Woking 3 Oldham Athletic 0
Vanarama National League
13th September 2022
In Woking’s first ever competitive match against Oldham Athletic, on a wet and slippery Tuesday evening at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, the Cards stretched their unbeaten run to three games with a powerful and impressive 3-0 win over the mid-table Latics, moving them up to 8th in the National League table.
The Cards had already beaten Scunthorpe United at home this season, so they made it back-to-back victories over the two clubs relegated from the Football League at the end of last season.
Darren Sarll made one change to the starting line-up that drew 1-1 away to Wealdstone in the Cards’ last match nine days ago after the postponement of Saturday’s home game v Yeovil Town due to the passing of Queen Ellizabeth II, with Tyreke Johnson coming in for Reece Grego-Cox. The visitors fielded ex-Woking midfielder Charlie Cooper in their side.
The game started slowly but Oldham had the better of possession in central midfield, before Scott Cuthbert was then booked in the 10th minute for a late challenge as the Latics cranked up the pressure.
The visitors then nearly took the lead in the 11th minute when Mike Fondop-Talum was played through on goal by Charlie Wellens, but his powerful left-footed effort hit the underside of the bar and fell to safety. From the resulting corner, Mitchell Roberts headed over the bar.
Woking then picked up a second yellow card when one was handed out to Rohan Ince in the 14th minute after a late challenge in midfield, as the Cards struggled to make an impact and gain a foothold in the game.
Woking took the lead in the 19th minute, when Luke Wilkinson played a long ball into the right channel, and Padraig Amond expertly pulled back for Johnson, who skipped past a few men and finished in composed fashion, slotting the ball through the legs of Maenus Norman in the Oldham goal.
This sprung the Cards into life and they should have been two up in the 25th minute when Johnson was put in on goal, but his left-footed effort went narrowly over the bar. Amond then nearly notched his first goal for the club but his half volley was palmed away. From the corner, Norman made another good save.
The pressure finally told and it was two in the 28th minute as Josh Casey’s perfectly flighted corner from the right was headed in at the back post by an unmarked Luke Wilkinson, who rose like a salmon with the Oldham defence all at sea. Johnson smashed a swinging strike from distance that was well parried and held by Norman as the rampant Cards pushed for a third.
Woking controlled the last 10 minutes of the half, looking solid in defence and midfield, and went in with a deserved two-nil lead as the visitors, after a good start, failed to create much.
Johnson and Amond celebrate the two-nil lead
David Holmes
The manager made one change at half-time for the as Joe McNerney came on for Scott Cuthbert. Latics manager John Sheridan made one change himself, bringing on Joe McGlynn for Oscar Threlkeld as he looked to get the away side back into the game.
Odlham started well as they chased a root back into the game. First, McGlynn ran through, but placed his shot wide when a team-mate was better placed before Roberts had a shot deflected over the bar. Fondop-Talum, the Latics’ most dangerous player on the night, glanced a header wide from a corner.
The game was over as a contest in the 54th minute as the Cards made it 3-0 as Johnson grabbed his second of the game. An incisive move down the left saw Jim Kellermann play in Josh Casey - who had made a surging run - and his perfectly weighted cross into the centre of the box was drilled home by Johnson. The Oldham defence again didn’t cover itself in glory, but simply couldn’t handle the intensity of the Cards’ attacking play.
The Latics thought that they had been thrown a lifeline in the 74th minute when they had the ball in the back of the net through Fondop-Talum, who was played in on goal, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
In the last major move of the game, Amond looked sure to finally get deserved first goal for the club in the 81st minute after a lot of selfless forward play. Free in the box after being put in, he put the ball wide from only 10 yards out.
The Cards look to continue their fine form when they play away at 19th placed Maidenhead United on Saturday,
Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 3 Josh Casey ©, 4 Scott Cuthbert (5 Joe McNerney 46’), 6 Luke Wilkinson, 8 James Daly, 10 Padraig Amond, 11 Tyreke Johnson (29 Jake Vokins 71’), 12 Dan Moss, 17 Jim Kellermann, 23 Jermaine Anderson (18 Jack Roles 80’), 24 Rohan Ince
Unused subs: 1 Ethan Wady, 7 Ricky Korboa
Goals: Johnson 19’ and 54’, Wilkinson 28’
Booked: Cuthbert 10’, Ince 14’
Oldham Athletic 19 Maenus Norman, 5 Harrison McEahey (2 Jordan Clarke 59’), 7 Jacks Stobbs (10 Luke Burgess 71’) 14 Nathan Sheron, 23 Charlie Wellens, 16 Charlie Cooper, 15 Mitchell Roberts, 24 David Okagbue, 21 Oscar Threlkeld (13 Joe McGlynn 46’), 18 Ben Tollitt, 20 Mike Fondop-Talum
Unused subs: 1 Jayson Leutwiler, 29 Junior Luamba
Booked: Cooper, Fondop-Talum
Man of the Match: Tyreke Johnson – a constant menace and a great return to the starting line-up with two well-taken goals and other efforts on goal
Referee: Wayne Cartmel
Attendance: 1950 (250 away supporters)
