Cards look for second win at home

Woking v Altrincham
Vanarama National League
3pm on Saturday 15 August 2015

The Cards’ superb 2-0 win over Bromley on Tuesday night was just the fillip everyone needed after the dreadful news of Scott Rendell’s injury and the undeserved defeat at Tranmere. Garry Hill’s side played some excellent football to overcome a strong Bromley outfit. Come down to the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Saturday to cheer the Cards onto another victory and to show your support for the Club as everyone pulls together to help Scott and his family.

WOKING

Those Woking fans who feared for the Cards’ prospects without talisman striker Scott had a very welcome surprise on Tuesday night when they saw the side adapt magnificently to his absence, playing intelligently to the strengths of his team mates to record a very satisfying win. The centre back pairing of Ismael Yakubu and Brian Saah provided a tremendously solid platform, with Mark Ricketts offering an effective defensive shield, allowing John Goddard, Keiran Murtagh and Joey Jones to show their creative skills, well supported by Kadell Daniel, his replacement, Bruno Andrade, and sponsors’ ‘man of the match’, Chris Arthur, while Gez Sole, working tirelessly up front in a role which no one believes is his true vocation, played a crucial part in both goals. The temptation was avoided to throw high balls forward and, instead, clever movement and some good passing on the ground enabled Woking to pierce a Bromley defence that still seemed to be set up to cope with a conventional number 9.

Let’s hope the Cards are able again, on Saturday, to show just how good a footballing side they are.

ALTRINCHAM

Alty finished in 17th place last season, well clear of the relegation zone, in their first season back in the Conference Premier. They’ve started this season with two 1-0 defeats: the first at home to play-off prospects Forest Green Rovers and the second away to newly-promoted Guiseley. It sounds as if there was very little to separate the teams on the opening day but the Robins were undone by a Jon Parkin strike. Manager Lee Sinnott admits, however, that Alty did not play well in the first half at Guiseley and again went down to a set piece goal

Familiar names in Alty’s squad include the ever-reliable Damian Reeves in attack, long-serving keeper Stuart Coburn and captain Shaun Densmore. New faces include strikers Michael Rankine and George Bowerman, who played two games for Woking in 2013, and midfielder Anthony Griffith. Jordan Sinnott and former Northern Ireland international James Lawrie can threaten from the flanks. But midfielder Luca Havern pulled a hamstring on Tuesday and is expected to be missing.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £18
Over 65s and Students with NUS card £13
U16s £5

Don’t forget that there are big savings from having a season ticket: it’s not too late to apply!

Check out the great value hospitality offer in the Geoff Chapple Lounge for the first four home games: see the news item on 24 July.

SCOTT RENDELL FUNDRAISING

The Cards Trust will be shaking buckets again on Saturday to boost the fundraising campaign to raise money to cover Scott’s medical costs and the Club’s costs. The response so far from Woking fans and others has been astonishing, reflecting the great esteem in which Scott is held. If you haven’t already contributed, please do so via the bucket collection on Saturday.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Make sure you get your copy of the Club’s excellent 64-page matchday programme. Features include an interview with Club Chairman, Mike Smith; and Malcolm Wyatt’s reflections on the trip to Tranmere. There’s also a look at what’s been going at other National League clubs; and news from the Cards Trust, plus match previews, reports and the usual superb match action photos.

LAST TIME WE MET

Woking 2 Altrincham 0
2 December 2014

This proved to be a comfortable victory for the Cards, lifting them to second place in the table. Having dominated the first half but having wasted chances to score, Woking finally took the lead three minutes after the break when Jack Marriott tapped in a knock-down from Scott Rendell from a Josh Payne corner. In the 65th minute Scott got his own name on the score sheet when he slid in to convert a fine pass from Payne through the Altrincham defence.

Woking: Ross Worner, Chris Arthur, James Clarke, Joey Jones, Mike Cestor (Adam Newton 74), John Goddard, Josh Payne, Kevin Betsy, Keiran Murtagh, Jack Marriott (Giuseppe Sole 65), Scott Rendell (Dean Morgan 65)

Unused subs: Andy Little, John Nutter

Goals: Marriott 48, Rendell 65

Altrincham: Stuart Coburn, Adam Griffin, Gianluca Havern, Shaun Densmore, Tom Marshall, Jake Moult, Peter Cavanagh (Sean Williams 75), Ryan Crowther (Kyle Perry 70), Simon Richman, Damien Reeves, James Lawrie (Steven Gillespie 46)

Unused subs: Dave Parton, Greg Wilkinson

Attendance: 1,056

COMING UP

The Cards are away at Torquay United on Tuesday 18 August and are then at home to Chester on Saturday 22 August. Don’t forget on Saturday to book your place on the coach for the Torquay trip.


Come on, you Cards!