Glen Harrington
11:38am, Fri 26th Aug 2022
Woking vs Wrexham
Vanarama National League
Saturday 27th August 2022
Woking will be aiming to maintain their perfect home record so far this season when they host Wrexham on Saturday in front of the BT Sport cameras at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.
The Cards’ season has started with successive 2-0 home wins and back-to-back 2-0 away losses, the most recent of which came at early table toppers Barnet on Saturday. Darren Sarll will be more than happy for that record to continue for at least one more game with his side back at home on Saturday to take on the unanimous bookies’ favourites for the National League title. He’ll be hoping to repeat the feat he managed in April when he masterminded a 2-1 win in the same fixture, in a game which was also televised, when a Max Kretzschmar penalty and a late Jamar Loza goal saw the Cards come from behind to claim all three points.
Against Barnet, Woking went with an unchanged starting line-up, which was unsurprising after the success against Scunthorpe the previous Tuesday. Although forward James Daly was fit enough to return to the bench after injury and made an appearance as a second-half substitute. Jack Roles and Sid Nelson are the only players currently sidelined, and neither are expected to be far from a return.
Opposition Watch
Wrexham are now in their 15th season in the National League, following their relegation from the Football League back in 2008, which ended a near 90-year stay in the EFL. Last season they finished as runners-up, their best finish since the 2011/12 season, but were beaten in the play-offs by eventual winners Grimsby Town, whilst they also lost the FA Trophy final to Bromley.
Backed by owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the club has continued to strengthen this summer, most notably up front, where the National League’s top scorer from last season, Paul Mullin, and ex-Woking forward Ollie Palmer, have been joined by Elliot Lee – signed from Championship club Luton Town – and Southend United’s Sam Dalby. Manager Phil Parkinson has also added two new goalkeepers, Scunthorpe’s Rory Watson and Carlisle’s Mark Howard, Crawley defender Jordan Tunnicliffe, Boreham Wood full-back Jacob Mendy, and Oxford United midfielder Anthony Forde.
Going the other way, another former Woking striker Jake Hyde has joined Southend on loan, forward Kwame Thomas has left for Sutton United, midfielder Daniel Jarvis has moved to Gateshead, and defender Tyler French has joined Dundee in Scotland.
Despite their ‘favourites’ tag, they’ve endured a mixed start to the new season, taking seven points out of 12 – coming from behind to beat Eastleigh 2-1 at home on the opening day, drawing 1-1 at Yeovil and losing 2-0 at Chesterfield, before hitting their stride with a 5-0 thumping of newly promoted Maidstone last time out. They are currently in fifth place in the early season standings.
Their next game is at home to Gateshead on Tuesday night.
Recent Meetings
• Woking
2-1 Wrexham – 23rd April 2022, National League (Kretzschmar, Loza)
• Wrexham
1-0 Woking – 11th September 2021, National League
• Woking
0-4 Wrexham – 17th April 2021, National League
• Wrexham
2-0 Woking – 16th February 2021, National League
• Wrexham
3-0 Woking – 18th January 2020, National League
Tickets
When pre-purchased, ticket prices are £20 for Adults, £15 for Concessions, £12 for Next-Gen and £5 for Under 16s. Tickets bought on the gate on the day are charged at an additional £2.
For more information and to book your ticket please
click here.
