Cards hope for better luck

Forest Green Rovers v Woking
7.45pm on Tuesday 9 December 2014

The Cards travel to Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday evening hoping for a bit more luck than on Saturday when they were deprived of a well-earned point at Macclesfield by an 89th minute strike. The loss enabled Bristol Rovers to edge the Cards out of second place in the table, while Macclesfield, in fourth spot, are now level on points with Garry Hill’s side. Tuesday’s game is effectively Woking’s game in hand over Bristol Rovers and Barnet, so Garry will be keen to make it count.

WOKING

Garry’s ploy at Macclesfield of playing Dean Morgan up front, with an extra midfielder, resulted in Scott Rendell, Jack Marriott and Gez Sole being on the bench. It seems to have been influenced partly by the fact that Scott had not recovered fully from his foot injury. The tactics nearly paid off, with Dean scoring an excellent equaliser early in the second half and Woking creating several good chances subsequently before the last-minute ‘kick in the teeth’.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS

Rovers are one of a clutch of clubs trying to force their way into the play-off spots. They currently sit in 8th position, four points behind Woking from the same number of games. Rovers started the season well, registering three wins and three draws in August, but form dipped a bit in September, with defeats to Wrexham and Barnet at home and Nuneaton away. Things picked up in October with two wins and two draws in league encounters as Rovers embarked on an 11-game unbeaten run, ended by the defeat at Halifax. Rovers are now the draw specialists of the division, their 1-1 draw at home to Altrincham on Saturday being their 11th of the season.

Rovers will be missing three players as a result of their match at Halifax a week ago: England C striker James Norwood, red carded during the game, and Eddie Oshodi and Dale Bennett, who were both sent off in clashes after the game finished. But well-financed Rovers aren’t short of strikers, with another England C player, Elliot Frear, veteran Lee Hughes and former Welling striker Kurtis Guthrie among Ady Pennock’s options.

Ex-Card Luke Oliver came back into the side for Saturday’s game, along with former Salisbury City midfielder Clovis Kamdjo, who has previously impressed against us.

GETTING THERE

The New Lawn
Another Way
Nailsworth
GL6 0FG (Satnav: GL6 0ET)

Official website: www.forestgreenrovers.com
The Cards Trust is not running a coach to this match.

By car
Take the M4 west-bound towards Bristol and exit at J18. Then head north on the A46 to Nailsworth. At the mini-roundabout turn left onto Spring Hill and The New Lawn is at the top of the road on the left.

By train
It’s a complicated trip by train to the nearest station, Stroud, which is four miles from the ground, and you wouldn’t be able to return the same evening.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £15
Over 65s: £11
Under 21s/Students: £7
Under 16s: £4

LAST TIME OUT

Forest Green Rovers 2 Woking 2
19 April 2014

Jack Marriott had been recalled by Ipswich during the week, so Gez Sole started, with John Goddard replacing Joey Jones, who had had an appendix operation.

Woking started brightly, with Scott Rendell and Kevin Betsy both creating chances but it was Rovers who took the lead in the 33rd minute, James Norwood rounding Sam Beasant after receiving the ball in what looked like an offside position. Worse was to follow for the Cards when, a few minutes later, Mark Ricketts was sent off after a mis-timed challenge.

After the break Oshodi came close to doubling Rovers’ lead but 10-man Woking hit back, with Brett Johnson the unlikely scorer, coolly finishing after being picked out by Rendell. On 89 minutes the Cards thought that they had seized all three points when Goddard smashed the ball home after an excellent run and cross from Betsy. But, just as at Grimsby last time out, Woking couldn’t hang onto the lead, with Lee Hughes equalising with a far-post header.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton, John Nutter, Mark Ricketts (c), Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Giuseppe Sole (Mike Cestor 85), Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Scott Rendell, John Goddard

Unused subs: Anthony McNamee, Niall Wright, Andy Little, Reece Beckles

Sent Off: Ricketts 37

Goals: Johnson 68, Goddard 89

Forest Green Rovers: Sam Russell, Jared Hodgkiss, Dale Bennett (Bradley Jordan 17) (Alhassan Bangura 45), James Norwood, Matty Taylor, Eddie Oshodi, Luke Oliver, Paul Green, Anthony Barry, Marcus Kelly(Danny Wright 54), Lee Hughes

Unused subs: Paul White, Luke Rodgers

Sent Off: Bangura 77

Goals: Norwood 33, Hughes 90

Attendance: 1,245

NEXT GAME

The Cards are at home to Eastleigh in the FA Trophy next Saturday (13 December). Player/coach Craig McAllister is likely to be part of the Spitfires’ line-up. Woking’s next league game is on Saturday 20 December, when Southport are the visitors. There is FREE ENTRY for kids for the latter match. Make sure too that you’ve got the big game against Aldershot in your diary: 1pm at Kingfield on Sunday 28 December.


Come on, you Cards!