-Card Bradley Quamina in midfield. The most significant Woking connection, though, comes in the shape of their Assistant Manager, the legendary Dereck Brown.

Manager ‘Drax’ Hippolyte brought in Cliff Akurang from Thurrock earlier in the season to boost their goalscoring options. Kieron St Aimie has generally been the ‘danger man’ in recent seasons, although the rangy, bustling Alex Wall also caused us a few problems down the Maidenhead right flank in the Cards’ defeat at home in August: one of Woking’s worst displays of the season. And it was Wall who scored on Saturday in Maidenhead’s 2-1 defeat at Welling United. Hippolyte has recently brought back Jermaine Hinds to the club and signed left-back Leon Soloman. Will Hendry, a one-time target of Graham Baker’s, has been out with a fracture but captain Mark Nisbet has just returned to action.

GETTING THERE

Maidenhead United
York Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 1SF

Tel: 01628636314
Website: www.maidenheadunitedfc.co.uk

Because of previous low take-up for Tuesday night away games the Supporters’ Club is not running a coach to this match.

By car

From Woking head to the M25, which you then leave at junction 15 to join the M4 (signposted The West, Reading, Slough). Leave the M4 at junction 8/9 and follow signs for Maidenhead town centre. Proceed to the first roundabout on the one-way system and take the fourth exit, thereafter taking a left at the cinema. Go down the hill and the ground is the second exit on the right.

By train

You can either go via Guildford or Basingstoke and Reading or head up to town and join the commuters at Paddington. On the former route, which is probably quicker and a bit cheaper, the 17.25 will get you to Maidenhead at 18.47 via Guildford; the 17.46, via Basingstoke, will get you there at 19.05; and if you really want to play it tight, the 18.13, also via Basingstoke , sees you arriving at Maidenhead at 19.32. Direct trains from Paddington are at 18.18 (18.39), 18.36 (19.03) and 19.06 (19.27). York Road is a very short walk from Maidenhead station. Cross the one-way system and walk to the end of Bell Street. Trains back are at 22.01 via Reading and Guildford or at 22.41 via Reading and Virginia Water. Trains to Paddington are at 21.47 (22.32) and 22.30 (23.17). Return tickets cost from £14.30, according to www.nationalrail.co.uk

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

This season

Woking 0 Maidenhead United 2
28 August 2010

Wins against Dorchester away and Lewes at home had tempered the disappointment of the opening defeats against Dover Athletic and Chelmsford City but this result engendered more gloom about prospects for the new season. Things weren’t helped when Andy Forbes had to leave the field early: he was to make only one further start for the Cards before being sent out on loan to Sutton United. The visitors took the lead when Adam Doyle unluckily deflected Wall’s shot past Pidgeley. There was nearly an own goal at the other end as Nisbet’s header cannoned off and down from his own crossbar but the referee judged that it hadn’t crossed the line. Daryn Hennessy and Sam Hurrell came on for Jerome Maledon and Moses Ademola in the second half but the Cards still struggled and Maidenhead extended their lead with a fine effort from St Aime. Boos greeted the final whistle.

Last season

Woking 1 Maidenhead United 1
12 September 2009

Luke Medley’s deflected shot gave the Cards an early lead on a balmy late summer’s afternoon at Kingfield. However, a sloppy Sinclair pass let the Us claim a point to the disappointment of the Woking faithful.

Maidenhead United 1 Woking 2
13 April 2010

The Cards had to win this game to keep their play-off hopes alive, with just two more games remaining. It was about as precarious a victory as you can get. At half-time they were 1-0 down and only gained all three points via an own goal and a penalty eight minutes from time. Graham Baker was soon regretting his decision to play Jon Boardman at right back, as the latter looked distinctly uncomfortable there and then gave away a penalty on the half-hour mark with a rash tackle. In the second half Harry Arter and Nicky Nicolau were brought on for Jerome Maledon and Boardman but it was Matthew Wright’s arrival in place of Tom Hutchinson which changed the game. The Palace loanee’s header was deflected into the net in the 74th minute and then eight minutes later he was tripped for a penalty, which Gez Sole nervelessly converted. Cue wild scenes of jubilation from the travelling fans!


Come on, you Cards!

P.S. If you’re not travelling to Maidenhead why not pop down to Kingfield to see the youth side take on Hayes and Yeading? Kick-off is at 7.30pm and entrance is only £4 for adults and £2 for concessions.