Cards travel to old rivals Farnborough to complete pre-season schedule

Farnborough vs Woking
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 31st July

Alan Dowson and his new-look Woking team will complete their run of nine pre-season fixtures on Tuesday evening as they make the short trip to Southern League Premier South side Farnborough.

Boro are familiar foes for the Cards, but the two have rarely come face-to-face since Woking’s promotion to the National League back in the 2011/12 season, during which Garry Hill’s side won twice by a 1-0 scoreline – avenging an extra time play-off semi-final defeat inflicted by the Yellows the previous year.

In our last competitive meeting, in the FA Trophy in November 2012, the Cards ran out 7-0 winners with goals from Kevin Betsy, Jayden Stockley (2), Billy Knott (2), Brett Williams and Gavin McCallum, all against a Farnborough team which included ex-Woking players Elvis Hammond and Alan Inns.

Whilst few will be expecting a repeat of that scoreline the game should allow Dowse to put the final few touches to his preparations ahead of next weekend’s trip to East Thurrock. So get along if you can and cheer on the team.

Woking

It was another positive result for the Cards on Saturday as they held higher league opposition, in the form of National League side Dover Athletic, to a 1-1 draw. Duane Ofori-Acheampong was on target again, as he was against Chelsea, as he headed in from Max Kretzschmar’s free-kick after former-Card Inih Effiong had fortuitously given the visitors the lead.

The only slight concern for Dowse at this stage will likely be the state of his defence, and that’s not to suggest they’re not playing well – only five goals conceded in eight games certainly suggests
they are – but more the fact that his three preferred centre backs were all absent through injury against Dover, leaving trialist Kiran Khinda-John to play alongside Nathan Collier.

Dowse has said that he expects a nearly-full squad available in time for the opening game although Charlie Wassmer’s continued absence could open the door for the likes of Khinda-John, formerly of Eastbourne Borough, to become a late addition to the squad.

Farnborough

It’s been a tumultuous five-and-a-half years for the Boro since that FA Trophy hammering at Kingfield, a period which has included multiple points deductions, administration, relegation from National League South and an enforced demotion to the eighth tier of English football in 2016. However, they bounced back to win promotion via the play-offs in 2017 and secured survival in their first season back at Southern League Premier level the following year, finishing 20th.

They now sit in the newly formed Premier South, created as part of the recent non-league restructure, and will play the likes of Basingstoke, Staines, Leatherhead and the Met Police next season. The latest iteration of Salisbury, formed in 2015, will also play in that division following their latest promotion.

Manager Spencer Day has put together a decent looking squad for the new season. Amongst his signings is former Woking goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley and veteran striker Jefferson Louis who, now aged 39, has moved club for the 41st time in his career to sign for Boro. So far in pre-season they have won four and drawn one, beating Bedfont Sports (3-0), Farnham Town (7-1), Westfield (3-0) and most recently Hampton and Richmond (2-1), whilst they have drawn 1-1 with Spelthorne Sports.

Ticket Prices

Adult - £10
Concession - £8
16-21 year old - £4
Under 16s - FREE