Cards aim to extend lead

Woking v Weston-super-Mare
7.45pm on Monday 24 October 2011

The Cards will be anxious to make home advantage pay on Monday evening at Kingfield as they look to consolidate their three-point lead at the top of the league. Weston-super-Mare nearly derailed Woking’s play-off challenge last season and are going well again in this campaign, so Garry Hill and Cards fans will be hoping that Elvis, Moses and co can convert more of the many chances the side is still creating. Come down to Kingfield and cheer the Cards on to three more points!

WOKING

On Saturday the Cards kept up their record under Garry Hill of always bouncing back from a defeat and will now be looking to build another sequence of wins. The only fly in the ointment at Staines was the Cards’ inability to make the game safe once having taken a deserved one-nil lead with some enterprising football. Chances came and went but somehow Elvis, Moses and Paris just couldn’t find the net again and, but for a magnificent save from Aaron Howe at the death, Woking would have squandered two points against a side, reduced to ten men, who hitherto had barely threatened the Cards’ goal.

Garry Hill’s reshuffle on Saturday certainly made the defence look a lot more watertight than against Maidenhead, although the Swans’ forwards did not provide a comparable test. Whether Garry retains the same back four may depend on how Alan Inns and Adam Newton came through their first games on return from injury: Newton appeared to have a touch of cramp before being substituted. With Joe McNerney, Derek Duncan and Josh Griffiths available, Garry has a number of possible options in any event.

Up front Wayne Gray’s injury prevented him from making the substitutes’ bench, so it seems unlikely that he will figure on Monday – which is perhaps a pity since his finishing, and ability to win balls in the air, might be just what is needed to convert attacking momentum into goals. Gez Sole, following a number of lively substitute appearances, must hope that it’s his turn to start for a change: his prowess at free-kicks would certainly be a bonus, given the poor-ish efforts that Woking have mustered in recent games.

WESTON-SUPER-MARE

The Seagulls’ Manager Craig Laird is doing a great job again this season with limited resources. Weston currently lie 8th in the table and are through to the 4th Qualifying Round in the FA Cup, having so far disposed of Dorchester Town and Havant and Waterlooville. Keeper Lloyd Irish continues in good form, having been voted supporters’ ‘player of the year’ last season. Matt Villis is uncompromising in central defence, with his colleague Jamie Price, a real danger at set pieces, also having netted five goals already. Dayle Grubb has shone in midfield and there are plenty of attacking options, including Kane Ingram, Sahr Kabba and Nat Pepperell.

Away from home Weston have won at Thurrock, Maidenhead and Dorchester in the league, while losing at Dartford, Eastleigh and Hampton and Richmond. On Saturday they drew 3-3 at home to Eastbourne Borough with Kabba scoring two early goals and Pepperell converting from the penalty spot.

LAST SEASON

Weston-super-Mare 0 Woking 1
8 March 2011

This victory made it eight wins and a draw in the Cards’ last nine league outings as they surged up the table. Reiss Noel replaced the suspended Joe McNerney in central defence. A scrappy game was settled in the 79th minute when substitute Ollie Palmer deflected the ball into the net from a corner.

Woking 4 Weston-super-Mare 3
25 April 2011

An amazing, exhilarating roller-coaster of a game saw the Cards go 2-0 down, pull the game back to 3-2, concede an equaliser and then grab all three points with the best of four superb home goals. The win lifted the Cards to fourth place, needing only a point from their last game, away to Ebbsfleet United, to claim a play-off place.

James Walker replaced the injured Mark Ricketts, whose defensive strengths proved to be greatly missed. Weston shocked the home crowd by taking a fourth-minute lead as Jamie Price looped a header back over Andy Little. Weston continued to look dangerous and doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Joe McNerney was robbed, with Ben Kirk scooping the ball home.

The Cards’ fight-back began almost immediately when Craig Dobson scored with a dramatic diving header from a superb Aswad Thomas cross. After Ricky Anane had cleared off the line to prevent a certain goal Moses Ademola levelled the scores just before half-time with a brilliantly-executed volley.

The Cards started the second half sloppily and were fortunate that Ingram headed wide with the goal at his mercy. But they took the lead in the 58th minute when the impressive Michael Dougherty fed Elvis Hammond, who fired home from the edge of the area.

In the 73rd minute, though, Weston made it 3-3 when Little couldn’t hold a cross and Kirk scored.

Nine minutes later Andy Burgess secured the win with a splendid left-foot curler into the top corner from wide right.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £12
Concessions/Students £8
U16s £2

Don’t forget that, for a trial period, the Club has opened a new bar under the Leslie Gosden Stand.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The Club’s excellent matchday programme includes a profile of Wayne Gray and an interview with Stuart Douglas, the Club’s physio.


Come on, you Cards!

P.S. Don’t forget that The Cards Trust is holding a Race Night at the Club next Friday evening. Please support this fundraising event.