Magpies outplay the Cards

Maidenhead United 3 Woking 0
FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round
October 24th 2015

Woking made the short trip to Maidenhead hoping to improve on recent form and progress to the first round proper of the FA Cup and with it, the chance to face a league club, including six previous winners of the competition.

The home side were in good form going into the game under manager Alan Devonshire and were sitting in fourth place in the National League South.

It turned out to be a bad day all round for level one clubs with seven losing to lower opposition.

This was always going to be a tough encounter for the visitors and it became even tougher after just five minutes. Dave Tarpey made a good run down the right for Maidenhead before Chris Arthur intercepted to concede a throw in. The ball was thrown to Jake Reid, who set up an unmarked Kieron Forbes on the edge of the box and his firm shot dipped over Cole to go in off the underside of the bar.

Five minutes later the rampant hosts could have gone further ahead. A good cross from the right was headed down in the six yard area but somehow the Woking defence scrambled the ball clear.

Maidenhead then decided to sit back and allowed the Cards to come on to them. However, the build-up play was often slow with too many passes going sideways or backwards. When the visitors did look as though they might threaten, they were faced with a barrier of nine players on the edge of the home penalty area which was generally able to snuff out any potential danger.

A couple of half chances did fall the visitors' way as the interval approached, to John Goddard and Dan Holman, but the home side was able to keep hold of their lead without too much difficulty.

Half-time: Maidenhead United 1 Woking 0

Woking were now playing with the slope in their favour but in truth fared no better than in the first period. Goddard did get clear down the left but his shot was easily saved.

With the Cards now trying to force an equaliser, they got caught with far too many men upfield and a ball out of defence found Harry Pritchard with acres of space on the left. As he ran towards goal, Cole made a vain effort to cut him off but the home player lifted the ball over him and into the net for the second goal.

On the hour, good hold-up play around the penalty area saw the home team put the game out of reach. When the shot eventually came in Cole was unable to hold on leaving Tarpey to fire home.

Woking rallied slightly with the introduction of Kadell Daniel and Bruno Andrade but in truth, on the day, they were outfought , outthought and outplayed.

It was a sombre Garry Hill who spoke after the match. The manager was quick to point out that the performance was unacceptable and that the team had lost its way, with some of the players having lost confidence and others lacking consistency.

Hopefully, this match will mark the low point and next Saturday will see the team reproduce some of its early season form when they travel to the Midlands to take on struggling Kidderminster Harriers.


Woking: Jake Cole, Jake Caprice (Kadell Daniel 60), Chris Arthur, Mark Ricketts, Joey Jones, Keiron Murtagh (Bruno Andrade 60), Giuseppe Sole, John Goddard, Matt Robinson, Dan Holman, Terrell Thomas

My Man of the Match: John Goddard

Attendance: 867