Match Report | Cards find a beauty to squeeze past Rebels

Woking 2-1 Slough Town
FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
12th October 2024

Woking welcomed National League South side Slough Town in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round, with both sides looking to make Monday night’s first round draw.

For the first time this season, Michael Doyle’s Cards were unchanged, with the only change coming on the bench as Max Dyche returned from suspension to replace Dennon Lewis. Slough were also unchanged from a 3-1 home win over Tonbridge Angels, with former Woking striker Slavi Spasov starting up front, whilst former academy product Sam Evans made the bench.

The game started with Woking dominating possession and creating an early chance when Dion Kelly-Evans’ cross was met by Lewis Walker at the back post, but he volleyed over. However, Slough took the lead eight minutes in when a great cross from David Ogbonna was met by former Woking loanee Spasov, who had a simple finish from a yard or two out.

Just after the 20 minute mark, Slough nearly doubled their lead. Will Jaaskelainen was seemingly caught off guard by an initial shot from John Gilbert, punching the ball away before making an impressive follow-up save from Spasov from close range.

Woking’s best chance of the opening half hour came when Kelly-Evans crossed for Harry Beautyman, whose header dropped agonisingly over the bar. Adam Chicksen then crossed for Walker, whose header this time went just wide of the near post.

After 35 minutes Raheem Conte crossed for Beautyman, whose header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Charlie Horlock in the Slough goal. Spasov nearly doubled the Rebels’ lead minutes later when he headed a whisker wide of the bottom corner.

Woking had their equaliser on the stroke of half time when the Slough defence was caught out by a through ball splitting their back line. Walker squared for Beautyman and the midfielder applied the finish into an empty net to level the score.

That concluded a half full of chances, with Woking turning the screw in the last 15 minutes and eventually grabbing the equaliser.


Half-time: Woking 1-1 Slough Town

Woking’s first opening after the break came four minutes into the second half, with Dan Moss finding Walker in behind, who fired just wide of the near post.

Matt Ward was introduced off the bench shortly into the half, but the visitors had a spell of pressure where a couple of Woking players entered the book for breaking up play. Player-manager Scott Davies’ free kick was pushed over by Jaaskelainen as the Rebels threatened.

Ogbonna tested Jaaskelainen again with a fierce drive into his near post, but the Finnish stopper was able to parry behind. A huge chance for Slough with just over ten minutes left saw Spasov’s effort cleared acrobatically off the line by a combination of Ben Wynter and Kelly-Evans, before great play from substitute Dale Gorman saw him find Moss at the back post, but he fired just over the bar.

As Woking ramped up the pressure, a neat move ended in Moss sliding the ball across the face of goal, but neither Charley Kendall nor Beautyman could get on the end of it. But with 84 minutes gone, Beautyman curled a peach of a strike into the far corner, after a contentious decision by the referee to play on after Davies claimed to be fouled.

Davies accumulated two yellow cards for his protests, being sent off after continuing to criticise the decision following his substitution. In stoppage time, an incredible chance for former Woking academy graduate Sam Evans was denied brilliantly by the intervention of Chicksen, who cleared off the line and was embraced by his defence and ‘keeper.

Woking nervously saw out the game to book their place in the first round draw despite a heroic effort from Slough Town, who will be wondering how on Earth this game finished in defeat for them.




Woking: Jaaskelainen, Kelly-Evans, Wynter, Harries, Chicksen, Akinola (Gorman 60’), Andrews, Moss, Beautyman (Dyche 95’), Conte (Ward 51’), Walker (Kendall 78’)

Subs: Webber, Anderson, Leahy

Bookings: Akinola 51’, Andrews 57’, Jaaskelainen 90’

Goals: Beautyman 43’, 84’

Slough Town: Horlock, Beeden, Bayliss, Prosper, Spasov, Gilbert, Amartey (Abisogun 72’), Chambers-Parillon, Davies (Evans 84’), Ochieng (Roth 92’, Ogbonna (Lucan 89’)

Subs:Makumbi, Jackman, Spicer


Bookings: Prosper 30’, Horlock 83’, Davies 84’,85’

Sent Off: Davies 85’

Goals: Spasov 8’

Attendance: 1,769

Sponsors MOTM: Harry Beautyman scored twice and looked a constant threat throughout