Match Report | Cards and Shrimpers cancel out each other

Woking 0-0 Southend United
Vanarama National League
26th November 2024

The Cards returned to the Laithwaite after a disappointing result against Barnet at the weekend, but they were looking to comeback with a win against a struggling Southend. Kevin Maher’s Southend came into the affair on the back of a 2-2 draw against a title chasing Forest Green Rovers, the Shrimpers were looking to avoid defeat to stay above Woking in the table.

Michael Doyle chose to make four changes to the side that fell to defeat in North London on Saturday with Harries, Gorman, Stretton and Leahy making way for Judge, Moore, Kendall and Andrews who regained his place in the starting lineup after his suspension. The Cards also saw Harry Beautyman return to the bench after a short time out. Kevin Maher opted to make one change to the visitors side that drew with Forest Green at the weekend with Bridge making way for Bonne.

It was a chilly night at the Laithwaite and it was the Shrimpers who got the game underway. The Cards first chance came to Charley Kendall in the 2nd minute who battled hard to beat his man and get a first time volley off from distance which went just wide.

In the 8th minute a Max Dyche clearance was charged down by Pepple and the ball fell to Bonne who was one on one against Will who produced a brilliant one handed save to deny the visitors an opener. The Cards then went up the other end and formed a chance of their own when a neat move around the box resulted in a Dion Kelly Evans shot on the near side which flew narrowly over the bar.

The game settled down with both teams trying to control the possession, Southend fashioned a nice opportunity when Josh Walker went in behind and dragged back to a waiting Pepple who dragged his effort centimetres wide of the far post.

Southend began to build the pressure and Oli Coker picked up a loose ball and launched a volley wide but the referee pulled the game back for a free kick in a threatening position leaving the Woking fans disillusioned. The resulting free kick beat the Woking wall and went narrowly wide of the near post. Judge whipped in a low ball that found Deon Moore on the far side, whose shot was down the throat of an untroubled Andeng-Ndi.

Midway through the second half the game calmed down with it turning into a bit of a battle in all areas. Woking kept up with their high press causing the Shrimpers trouble when trying to play through the Cards. The Shrimpers began to dive into challenges late into the second half with the Cards starting to see more of the ball, but they were unable to fashion any real chances.

After one additional minute the referee brought the first half to a close with both sides needing to be more threatening to create a breakthrough.

Half-time: Woking 0-0 Southend United

A late challenge on Alan Judge from an already booked Cav Miley saw the referee brandish a second yellow and send him for an early shower reducing the Shrimpers to ten. The resulting free kick was played into Ward on the far side who flashed a shot just wide of the far post. The man advantage began to pay off for the Cards who were dominating the ball in the Southend half.

Alan Judge began to take the game by storm, being the centrepoint for every Woking move and showing off his vast range of passing ability. Woking were beginning to dominate with a flurry of crosses going in from each side, Ward teed up Judge nicely on the edge of the box, but his effort rolled into the arms of Adeng-Ndi.

Dion Kelly-Evans intercepted a Southend clearance and played Ward through on the far side, Ward beat his man with pace and delivered a delightful ball into the box which was met by the head of Deon Moore who could only direct his header wide of the post. Jack Stretton was immediately into the action when he picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box, shifted it wide and smashed a shot goalwards which Shrimpers keeper Adeng-Ndi could only parry away.

With a quarter of an hour to go the Southend fans roared for a penalty after Ward won the ball cleanly off of their attacker, the ball was played long and picked up by Stretton who slipped in Kendall but the chance was squandered by a strong tackle from Harry Taylor.

Late on in the game Woking were trapping the Shrimpers in their own half but were unable to create any breakthroughs with the abundance of possession they’d had. With the fourth official adding on six minutes the Cards went on searching for a winner trying to work the ball wide to deliver into the box.

In the 95th, a recycled corner met the head of Max Dyche and the ball dropped promisingly to Tom Leahy who could only direct his volley inches over the bar. And with that the referee brought the affair to a close with the points being shared. It came as a missed opportunity for Woking who struggled to make use of the man advantage.

Woking remain 18th ahead of a tough fixture against a mid table Yeovil side on Saturday, Michael Doyle will be hoping his Cardinals will be able to get a positive result at the weekend and start to build some league form.







Woking: Jaaskelainen, Kelly-Evans (Beautyman 68’), Odusina, Dyche, Chicksen, Ward, Andrews, Akinola, Judge (Gorman 85’), Moore (Stretton 68’), Kendall (Leahy 78’)

Subs: Webber, Harries, Anderson

Bookings: Akinola 32’, Kendall 57’, Ward 70’

Southend: Andeng Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Ralph, Crowther, Bonne, Walker (Appiah-Forson 82’), Taylor, Miley, Pepple (Husin 51’), Morton, Coker (Bridge 82’)

Subs: Jeacock, Wind, Waldron, Moncur

Bookings: Ralph 28’, Miley 41’, Miley 48’

Sent Off: Miley 48’

Goals:

Attendance: 2424

Man of the Match: Alan Judge - Helped the Cardinals control the possession in the second half and provided positivity through his passing ability.