WOKING v TORQUAY UNITED
3pm on Saturday 22 November 2008
We?ve got one of the most attractive fixtures of the season this Saturday as league leaders Torquay United come to Kingfield. Pre-season favourites for promotion, the Gulls started poorly but are on a superb 15 game unbeaten run now, which has propelled them up the table, hitting the top spot after their 4-1 home win over Lewes on Tuesday night. So, the Cards have a huge task on their hands but Phil Gilchrist?s side?s morale is good and we performed well down at Plainmoor in the opening away game of the season, so anything is possible. Come and support the Cards on Saturday ? and please join the new Supporters? Trust, the Cardinals Supporters? Society, if you haven?t already done so. The future of the Club is in your hands!
WOKING
The Cards will be without Bradley Quamina, who is suspended. Often criticised last season, Bradley has gradually turned into a fulcrum of the midfield and his energy and closing down will be missed. Phil will be hoping that Tom Hutchinson will have recovered in time to face the likes of Tim Sills and Elliott Benyon ? but with Paul Lorraine and Colin Miles also available our defensive options look good.
With Lenny Pidgeley now back at Millwall ? after a wonderfully reliable spell between the sticks for us ? Phil has been trying to persuade Leicester City to extend Carl Pentney?s loan, which also ran out this week. If he doesn?t succeed we may well see a new face in goal, with Nick Gindre out on loan to Croydon Athletic and Ross Worner not fully fit.
As we all know, it?s in the midfield and up front where we look weakest, having scored only 14 goals in 19 league games. Phil has been encouraged by the fact that we have created more chances in our last couple of games and by the fact that more shots were on target at Weymouth. But he knows better than anyone else that we have to beat the keeper too!
TORQUAY UNITED
The Gulls? squad is full of talented players and top of the table is really where they ought to be with the playing resources at their disposal. Up front they can call on the experienced Tim Sills, the promising Elliott Benyon, the familiar figure of Roscoe D?Sane , the speedy Mustapha Carayol and Matt Green. In midfield Paul Buckle has the vastly experienced and influential Chris Hargreaves in the holding role plus ex-Crawley star Tyrone Thompson, Lee Mansell and the diminutive, attacking midfielder, Danny Stevens. In defence captain Chris Todd has been at the heart of the defence but has just been diagnosed with leukaemia. Steve Woods, who has been with the Gulls since 2001, and Kevin Nicholson, an excellent left back, are also star performers. Keeper Michael Poke is injured, so Buckle has brought in Scott Bevan, who, like Poke, has spent a period on loan at Kingfield in his long career.
The Gulls started the season disastrously, winning only one of their opening seven games (against us!) and drawing two and losing four. But since then it?s been 15 games unbeaten (and 8 consecutive victories) in all competitions: a club record.
Recent form
1 November: Torquay United 2 Mansfield 0
4 November: Weymouth 0 Torquay United 3 (SS)
8 November: Torquay United 2 Evesham 0 (FAC)
15 November: York City 1 Torquay United 2
18 November: Torquay United 4 Lewes 1
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
2007-08: Torquay United 2 Woking 0
Woking 0 Torquay United 1
Torquay United 2 Woking 1
12 August 2008
After the disappointing opening day home defeat at the hands of Altrincham the Cards made a bright start at Plainmoor, with Liam Marum hitting the post before Gez Sole scored with a brilliant 25 yard free-kick, beating ex-Card Michael Poke all ends up. Marum had a great chance to extend the Cards? lead after the break but the Gulls then got their act together and applied much more pressure. Elliot Benyon equalised in the 60th minute with a fine volley and, almost inevitably, Wayne Carlisle netted the Gulls? winner with ten minutes to go. Tim Sills should have made it three but allowed Patrice Konan to clear off the line.
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
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