Glen Harrington
11:17am, Fri 21st Apr 2023
Woking vs Gateshead
Vanarama National League
Saturday 22nd April 2023
Woking will be looking to put an end to a run of three home games without a win when they host in-form Gateshead at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Saturday.
The Cards have faltered of late, winning only four of their last ten, including just one home win, and on Saturday suffered their heaviest defeat of the campaign away to promotion-chasing Notts County. That result, combined with back-to-back wins for Chesterfield on Saturday and Tuesday, means that Darren Sarll’s side now look most likely to finish fourth – they are five points behind the Spireites, albeit with a game in hand, and will likely need to win all three of their remaining games, in addition to hoping Chesterfield drop points in one of their two fixtures, to secure third. The prize for finishing fourth will likely be a play-off eliminator with one of Bromley or Eastleigh, followed by a trip to Chesterfield for the victor.
Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Woking fans can take heart in the fact that a squad which has battled injuries and illness over the last fortnight is reportedly on the mend. Sarll confirmed in his most recent interview that Luke Wilkinson and Charlie Wakefield have re-joined the squad, whilst several others have recovered from illness, with just one absentee from training. Reece Grego-Cox, Jake Hessenthaler, and Jermaine Anderson remain long-term misses through injury.
Opposition Watch
Gateshead have had an excellent season, particularly since the turn of the calendar year, as after flirting with the relegation places for much of the first-half of the campaign they have pulled comfortably away from the bottom four, as well as securing a trip to Wembley in the upcoming FA Trophy final. They are currently in 16th place, with 53 points from 43 games, seven points clear of the relegation places – with Tuesday’s results confirming their place in the division for next season.
It's been a remarkable run for last season’s National League North title winners, who prior to defeat at home to Bromley last Saturday had gone 10 games undefeated in all competitions, including a run of six straight league wins across March and April. In that time they thrashed Dagenham (3-0), Yeovil (4-0), and Eastleigh (5-2), as well as beating Barnet in their FA Trophy semi-final.
Managed by Mike Williamson, a former Premier League defender with Newcastle United, they have coped remarkably well with the loss of Notts County duo Macauley Langstaff and Cedwyn Scott, who fired them to promotion last season, with February signing Marcus Dinanga hitting a particularly well-timed purple patch – netting 7 goals in 10 games – to help secure their National League status. Other players to look out for include club captain Greg Olley, an attacking midfielder and one-time England C international, and winger Adam Campbell, who played briefly in the Premier League for Newcastle.
Recent Meetings
• Gateshead
1-3 Woking – 22nd October 2022, National League (Grego-Cox, Anderson, Wilkinson)
• Gateshead
1-1 Woking – 23rd January 2018, National League (Grego-Cox)
• Woking
2-1 Gateshead – 5th August 2017, National League (Effiong, Ward)
• Gateshead
2-1 Woking – 18th March 2017, National League (Thomas)
• Woking
3-0 Gateshead – 26th November 2016, National League (Ugwu 3)
Tickets
Ticket prices are £20 for Adults, Concessions £15, Next-Gen £12, and just £5 for Under 16s. For more information and to book your ticket please
click here.
