William Bewsey
11:56am, Thu 12th Sep 2024
Woking v Oldham Athletic
Vanarama National League
Saturday 14th September 2024
15:00 Kick-Off
Woking will look to build on three consecutive home wins and back-to-back clean sheets when they host Oldham Athletic on Saturday.
The transformation in home form at the Laithwaite has been evident since Michael Doyle took over, with the Cards now having tasted victory in eight of their last ten home league games, but promotion hopefuls Oldham will provide a different test to that of their opponents so far.
After making three changes to the side on Tuesday night, Doyle will have plenty of options to chop and change against the Latics, with Deon Moore also back from international duty.
Opposition Watch
Last season can only be described as disappointing from an Oldham point of view. After a blockbuster summer window which included the signing of the prolific James Norwood, a slow start saw David Unsworth sacked in September 2023. The vastly experienced Micky Mellon came in, but despite a good run of form at the back end of the year, Oldham were inconsistent and finished 10th, comfortably outside the playoffs.
The response has been more additions and more departures over the summer, with the likes of former Woking full-back Jake Caprice, Newport midfielder Harry Charsley and Northampton defender Manny Monthe all on board, but after a positive start with two wins and no goals conceded, Oldham are now winless in six.
In extremely rare circumstances however, Oldham have lost just once this season, with five of their last six games all ending 1-1. Draws against Fylde, Gateshead, Altrincham, Southend and Halifax have frustrated supporters, with the Latics’ most recent draw at the Shay on Tuesday night putting pressure on Mellon and his players.
Charsley and Monthe share the accolade for ‘top scorer’ with two goals apiece, and Otis Khan, signed from Grimsby, will miss this fixture after being sent off at the Shay.
Around the Ground
Tickets are available to purchase online
here.
The new third kit is also on sale in the club shop, which opens as soon as gates open.
Last Time Out
Jermaine Anderson’s goal just after half time gave the Cards a crucial three points at Boundary Park back in January, with the same scoreline favouring the Latics in the reverse fixture at the Laithwaite in November 2023.
There have been just two other meetings between the sides since Oldham were relegated out of the EFL in 2022, with one win apiece in the 2022/23 season; Woking winning the home fixture 3-0 before falling to a late 1-0 defeat at Boundary Park in the reverse.
