Match Report | Cards prevail on penalties after Hawks fightback

Woking 3-3 Havant & Waterlooville (Woking win 4-2 on penalties)
FA Trophy Third Round Proper
10th December 2024

Woking’s hastily rearranged FA Trophy clash with Havant & Waterlooville took place on Tuesday night, with the Hawks of the Southern League Premier South travelling to the Laithwaite.

Both new signings Inih Effiong and Frank Vincent were absent from the squad, but Rohan Ince wasn’t; the midfielder made his first appearance in a matchday squad this season. There were starts for Lewis Walker and Alan Judge with Harry Beautyman taking the armband.

The visitors had Woking academy product and well loved centre back Joe McNerney as captain, with former loanee Harvey Bradbury on the bench in and amongst a host of former National League names.

Woking got the game underway, shooting towards the LGS and nearly getting off to the perfect start after a few minutes. Dennon Lewis did well to cut the ball back to Walker inside the box, whose shot was well blocked by Brendan Willson before the Hawks cleared.

An even better chance came just five minutes in when Jamie Andrews crossed low for Matt Ward, who was unable to connect with the ball in front of an empty net whilst stretching.

But Havant took a surprise lead after 10 minutes when McNerney’s effort at goal from a free kick was well saved by Will Jaaskelainen, but Ryan Seager was there to tap home from a yard out.

Their lead lasted barely a minute. Ward drove at the Hawks defence, finding Lewis. His low cross was met at the back post by the unmarked Jermaine Anderson, who tapped home.

Somehow Ben Dudzinski was unable to keep out Beautyman’s effort from close range after he was found by a superb cross from Alan Judge, the Havant stopper palming away when the ball looked destined to find the net.

Woking had the lead after 37 minutes when Ward’s shot was blocked but the ball fell to substitute Tom Leahy, whose shot bounced over a defender following a deflection and ended up in the back of the net.

A Woking break on the stroke of half time came from the visitors’ corner, and ended with Ward finding Beautyman inside the box, but his header was straight at Dudzinski.


Half-time: Woking 2-1 Havant & Waterlooville

A good move from the Cards ended in a piledriver from Ward that nearly found the top corner as the Cards pushed for a third.

Adam Chicksen had to intervene after a loose pass with Leon Maloney bearing down on goal, as the Notts County loanee’s tackle was just well timed enough to prevent the chance.

Woking had their third goal with 73 minutes gone when Devante Stanley’s slip down the left-hand side allowed Lewis the chance to run in on goal and place the ball past Dudzinski under no pressure, surely sending the Cards through to the fourth round.

However, Havant had a second when a corner wasn’t dealt with and Seager headed home from less than a yard, with seven minutes left.

And with four minutes left, another set piece wasn’t dealt with, giving Seager the simplest of finishes at the back post. Three of the easiest goals you may ever see.

With a grandstand finale set up, as well as the prospect of penalties, Alan Judge found Lewis inside the box, but his strike on the half volley flew over the bar.
Penalties it was.

Woking prevailed despite going 1-0 down after a penalty each, dispatching their next four spot kicks thanks to Jamie Andrews, Dale Gorman, Matt Ward and Cian Harries, with Ward smashing the winning one past Dudzinski.

They will host Radcliffe on the 4th January.






Woking: Jaaskelainen, Harries, Ward, Chicksen, Judge, Beautyman (Gorman 77’), Andrews, Akinola, Anderson (Leahy 21’), Lewis, Walker (Jones 54’)

Subs: Webber, Ince, Conte, Kendall

Goals: Anderson 11’, Leahy 37’, Lewis 73’

Bookings:

Havant & Waterlooville: Dudzinski, Stanley, Austin, Atangana, McNerney, Willson, Seager, Maloney, Kealy (Bradbury 80’), Dockerill, Anderson (Whittingham 75’)

Subs: Walker-Harris, Lee, Tshaka, Swann, Laidlaw

Goals: Seager 10’, 83’, 87’

Bookings: Stanley 87’, McNerney 94’

Attendance: 423