Another tough trip for Cards

Braintree Town v Woking
3pm on Saturday 29 December 2012

This is a very important game for Garry Hill’s side – that’s assuming of course that the Iron’s pitch is playable on Saturday. Braintree sit only three points behind the Cards in 19th place in the table, with two games in hand. A defeat at Cressing Road would drag Woking back down into the relegation area and correspondingly give the Iron a considerable boost as they strive to pull themselves up the table. The Cards have a very poor record against Braintree and conditions aren’t likely to be easy on a very muddy pitch, so strength, resilience and discipline will be needed if Woking are to come away with a result.

WOKING

The Cards will, it’s hoped, take some heart from their second-half display against Luton Town on Boxing Day when they showed that, with the self-belief which they perhaps lacked before the break, they are more than capable of taking on even the best sides in the BSP. Braintree are a tough outfit, though, who have already beaten Garry Hill’s side 4-1 at Kingfield this season and have recently had some decent results, spoiled by their 3-0 home defeat on Boxing Day at the hands of Cambridge United.

Garry Hill will have top scorer Bradley Bubb available for selection after serving his one-match suspension but Brett Williams will still be missing as he sits out the second match of his three-game suspension. Cards fans will be hoping that Lee Sawyer will have recovered sufficiently to come into the reckoning.

BRAINTREE TOWN

The Boxing Day defeat at home to Cambridge United ended a good spell for Alan Devonshire’s side during which they had notched up a 2-0 away win at Southport and also defeated Forest Green Rovers 3-1 at the Amin Stadium to lift them off the bottom of the table.

The Iron have two very useful strikers in Sean Marks and Dan Holman, the latter impressing hugely in his debut at Kingfield. Luke Daley is tricky on the flanks, Kenny Davis drives them forward in midfield, Dean Wells is solid at the back and they have an experienced keeper in Danny Naisbitt.

At home Braintree have won three league games, drawn three and lost five, scoring 14 goals and conceding 21.

GETTING THERE

The Amin Stadium,
Clockhouse Way,
Braintree,
Essex
CM7 3RD

Website: www.braintreetownfc.org.uk

By coach

The Cards Trust coach leaves Kingfield at 12 noon. £16 members, £21 non-members. As the Club Shop is closed between Christmas and the New Year, if you wish to travel on the coach then please contact Rosemary Johnson on 01483 776609 to book your place.

By car

Leave the M25 at J27 and head north on the M11. Leave at J8A and head east on the A120 for 16 miles until you reach the Galleys Corner roundabout, recognisable by the large McDonalds logo. Take the first exit towards Braintree College. This is Cressing Road and the ground is hidden behind new flats (called Iron View, as the higher ones get a free view of the ground) on the left-hand side, 0.7 miles from the roundabout. Look out for the Orange Tree pub on the right-hand side and then take the next turning on the left into Clockhouse Way. There is a small road sign pointing the way on the right-hand side of the road.

By train

Trains take just under an hour from Stratford (which can be reached via the Jubilee Line from Waterloo) and leave at 52 minutes past each hour. The 12.52 gets in at 13.50. Trains back depart on the hour. Braintree Station is about a 15-minute walk from the ground, although there is a taxi rank outside the station.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 1 Braintree Town 4
28 August 2012

This result came as a shock for Cards fans after home wins against Dartford and Barrow. The Iron took an early lead after Dan Holman punished a defensive slip by Mike Cestor. Brett Williams levelled things up before the break but more poor defending shortly after the interval restored the Iron’s lead via a Cestor own goal and then two wonder-strikes in the second half – one from the half-way line after Aaron Howe had mis-kicked – produced a scoreline that flattered the visitors on a night when everything seemed to go their way.

NEXT GAME

Don’t forget that the keenly-awaited return game against Luton Town on New Year’s Day kicks off at 1pm. There will be a big crowd, so don’t leave it till the last minute to arrive at the ground!

Come on, you Cards!