Cards look for second away win

Ebbsfleet United v Woking
7.45pm on Tuesday 25 September 2012

The Cards, on the back of three successive wins, travel to familiar foes on Tuesday evening when they resume battle with Liam Daish’s Fleet, whose squad include ex-Cards Paul Lorraine and Liam Enver-Marum. The Fleet have had a testing start to the season but Stonebridge Road has rarely been a happy hunting ground for the Cards and Garry Hill’s side will have to be at their most resolute to come away with the points.

WOKING

The Cards have been playing some excellent football – the best seen at Kingfield for many a year. On Saturday they notched another well-deserved win against a strong Gateshead side. The only ‘blemish’ was that the second half could have been a bit less nerve-racking if the Cards had taken more of their chances in the first half and early in the second half before Gateshead pulled a goal back.

Bradley Bubb will presumably be doubtful for Tuesday, having limped off early in the second half.

EBBSFLEET UNITED

Liam Daish, now Fleet’s longest-serving manager, rivals Garry Hill in making the best from limited resources. In the summer he saw his two main strikers, Michael West and Calum Willock, depart for Crewe and Dover Athletic respectively. Enver-Marum left for Stevenage on a short-term contract but, when things didn’t work out there, was very happy to return to Stonebridge Road. Another significant loss was that of Ricky Shakes.

Daish has brought in Moses Ashikodi and Nathan Elder to replace West and Willock. Ashikodi, who, like Elder, has moved a good deal between clubs, scored 11 goals in 16 appearances for the Fleet in a loan spell back in 2010. Other arrivals in the summer included striker Phil Walsh from Dagenham and Redbridge, who can also play in defence, and experienced defender Patrick Ada, who has played for Exeter, Histon and Crewe amongst other clubs.

Two more players who have appeared in Woking shirts are capable midfielder Neil Barrett and young full-back Ryan Blake, who had a brief loan spell with us from Brentford.

The Fleet are in their second season back in the BSP, having beaten Farnborough in the play-off final in 2010-11 to secure promotion. Last year they finished in 14th position.

The Fleet’s five home games to date have yielded one win (3-1 over Mansfield), one draw (1-1 against Wrexham) and three defeats, to Braintree and Luton. The latest disappointment was on Saturday when Barrow inflicted a 4-2 loss. Ebbsfleet now lie third from bottom of the table.

GETTING THERE

Stonebridge Road,
Northfleet, Kent
DA11 9BA

Tel: 01474 533796
Website: www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk
By coach
The Cards Trust coach leaves Kingfield at 5pm. The cost is £12 for Trust members and £17 for non-members. To find out if there are any seats left, ring the Club Shop on Monday or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk

By car
Exit the M25 at Junction 2 and take the A2 signposted (in green) for Canterbury. After three miles leave the A2 at the Northfleet/Gravesend West junction. At the roundabout take the 1st exit, go over another roundabout, then at next roundabout take 3rd exit. At the end of the road take a left past Ebbsfleet International Station, and then the ground is at the end of this road. The journey should take just over an hour if the traffic is clear but is almost certain to take longer during the rush hour.

By train
It’s a pretty straightforward journey from Woking to Northfleet. Head up to Waterloo and then cross to Platform A at Waterloo East. The 18.04 from Waterloo East arrives at Northfleet at 18.56, and the 18.26 gets in at 19.16. The ground is only 200 yards from the station. Just walk up the station approach road and then turn left at the main road. The ground is on the right at the bottom of the hill. There are trains back from Northfleet at 22.06 and 22.36.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £15
Concessions (Under 18s & Over 60s): £10
Under 12s: £5
Under 5s: Free

LAST TIME OUT

Ebbsfleet United 1 Woking 1
30 April 2011
On the last day of the BSBS league programme the Cards needed a draw to secure a play-off place, whilst a win for third-placed Fleet would have moved them up to second place in the table. In a tight game with defences generally on top, Garry Hill’s side took the lead when Elvis Hammond fired home in the 13th minute from a Moses Ademola free-kick. The Fleet equalised early in the second half when Carew scored from the penalty spot after Ricky Anane had been adjudged to have fouled West.

Woking: Andy Little, Ricky Anane, Aswad Thomas, Mark Ricketts (Alan Inns 65), Joe McNerney, Adam Doyle, Craig Dobson, Lyle Taylor (Ollie Palmer 72), Moses Ademola (Nathan Koranteng 52), Elvis Hammond, Andy Burgess

Unused subs: James Pullen, James Walker

NEXT GAME

The Cards are at home to Tamworth next Saturday (29 September). Come down to Kingfield if you possibly can and see some great football!


Come on, you Cards!

N.B. Don’t forget the Cards Trust quiz night on Friday 28 September! Please support this fundraising event and have a great evening in the process. See the news item dated 21 September for details.