Academy Bulletin | Week Eighteen
Ian Tilley and Holly Porter
1:35pm, Mon 16th Dec 2024
Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 16th December 2024
Wednesday 18th December 2024
14:00 - Oxford City U19 v Woking U19; National League Academy Cup – First Round
Court Place Farm, OX3 0NQ.
The next Academy fixture after this is on Monday 6th January 2025 when the U18s travel to Metropolitan Police in the Isthmian League - Central Division.
For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy X (twitter) page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 9th December 2024
Monday 9th December
Stoke City U18 3 - 0 Woking U18; FA Youth Cup – Third Round Proper
St. George’s Park, Burton upon Trent
Report from Holly Porter
After Louis Pask’s 94th-minute winner against Rising Ballers in the Second Round Proper, a trip to St. George’s Park to face Stoke City was on the cards.
With just one change to the starting 11 from the Second-Round fixture, Tom Dryer returned from injury to replace Seyi Akinwalere who moved to the bench. With further changes on the bench where Roshan Kigozi and James Orton were absent, and Sam Brittain returned after serving his suspension for being sent off in the replayed fixture against Bromley in the First Round.
Woking nearly got off to a flying start in the game, with Lucas Boxall shooting on the turn within the opening 60 seconds. The shot from the edge of the penalty area, however, went just wide of the right post to deny the young Cards the perfect start.
Stoke City applied the pressure from the outset and thought they had opened the scoring in the 4th minute. A ball through the defence was passed back out to Joshua Maskall, whose cross was turned in by Pedro Nzau, but the flag went up, signalling offside, and Woking got away with a warning.
The Potters continued to attack the Woking back line, with a promising ball forward for the side in the 9th minute, which Jack Lewis did well to recover back and clear. Moments later, Mikey Verga made a good claim from a threatening City cross, eliminating the threat of the moment.
In the 13th minute, Stoke City put yet another good ball forward, which Harrison Stevens stepped in to make a crucial tackle in the box to stop Verga being tested.
A critical touch from Verga in the 16th minute denied the final touch on a strong move from the Potters. With two players charging into the box in an attempt to get a foot to a low cross that flashed across the goal mouth, a diving Verga diverted the ball just out of their path, which kept the scoreline level.
The plethora of chances that Stoke created in the opening 20 minutes continued for much of the remaining 25. Leo Christophers was the next to make a critical defensive move, with a clean header out of a crowded box to meet another Stoke City cross in the 21st minute.
Minutes later, a penalty appeal from City was waved away by the referee, but it did not take the Potters long to establish a lead after this. In the 26th minute, Maskall’s delivery was converted by a first-time finish from Lewis Bailey, to give City the advantage.
Woking had the perfect opportunity to respond to this just after the 30-minute mark, with Boxall standing over a corner kick. A one-two with Pask, before a cross into the box, presented an opportunity to convert the set piece and wipe Stoke’s advantage, but the cross was met by Michel Zeitzen, and the scoreline remained unchanged.
City doubled their lead before half-time, with Verga doing well to save the initial shot from Nzau, with an outstretched arm that pushed the ball back into the box. The ball, however, fell to the Stoke City attack, which was played back out to Maskall who made no mistake in finding the back of the net.
After the restart, Woking went close to getting one back, Pask drove towards goal and switched the ball across the field to Jalil Page. Page, however, didn’t get the connection he wanted and fired over the bar in Woking’s last chance of the half.
Half-time: Stoke City U18 2 – 0 Woking U18
With no changes for either side at half-time, the game got back underway in a similar fashion to how the first half played out.
In the 50th minute, Stoke made a similar move to how they scored their opener, but on this occasion, the first-time shot was not as accurate, and the attempt was well defended. The resulting corner was another chance that the Potters almost capitalised on, with the header being fired just over the bar.
Another couple of corners in quick succession saw another effort over the crossbar, and another ball into the box that went all the way over the penalty area and out, with City threatening to make it three.
And they managed this on the 60-minute mark, just after a ball over the top from Stevens was chased down by Lewis, but Zeitzen got there first and regained possession for the Potters. Back down the other end, a through ball split the defence and fell nicely for Bailey who struck the ball against the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to get his second of the night.
Carrying momentum, Stoke City nearly had a fourth as Tommy Seale lost out in midfield, and Stoke drove forward to fire a ball just wide of Verga’s goal.
Woking created a number of chances of their own in the closing stages, firstly with a great touch to manoeuvre through the Stoke midfield and a switch of play from Akinwalere looking to make for a promising move. The move, however, was blocked by City before it became too much of a threat on Zeitzen’s goal.
Stanley Kyle went the closest to getting one back in the 78th minute, where he linked up with fellow substitute Jermaine Young, who had made a good move into the box and spotted Kyle’s run to set him up just in front of goal. The effort, which looked set to hit the back of the net, was defended well by Stoke captain Freddie Anderson, to maintain his side’s clean sheet.
A dangerous cross from Stoke in the 84th minute looked to be curling towards the back post, with a great defensive header from Lewis which directed the ball away from goal and over the heads of the City attack eliminating the immediate threat.
Stoke ended the second half in the same way that they started the first, with a goal that was overturned by the offside flag. Another threatening cross was turned in by Elliot Fearn, but the goal did not stand and, after 4 minutes of stoppage time was played out, the clash ended in a 0 - 3 loss for the young Cards. With Stoke through to host West Bromwich Albion in the next round.
Stoke City: Michel Zeitzen, Sydney Agina (Raphael Pijus Otebayo 76’), Laurence Giani, Freddie Anderson ©, Jaden Dixon, Gabriel Kelly, Joshua Maskall, Oghosaiwi Enabulele (Connor Day 68’), Lewis Bailey (Tommy McNally 68’), Ryan Liu (Lewis Walker 86’), Pedro Nzau (Elliot Fearn 68’). Unused subs: Ruben Brammer (GK), Ian Togo.
Goals: Bailey 26, 60, Maskall 40.
Woking: Mikey Verga, Jack Lewis, Jacob Farr ©, Tommy Seale, Harrison Stevens, Dillan Davies (Aidy Silverstein 62’), Louis Pask (Sam Brittain 79’), Leo Christophers, Jalil Page (Stanley Kyle 62’), Lucas Boxall (Jermaine Young 76’), Tom Dryer (Seyi Akinwalere 62’). Unused subs: Louie Boyle, Harry White (GK).
Thursday 12th December
Abbey Rangers U21 1 - 3 Woking U21; Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Abbey Rangers FC Development, Addlestone Moor
Report from Ian Tilley
This was not as straightforward an evening as it might have been for Woking, and Abbey Rangers were left to rue what might have been.
The early exchanges gave both teams reason for optimism. Harvey Brook and Byron Mitchell combining well up front for Woking, and James Orton required to cover well when Abbey progressed beyond Woking’s centre-backs.
Abbey looked to have the upper-hand when Henry McDonald was given a temporary dismissal after 25 minutes, but were not able to capitalise on the ten-minute one-man advantage.
It looked like half-time would come without the deadlock being broken, until Mitchell did really well to win the ball and find Ryan Scott with a cross-field pass. Scott’s control and turn were excellent, and were matched by a fine left-foot strike in to the far corner from 15 yards.
Half-time: Abbey Rangers U21 0 – 1 Woking U21
Although both sides had half-chances, Woking had the upper-hand, and doubled their lead after 62 minutes. Brook and Mitchell were involved in the build-up, Scott played a smart ball low across the area, and Brook was quickly across his marker to side-foot home from 6 yards.
Woking did require another excellent covering challenge from Orton, but continued to press forwards, Brook and Jalil Page both winning corners, Mitchell getting a neat flick on to a Scott cross which Daniel Cruz was grateful went straight at him, and Scott close himself with a headed chance.
On 79 minutes Jools Lacey made a great save as Rangers sought to get back in to the game, but on 84 minutes he could not keep out a 30-yard free-kick from Stuart Mortimer, getting a good hand to the ball, but the power on the strike was enough to take it into the net.
Woking responded well, trialist Samuel Tesfu coming off the substitutes bench, his runs testing the Abbey defence, and teeing up fellow substitute Bobby Lawrence, who drove the ball superbly towards the top corner from the edge of the area, drawing a very good save from Cruz.
An 89th minute Woking corner resulted in an injury for Charlie Sweeney, and with Woking having made all their outfield substitutions Sweeney continued valiantly, despite now running with a limp. Whilst the 8 minutes of added time would not have been welcomed by Sweeney, especially when he was called in to action, it did provide more highlights.
Rangers sought an equaliser, but were thwarted by some excellent break-up play from Brook. Then Page won the ball well 30 yards from goal, but having elected to gain some ground before shooting, found Cruz back in position to gather the effort.
The game had a fitting finale, Tesfu holding the ball up well and setting up Brook for an excellent strike from the edge of the area into the top corner. Brook had played well throughout and rightfully enjoyed his match-winning contribution.
A result which sees Woking lead the pack behind Bromley at the top of the league, and Abbey Rangers unable to lift themselves off the bottom.
Abbey Rangers: Daniel Cruz, Jack Lynch, Dom Richards, Braydon Tanner, Oscar House, Nahum Davies, Diego Bruno, Stuart Mortimer, Justice Amuzu, Bailey Tanner (c), Breece Lendo. Subs: Rob Hilson, Rufus Lewis, Mohamed Defairi, Ache Atem, Tchoumou Gbegbo, Ryan Bulingo.
Goal: Mortimer 84.
Woking: Jools Lacey, Louie Boyle (George Galea-Elston 77), Tom Gardner (c), Charlie Sweeney, James Orton, Ryan Scott, Henry McDonald (Bobby Lawrence 77), Jermaine Young, Seyi Akinwalere (Jalil Page 64), Harvey Brook, Byron Mitchell (Samuel Tesfu 77). Unused sub: Mikey Verga (GK).
Goals: Scott 45+2, Brook 62, 90+8.
Referee: Thomas Murray.
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:
Tuesday 10th December
Byron Mitchell, Forward, 2nd year – Sheerwater: Started and scored on 29 minutes (to make it 1 – 2) in the 1 – 3 defeat at Abbey Rangers in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Saturday 14th December
Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: Played 89 minutes of the 2 –2 draw against Raynes Park Vale in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4).
Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Was substituted after 69 minutes, having scored after 32 minutes to make it 1 – 1, of the 2 – 2 draw at Sandhurst in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Byron Mitchell, Forward, 2nd year – Sheerwater: Came on as a 76th minute substitute (with the score at 3 – 0) in the 5 – 0 win over Alton in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Played the full game of the 2 – 2 draw against Knaphill in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).