Women's Report | Second half showcase gives Cards all three points

Woking Women 4-2 Fleet Town
5th November 2023
SRWFL Division One South

Woking came out on top in the second 45 minutes against Fleet Town thanks to a brace from Sheena Nichol and a solo goal from Helen Ogle, adding to Charlotte Keenan’s first-half strike. Despite a frustrating opening, the game ended up going in the favour of the Cards, as they extended their unbeaten run to five games in a row.

The hosts had numerous chances to go ahead inside the first 15 minutes, starting when Efrosyni Theocharous put in a great cross to find Helen, but the former's effort went just wide of the post. Next up was a great counter-attack from a Fleet corner which was nearly converted by Charlotte, but her effort swung wide. Helen then missed a one versus one effort, before Charlotte also had an opportunity go over the crossbar.

It would have been easy to let frustration creep in, but instead, the Cards took the lead after Kaitlin Howard made a run forward and played in Charlotte, whose deflected shot lopped over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Anthony made his first round of substitutions before the half-hour mark, bringing on Gaby Hobday and Ella Smith, who came on to play her first game for the first team this season. They replaced Amy Richards and Megan Vincer.

Ella got straight into the action down the right-hand side and played a brilliant first-time pass into Kaitlin, but she couldn’t convert her chance.

Shortly before half time, Fleet equalised out of nowhere, when a ball over the top found their striker, who placed the ball past Amy Jenkins in goal.

HT: Woking 1-1 Fleet Town

During the break, Sophie Burgess, Trudy Bryan-Kerr and Sheena Nichol all came onto the pitch, taking over from Laura Mitchell, Sian Hardaker and Charlotte.

The first chance of the second half came when Ella took a shot from just inside the Fleet half, in an ambitious attempt, but saw her effort caught by the ‘keeper with ease.

It only took five minutes for Sheena to make her mark in this game, as the number eight took on one of her special long-range shots from afar and watched it crawl underneath the opposition goalkeeper’s legs. The second she had time and space with the ball, there was only ever going to be one outcome.

Then on the hour mark, it was three, thanks to a perfectly placed strike from Helen into the top left-hand corner. Gaby played her in behind the defence and our number seven did what she does best when cutting onto her right foot, to take her tally to seven goals in seven games.

All was looking up for Woking until a moment of magic from Fleet got them back into the game, thanks to an outrageously good goal from way outside the box. Amy.J could do nothing about it in goal and it even took the Fleet squad by surprise.

Trudy nearly restored the two-goal advantage straight from kick-off but was stopped by the opposition ’keeper, who made a great save down to her right.

With just over 15 minutes to go, Amy.R and Charlotte returned to the pitch, replacing Ella and Kaitlin.

The game was then wrapped up with five minutes to go and it was goal number two for Sheena, who completely outdid her first one, with a simply sensational shot from even further out this time. She watched the ball fly into the top corner and ripple into the back of the net, beyond the outstretched ‘keeper who could do nothing about it.

Final substitutions followed with Kaitlin, Sian, Megan and Laura, all swapping with Charlotte, Efrosyni, Ellie Boddy and Fran Cotter.

It could have been five right before the final whistle when Laura’s corner found the head of Helen, but her effort rattled against the woodwork and saw the game finish with just a two-goal advantage.

FT: Woking 4-2 Fleet Town

In Anthony’s post-match interview, he spoke about trying something new in the first half which didn’t really work out, but it was a credit to the players to change shape and return to play the way they know how in the second half. The hunger and energy that Sheena brought to the game was definitely a changing factor that swung in Woking’s advantage and her two goals saw her voted Player of the Match by her fellow teammates.

That’s not just a wrap on the extensive amount of home games recently, but a wrap at the Eastwood Centre, as games revert back to Woking College. Until then, we start the first of three games on the road with a trip down South to face Bournemouth Sports Ladies Reserves.



Woking Starting XI: Jenkins, Mitchell (46) (90), Cotter (90), Boddy (90), Richards (28) (73), Hardaker (46) (87), Theocharous (87), Vincer (28) (90), Howard (73) (87), Keenan (46) (73) (87), Ogle

Subs: Burgess (46), Hobday (28), Smith (28) (73), Nichol (46), Bryan-Kerr (46)

Attendance: 38

Player of the Match: Sheena Nichol