More of the same, please!

Woking v Hyde
3pm on Saturday 16 November 2013

The Cards take on bottom-of-the-table Hyde on Saturday afternoon and all Woking fans will be fervently praying that Garry Hill’s side can conjure up another win to follow up their 3-0 drubbing of Dartford on Tuesday evening. New loan signing, the hugely promising Jack Marriott, was an instant ‘hit’ on Tuesday, scoring the first goal and having a big hand in the second. Come down to Kingfield, cheer the Cards on and see an exciting young player in the making.

WOKING

Jack Marriott provided the main talking point on Tuesday evening but it was far from a one-man show. Mark Ricketts and Josh Payne were immense in midfield, especially in the second half, the former breaking up play superbly and the latter instigating many of the attacking moves in a performance that fully justified his England C selection. Charles Banya sparkled whenever he got the ball out wide and Scott Rendell provided excellent support up front for Marriott, including getting on the end of the latter’s cross for the second goal. Let’s not overlook too another very solid performance from the young centre-back pairing of Joe McNerney and Jack Parkinson.

HYDE

The Tigers’ season started with an 8-0 mauling at Forest Green Rovers, followed by a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Southport. Two creditable draws followed, at home to Hereford and away to Wrexham, but since then the Tigers have recorded 14 defeats in the league and only one draw (at home to Nuneaton). Last Saturday they lost a crucial game, 2-1 at home to fellow-strugglers Chester, and were then roundly beaten 4-0 away at FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night, which left them 10 points behind 23rd-placed Aldershot Town. Assistant Manager Gavin McCann left the club after the defeat at home to Chester.

However, as Steve Thompson hinted in his post-Dartford match interview on WFC TV, the Cards need to be very careful not to under-estimate Hyde, who have only rarely been well beaten.

The Tigers’ summer signings included former Morecambe striker Danny Carlton. Also joining from Morecambe was experienced central defender Will Haining, with over 250 League appearances on his cv. Hyde are another club to have benefited from Stockport County’s implosion, with midfielders Matty Mainwaring and Tom Collins (formerly also with Hayes and Yeading) joining in the summer. The Tigers have two promising young players on loan from Blackpool in midfielder Liam Tomsett and top scorer Louis Almond. Two more summer signings were pacey winger Connor Hughes, who made eight appearances for Oldham last season, and Adam Blakeman, a young left-back released by Bolton Wanderers. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe is a 19 year-old striker on a youth loan from Sheffield Wednesday. Among players retained was capable striker Scott Spencer, whilst the manager’s brother, 35 year-old David McNiven, provides emergency cover up front.

Josh Brizell was sent off at Halifax and will therefore miss Saturday’s game.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £15
Over 65s and students (with valid student card) £10
U16s £3

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The 56-page matchday programme on Saturday includes another ‘where are they now?’ piece by Liam Newman featuring Darryl Flahavan, Neil Smith, Ashley Bayes and Marvin Morgan. Our Cardinal North correspondent, Malcolm Wyatt, reflects on recent Woking games in his neck of the woods, while Damian Buxton ponders why so few non-League managers are snapped up by League clubs. Tigers fan Adele Thomas gives an opposing view and of course there are all the usual match reports, previews, news and great photos. If you can’t get to the game, you can order a copy from the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk

LAST TIME OUT

Hyde 0 Woking 2
17 September 2013

Two Kevin Betsy strikes in the second half settled this game in the Cards’ favour but it was far from a walkover, with the home side having the best of the first half and creating several good chances after the break too.

The turning point arguably came when Anthony McNamee came on for Lee Sawyer four minutes before half-time, with the former Premiership winger subsequently providing greater penetration from the right flank. And the breakthrough came in the 74th minute when Betsy chested the ball into the net from a McNamee free-kick.

The Woking defence came under intense pressure at times but Betsy made it safe, drilling the ball home after the Hyde keeper had been unable to hold a Scott Rendell effort.

The game also marked a debut for John Goddard.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, John Nutter, Mark Ricketts, Mike Cestor, Lee Sawyer (Anthony McNamee 41), Jack Parkinson, Gavin Williams (John Goddard 82), Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Scott Rendell (Joe McNerney 88).

Unused subs: Aaron Howe, Giuseppe Sole

NEXT UP

Come along and cheer on the England C team next Tuesday evening when they take on the Czech U21 side. Woking’s Josh Payne is in the squad. The game kicks off at 6pm and ADMISSION IS FREE! Stay on afterwards and watch the England v Germany friendly on the big screen in the Cardinals Bar. And, to cap it all, draught beers are only £2 a pint from 8pm.

The Cards are at home to Walton Casuals on Wednesday 20 November in the Surrey Senior Cup and then travel to table-topping Cambridge United on Saturday 23 November.

Saturday 30 November brings the 1st Round Proper of the FA Trophy: look out for an announcement of who Woking will play that day.

The scheduled home game against Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday 7 December has been postponed because the Harriers are in Cup action that weekend. The Cards travel instead to FC Halifax Town in a game brought forward from 8 February 2014.

The Cards’ next home league game is on Saturday 14 December v Chester.


Come on, you Cards!