Farnborough FC v Woking

Farnborough FC v Woking
Pre-season friendly
3pm on Saturday 4 August 2007

Frank Gray and Gerry Murphy, and several of the Woking squad, will be back on very familiar territory on Saturday when the Cards travel to Farnborough FC ? now managed by former Kingfield favourite Andy Clement ? for their penultimate friendly game. Let?s hope it inspires the team to a great display!

WOKING

The Cards stepped up their pre-season preparations with an encouraging 1-1 draw on Wednesday night against a strong Brighton and Hove Albion side. In the second half especially there was a lot to admire about the Woking performance, with the central midfield of Matt Gray and Matt Pattison showing up strongly and some fine displays too from Academy graduates Giuseppe Sole, Matt Ruby and David Shin.

I asked Frank Gray this (Thursday) afternoon for his reactions to the performance. Frank was clearly pleased, while still stressing that the emphasis is not on results: ?It was a very good work-out?, he said. ?As you?d expect, we?re seeing an improvement each time in areas such as fitness, touch and quality of passing. I thought we played well.? I asked him about the 4-4-2 formation. Was that part of the explanation? Frank played down the change of formation: ?We need to be flexible, so I want us to be able to play in different formations as necessary. It was an opportunity last night to allow Matt Ruby to play at right back.? He similarly played down the move of Matt Gray into midfield alongside Matt Pattison: ?Players have to be ready to play in several different positions. The slight injury to Bradley Quamina meant that it was opportune to move Matt into central midfield.? This led me to check up on the injury situation. Frank reported that both Bradley and Tom Hutchinson were suffering from slight knocks: if Wednesday?s game had been a league match they would have been fit enough to have played, he said. Liam Marum, on the other hand, wouldn?t have been fit enough to appear.

I noted the presence of trialist Dean Lovegrove on the bench. Presumably, he is still in the reckoning for a place in the squad? ?Dean is still working with us. He?s young enough to play for the Academy, so that?s something we can take into account too?, Frank replied. And what about Joe McNerny? ?He?s a very good prospect and is only 17?, Frank responded. ?With a small squad, we?ve got to use all our possible resources.?

Frank confirmed that he and Gerry are very much looking forward to the visit to Cherrywood Road. ?It?s nice to go back there. We made some good friends there. It?s a great shame about the demotion. I very much hope the new club bounces back.? Frank said that he wasn?t planning to introduce any trialists for this game but would be relying on his present group of players. He is looking to carry on where they left off in the game against Brighton and Hove Albion.

FARNBOROUGH FC

The re-forming of the club at two levels below that graced by Farnborough Town last season has meant that Andy Clement has largely had to construct a new squad. He has brought in a few faces familiar to Farnborough fans, though, in the shape of Simeon Howell, returning to Cherrywood Road after spells at Forest Green Rovers and Basingstoke Town, and Jerome Hamilton, another returnee, who was with Fleet Town last season. Other new faces include Mark Gamble, a 20 year-old striker who impressed at Winchester City last year; Glenn Howes, a central midfielder who has played for Newport I.O.W., Dorchester and Andover; 18 year-old midfielder David Stevens, who has signed dual forms for Farnborough and Bisley; and two recruits from Lymington and New Milton, Sam Carter, a 24 year-old defender, and James Stokoe, a 22 year-old forward. Adam Theo has re-signed for the club.

Farnborough FC?s pre-season results so far include a 5-0 home defeat to the Shots, a 3-1 defeat by Basingstoke Town and a 3-1 win over Cowes Sports.

GETTING THERE

Cherrywood Road
Farnborough
Hampshire
GU14 8UD

Tel: 01252 541469
Website: www.farnboroughfc.co.uk
by car ? leave the M3 at Junction 4 and take the A331 signed to Farnham. After a few hundred yards exit at the second slip road - signed A325 Farnborough - turn right at the roundabout and cross over the dual carriageway and a small roundabout. Pass the Farnborough Gate shopping centre on your left and at the next roundabout turn left onto the A325. Go over a pelican crossing and at the next set of lights take the right filter into Prospect Avenue. At the end of this road turn right at the roundabout into Cherrywood Road. The ground is half a mile on the right
by train ? the 13.49 from Woking arrives at Farnborough Main at 14.02. It?s about a 25 minute walk from the station to the ground. Exit from the station approach and turn right onto Union Street i.e. with the railway line on your right. After half a mile turn right at the traffic lights onto Prospect Road, go under the railway bridge and follow this road over two mini roundabouts and a real one (where it becomes Cherrywood Road). The ground is half a mile beyond the third roundabout.


Come on, you Cards!