Glen Harrington
9:33pm, Fri 16th Apr 2021
Woking vs Wrexham
Vanarama National League
Saturday 17th April 2021
The Cards will be hoping to build on Tuesday’s improved performance against Bromley when they return to the Laithwaite Community Stadium this weekend to take on Wrexham.
Woking were excellent for large portions of the mid-week fixture, leading 2-1 and 3-2 before eventually succumbing to a dramatic 4-3 defeat. Moussa Diarra and Jack Cook goals cancelled out Jack Bridge’s opener in the first-half, the National League’s top scorer Michael Check equalised against the run of play, before Sam Dalby’s first goal for the club saw the home side regain the lead. But a goal of the season contender from substitute James Alabi and a late Jack Cook own goal saw the Lilywhites claim all three points. The league table remains unchanged with the Cards in 19th position, five points clear of King’s Lynn Town and the bottom three.
Wrexham remain firmly in the hunt for a play-off place after thrashing fellow top seven hopefuls FC Halifax 4-0 in mid-week – scoring all four goals inside 35 minutes – and ending a run of three straight defeats which came at the hands of Notts County, Torquay United, and Stockport County. They are currently in seventh place with 50 points from 33 games, level on points with the Shaymen, who also have a game in hand. Bromley are just one point further back. Prior to their recent losses, Wrexham had been on a seven-match unbeaten run, stretching back to a 3-0 defeat at Aldershot Town in mid-February.
Please remember that this game is now a 12:30pm kick-off.
Woking – Team News
The Cards will be without three further players who have joined a growing injury list. Midfielder Ben Dempsey, winger Jamar Loza, and captain and full-back Josh Casey are all out. Ben Gerring, Sam Ashford, Matt Jarvis, Nathan Collier, Malachi Napa, and Josh Goddard also remain sidelined. Young striker Jayden Wareham also remains unavailable. Manager Alan Dowson will at least have been encouraged by the debut of AFC Wimbledon’s Zach Robinson on Tuesday. The 18-year-old striker joins the club on loan from AFC Wimbledon, where he has featured seven times in all competitions so far this season, scoring once in the EFL Trophy.
Wrexham – The Boss
Dean Keates is in his second spell with the club. The former midfielder, who also played for Wrexham between 2010 and 2015, became manager for the first time in 2016. He remained in charge until March 2018, winning 25 of his 73 games, before joining Walsall. After just over a year with the Saddlers, whom he also played for in two spells across his career, he returned to Wrexham in October 2019. They finished last season 19th, but stayed up relatively comfortably on the PPG method, and have been much improved this campaign.
One to Watch
Woking fans will be familiar with experienced midfielder Luke Young, previously a regular at Torquay United, who scored the winner against the Cards in a 1-0 victory for the Gulls back in September 2014. He made almost 150 appearances in four years at Plainmoor, having previously been a regular for their Devon neighbours Plymouth Argyle in League Two. He also netted one of his seven goals this season in the reverse fixture back in February.
Last Time Out
Wrexham 2-0 Woking – National League (16th February 2021)
The Cards into this game with reason for optimism, having ended a seven-match run without a win in 90 minutes by beating promotion-challengers Sutton United in the FA Trophy the previous Saturday. But a rejuvenated Wrexham, fresh from the news of a completed takeover from their new American owners, were comfortable winners at the Racecourse Ground. Luke Young and Dior Angus scored the goals either side of half-time.
Next Up
Woking welcome old foes Torquay United to the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Tuesday. That will be followed by away fixtures at Maidenhead United and FC Halifax Town to complete the April games.
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