Specsavers

Cards draw at Weston-super-Mare

5:52am, Wed 19th Aug 2009
Rob Lavender has kindly filed this report (shared with Cardsweb) of last night’s game at Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare 1 Woking 1
18 August 2009

Cards fans travelled to the seaside in expectation after some strong opening displays. But despite having much of the ball they struggled to put away the many clear chances created and after falling behind they had to battle back for a point.

Woking lined up with just one change in the starting eleven, with Craig Watkins coming in up front for Luke Medley, who had to settle for a place on the bench alongside Hussey, Pegler, Sam-Yorke and Sintim.

After a quiet start Woking won a free-kick about 30 yards out after a foul on Harry Arter, and Giuseppe Sole struck it well only for the keeper to tip it over for a corner. Sam Sloma's resulting corner was claimed by the keeper. Soon after, Watkins ran onto a ball forward and crossed the ball in from the left only for it to go just over Sole as he attempted to head it. Moses Ademola, playing wide right to accommodate Watkins, picked up the ball on the right after the ball was cleared to him after pressure on the defence by Watkins. He was in a position to shoot but drilled the ball in across the penalty area but nobody was far enough advanced to connect.

In the 10th minute Watkins had claims for a penalty turned down after being blocked off, having knocked a flick on behind the last defender. At the other end, a cross from the left was over-hit behind Ross Worner's goal after Tom Hutchinson had missed a header covering out wide. Returning to the Weston end, Sole had a shot saved after collecting a loose ball. Anane crossed in from the clearance only for if to be knocked away by the first defender.

A long ball into Woking's box was cleared for a throw-in, Worner claiming the cross sent in soon after. Weston winger Ashan Holgate managed to get beyond Aswad Thomas on our left. The cross was cut out by Arter only for his clearance to be sent immediately back in, with Tony Sinclair doing well to head clear. Woking then won a free-kick thanks to another foul on Arter in midfield, the free-kick being wasted as the ball was played out wide then lost. Watkins then raced onto a clearance and was close to going through one-on-one but for a well-timed tackle from the defender.

Weston then sent a couple of long balls forward, one going out for a goal kick thanks to the ball ricocheting off Sinclair into an on-coming striker. The other a long free-kick from wide right, where a shot was blocked and then cleared. Sloma had a shot blocked after another Anane cross was cleared for a corner by the first man. Sole then ran onto a midfield clearance and managed to dribble his way by a couple of defenders but failed to beat the keeper with his shot. Late in the first half Watkins received the ball wide cross-field from Sloma but he was chased and the ball cleared for a throw-in. Aswad Thomas had a couple of crosses blocked before Tom Hutchinson fed him out wide again after the keeper had fumbled another Thomas cross but this final cross was cleared.

Half-Time: Weston-super-Mare 0 Woking 0

Weston put early pressure on the defence at the start of the second half and, after a cross had drifted behind, tricky winger Ashan Holgate received the ball out wide. He hit a strong shot from wide right as Woking failed to close him down and it hit the back of the net to give Weston the lead in the 48th minute. Woking responded with an immediate chance to level but the keeper did well to save from Sole and Thomas blasted the follow-up well over. Daniel Sintim then came on at right back for Anane.

Woking continued to put pressure on as they searched for an equalizer, with Sole having another shot pushed wide for a corner. Sloma then had a shot from a cross by Ademola, who then wasted a good chance after a great run through the middle by Arter. Arter then had a shot saved, with Watkins being offside for the rebound. Sloma wasted possesion after Sole had passed to him, having ran onto a long ball. A corner was won after a cross was blocked, with the keeper tipping the ball away from the on-rushing Hutchinson. Ademola managed to get the ball back into the box but Watkins could only shoot wide. Watkins was then replaced by Medley, with Ademola reverting to playing up front.

Medley was soon involved, having intercepted the ball as Weston attacked. His cross was blocked for a corner. Sinclair headed the ball across goal from the back post but Ademola's shot was deflected over for another corner. Sinclair shot well over from this corner. Thomas and Sole combined to create another chance but Weston managed to shield the ball out for a goal kick.

Weston had a chance to extend their lead when Wornet mis-kicked into touch and they manufactured this into a corner which fell to the feet of the last man in the box but he blasted well over when in a good position. Weston would regret this as soon after, in the 74th minute, Arter equalised with a fine strike from the edge of the box. Ademola had a chance soon afterwards but he delayed his shot after outmuscling the defender on our left and the keeper managed to narrow the angle and he shot wide. Delano Sam-Yorke then replaced Sole.

Weston had a few chances to regain the lead with a couple of headed efforts being caught by Worner and then a shot was volleyed just wide after Hutchinson had headed clear. In between these chances, Medley shot over after being played in by Sloma. Sam-Yorke and Medley continued to chase balls forward but failed to create any clear chances except when Medley drilled the ball across goal but no one had gambled and got themselves forward enough.

Sam-Yorke was then barged over in the box for what seemed to be a clear penalty after racing onto a through ball but the referee waved away the claims. Ademola had the chance to lob the keeper as he came out wide to our left to clear only for Ademola to get there first but his attempt was cleared in the centre of the penalty area by the defence. The final chance for Woking was wasted as Arter and Medley exchanged passes on the edge of the box but Arter's attempted back heel was cleared. There was still time for Hutchinson to get a yellow card for what seemed like a fair tackle in the middle of the park.

Woking will feel this is probably two points lost rather than one gained despite coming from a goal down to draw. The amount of possession and chances probably should have been converted into three points.

Woking (4-4-2): Ross Worner; Aswad Thomas, Tom Hutchinson, Tony Sinclair, Ricky Anane (Daniel Sintim 53); Sam Sloma, Harry Arter, Mark Ricketts, Moses Ademola; Craig Watkins (Luke Medley 64), Giuseppe Sole (Delano Sam-Yorke 77).

Subs not used: Matt Pegler, Billy Hussey

Booked: Tom Hutchinson

MOTM: Harry Arter (pictured)

Attendance: 319

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