Glen Harrington
3:03pm, Fri 16th Sep 2022
Maidenhead United vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 17th September 2022
After picking up two wins and a draw from their last three games, Woking will aim to make it 10 points out of a possible 12 on Saturday, when they travel to Maidenhead United.
The Cards were excellent on Tuesday as they put in arguably their best performance of the season so far to dispatch Oldham Athletic 3-0 at the Laithwaite Community Stadium. Tyreke Johnson scored twice, either side of a header from Luke Wilkinson, as both players netted for the first time this season. It might have been more too, with Padraig Amond guilty of squandering a golden late chance, whilst the Latics had goalkeeper Magnus Norman to thank for keeping the deficit to just three. The result leaves Woking eighth in the league table, just one point adrift of the top seven.
Manager Darren Sarll will be boosted by the return of wide-man Kyran Lofthouse for Saturday’s match, although he may have to settle for a place on the bench, following Johnson’s fine showing in mid-week. Reece Grego-Cox is also thought to be close to a return after missing Tuesday’s game with a slight hamstring injury. Defender Sid Nelson remains the only long-term absentee having not featured since pre-season. Midfielder Jim Kellermann is one yellow card away from suspension.
Opposition Watch
Maidenhead are in their sixth season in the National League and, despite once again being amongst the bookie’s favourites for relegation, have proved already this season why they are more than capable of pulling a surprise.
Veteran manager Alan Devonshire has already overseen wins against Scunthorpe United and Altrincham this campaign, although the Magpies have picked up just one point from their last five, leaving them just a couple of places above the bottom four. On Tuesday evening they lost 1-0 at Boreham Wood.
They’ve bought in ten new players this summer, including former midfielder Adrian Clifton, who re-joins from Boreham Wood, defender and one-time Woking trialist Cole Kpekawa from Hemel Hempstead, as well as Dover Athletic pair Koby Arthur and Alexis Andre. A couple of their key players from last season have moved on – striker Josh Kelly joined Solihull Moors after netting 15 league goals last season and defender Ryheem Sheckleford joined Chesterfield. However, they did retain star midfielder Sam Barratt, who has scored 22 times across the last two seasons.
The ex-Woking contingent has shrunk over the summer with Shaun Donnellan and Manny Parry moving on, but experienced midfielder Kane Ferdinand remains a regular for the Magpies.
Recent Meetings
• Woking
1-0 Maidenhead United – 12th March 2022, National League (Kabamba)
• Maidenhead United
3-2 Woking – 23rd October 2021, National League (Kretzschmar, McNerney)
• Maidenhead United
2-1 Woking – 24th April 2021, National League (Ferdinand)
• Woking
0-0 Maidenhead United – 23rd January 2021, National League
• Woking
2-0 Maidenhead United – 29th February 2020, National League (Jarvis, Diarra)
Tickets
Ticket prices are £20 for Adults, Concessions £15, 17-22 £10 and Under 17s £5. For more information and to book your ticket please
click here.
