Cards ease into semi-final of County Cup

Woking 3 Leatherhead 1
Surrey Senior Cup Quarter-Final
27th January 2014
 
The game was played on a heavy pitch after the recent rain. Both sides fielded strong sides with the semi-final of the competition beckoning. For Woking, Aaron Howe made a welcome return in goal having recovered from a broken hand and there were starts for youngsters George Frith, Adam Brice and Reece Beckles.

The home team got off to a bright start and Giuseppe Sole went close in the second minute when his shot was cleared off the line. Further pressure from Woking culminated in them taking the lead in the twentieth minute when Beckles, who had a lively game, did well to manoeuvre a shooting opportunity and found the net from just outside the area.

The visitors finally started to find their feet and put some moves together but without seriously threatening an equaliser. Just after the half-hour, Woking increased their lead. Anthony McNamee found Sole with a through ball and he rolled it sideways into the path of Kevin Betsy who had the simple task of slotting home to give the hosts a two goal cushion at the interval.

Half-time: Woking 2 Leatherhead 0

Woking made a couple of early changes in the second half with Niall Wright replacing Kieran Murtagh and John Goddard coming on for Sole.

Leatherhead then proceeded to have their best spell of the match and were rewarded on the hour mark when they were awarded a penalty which Darren Smith powered down the middle of the goal as Howe dived to his right.

The visitors now scented an equaliser but the home side held firm and increased their lead in the seventy-first minute. Excellent footwork from Betsy took him clear of the Learherhead defence and he calmly slotted home his second goal of the evening. Any thoughts of a second consecutive hat trick in the competition for the veteran midfielder were quickly banished, however, as he was replaced two minutes later by Ollie Taylor.

Overall, this was a comfortable victory for the Cards and a useful run-out for a good number of the first team squad who will face a much stiffer task at Kingfield on Saturday in the Skrill Premier against Forest Green Rovers.
 
Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, John Nutter, George Frith,
Joe McNerney, Adam Brice, Anthony McNamee, Kieran Murtagh (Niall Wright 53), Reece Beckles, Giuseppe Sole (John Goddard 55), Kevin Betsy (Ollie Taylor 73)

Unused subs: Sam Beasant, Brett Johnson
 
My MOTM: Reece Beckles - effective throughout and scored a good goal.
 
ATTENDANCE 232



Woking will be at home to either Egham Town, Horley Town, or Walton & Hersham in the semi-final. Date tbc.