Match Preview | Trophy Campaign Begins

Woking vs Eastleigh
Vanarama National League
Tuesday 20th December 2022

Woking will be looking to progress through to the third round of the Isuzu FA Trophy on Tuesday evening when they host Eastleigh at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

The Cards have already overcome the visitors once this season with a 1-0 victory over the Spitfires at the Laithwaite Community Stadium in October. Since then, Woking have gone on a run of form which has seen them rise to fourth in the Vanarama National League table and Darren Sarll named manager of the month for November.

Opposition Watch
Eastleigh are approaching a decade in the National League and are currently in their ninth consecutive season in the fifth tier following promotion in 2014. Last season was, in terms of league position, their worst in that period – a 19th place finish, albeit a comfortable 12 points clear of relegation.

Former Bournemouth, Havant & Waterlooville and Eastbourne Borough manager Bradbury joined the club in February after spending three years as assistant manager at Crawley Town and, like his Woking counterpart, oversaw a huge overhaul in the club’s squad this summer with 12 new players arriving and the same number going the other way.

There were some surprises in the Spitfires’ summer business, including the departures of midfielders Cav Miley and Harry Pritchard to Southend United and Barnet respectively, whilst veterans such as Danny Hollands and Tyrone Barnett also moved on. A much younger crop of players has now been brought in, including defenders George Langston (19), Brennan Camp (21), and Corey Panter (21), all from Championship clubs. They have also added EFL experience in the shape of centre-back Christian Maghoma (Gillingham), striker Tristan Abrahams (Carlisle), and former Woking midfielder Charlie Carter (Stevenage).

The Spitfires currently sit ninth in the Vanarama National League but have only won one out of their last five League matches.

Recent Meetings
Woking 1-0 Eastleigh – 29th October 2022, National League (Clarke)
Woking 1-2 Eastleigh – 7th May 2022, National League (Roles)
Eastleigh 3-2 Woking – 25th September 2021, National League (Campbell 2)
Eastleigh 0-0 Woking – 10th April 2021, National League
Woking 0-0 Eastleigh – 28th December 2020, National League

Tickets
When pre-purchased, ticket prices are £10 for Adults, £8 for Concessions, £5 for Next-Gen and £1 for Under 16s. Tickets bought on the gate on the day are charged at an additional £2 for those above the age of 16.