Match Report | Cards put on late show in inaugural National League Cup game
William Bewsey
9:09pm, Tue 1st Oct 2024
Woking 2-2 Brighton U21s (Brighton U21s win 4-3 on penalties)
National League Cup Group Stage
1st October 2024
Woking kicked off October with their first ever National League Cup fixture. The team was heavily rotated with just four players keeping their places, as Ollie Webber made his debut in goal. Jacob Jones returned to the side after not featuring in September, with Dale Gorman captaining a midfield with no changes made to it.
A ten minutes with little action was brought to a halt when Matt Ward forced a foul on the edge of the box. However, Gorman’s delivery was well cleared. It took until 21 minutes were gone for Brighton to have their first venture forward, but Marcus Ifill’s effort was wayward.
Deon Moore met a Jones corner at the back post but it was well saved by Killian Cahill, the Brighton stopper parrying the ball before it was cleared. However, Brighton broke the deadlock after 33 minutes when Josh Duffus carried the ball forwards before firing low into the near post, completing a fantastic run from the striker.
An inswinging corner from Gorman forced Cahill to push the ball away from his goalmouth as Woking looked for a response, before another Duffus run saw him fire over the bar after carrying the ball from inside his own half once more.
In added time, a good run from Harry Howell down the right hand side teed up Jamie Mullins, who forced a great save from Webber towards his left hand side.
Half-time: Woking 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion U21s
Brighton started the second half strongly, with Ifill curling a left-footed strike against the inside of the far post. From the following corner, Ruari McConville doubled the Brighton lead after being found by Ifill at the back post in acres of space, his header giving Webber no chance.
Howell nearly made it three when his header was just wide after a cross from Jacob Slater, before his curler was well saved by Webber.
In the 90th minute, good play from Woking saw Tom Leahy’s shot well blocked, but the ball was played to substitute Jamie Andrews, who drilled his strike into the bottom corner to give the Cards hope.
Woking salvaged a draw in the last minute of the game when Andrews’ free kick was glanced in by Dion Kelly-Evans, an unlikely goalscorer and an unlikely result considering the score was 2-0 after 89 minutes.
The game then went to a penalty shootout, with the winner getting an extra point. After both sides scored their first two penalties, Jermaine Anderson was the first to have his saved by Cahill, giving the visitors a 3-2 advantage after three each.
Ollie Webber saved Freddie Simmonds’ attempt with his feet, but Tom Leahy’s effort was well saved by Cahill to give Brighton a 4-3 win on penalties. They take two points, Woking take one, ahead of the visit of York City on Saturday.
Woking: Webber, Wynter, Kelly-Evans, Dyche, Jones, Ward, Akinola (Beautyman 71’), Gorman (Andrews 53’), Anderson, Leahy, Moore (Walker 71’)
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Kendall, Mason, Edwards
Bookings: Gorman 37’
Goals: Andrews 89’, Kelly-Evans 90+6'
Brighton & Hove Albion U21s: Cahill, McConville (Penman 84’), Ifill (Bashir 84’), Mullins, Duffus (Flower 60’), Slater, Vickers, Knight (Moulton 72’), Tasker, Simmonds, Howell (Albarns 72’)
Subs: Mills, Hall
Bookings: Howell 42’
Goals: Duffus 33’, McConville 53’
Attendance: 227