Specsavers

Hat-Trick Harry!

12:43am, Sun 25th Oct 2009
Bob Cumming has kindly supplied this report of Saturday's game.

Saturday, 24th October, 2009
F.A. Cup (sponsored by E.ON) Fourth Qualifying Round
Hendon (0) ……… 0 Woking (3) ……….. 5
Sole 2’, 19’, Arter 44’, 48’,85’
Attendance: 528

Woking revelled in their return to Wembley, or at least Vale Farm Wembley, as they ritually sacrificed the paschal lamb of Hendon. This was a truly comprehensive victory with the Cardinals showing a tremendous work rate from start to finish. Hendon tried to make a match of it, and in Bulgarian Lubomir Guentchev, have a midfield playmaker capable of playing at a higher level. Unfortunately for him, neither his forwards or the young central defenders were able to harness Woking in this mood. As soon as one attacking move broke down the Cards pounced and broke with such pace and strength that at times Hendon were swept aside.

Graham Baker was forced to make some changes to the side with Craig Watkins having been released in midweek, Tony Sinclair succumbing to swine flu, and Wilfred Domoraud having returned to France to deal with a family problem.

Lining up with a 4-4-2 attacking formation, Ross Worner donned the pastel blue keeper’s jersey, with a back line of Ricky Anane, Jon Boardman for his first start, Tom Hutchinson and Aswad Thomas; a midfield line of Harry Arter, Mark Ricketts, Jamie Hand in the holding role, and Nicky Nicolau; with Delano Sam-Yorke and Gez Sole leading the line. This meant Sam Sloma was on the bench together with Joe McNerney, Jerome Maledon, Luke Medley, and Academy lads Rob Carr, Matt Pegler and Tom Topham.

As early as the second minute Harry Arter gathered the ball on the edge of Woking’s defensive zone and swept a long ball over the Hendon defence for Gez Sole to cleverly edge in front of Hendon’s Craig Vargas and strike confidently, and clinically, low past the despairing keeper James Reading.

Hendon regained composure and showed some good approach work, with Guentchev orchestrating, around the Woking box only for the final player to lose control or hesitate and see his options disappear. However, on 15 minutes, James Bent nipped in past Anane and fired weakly at Worner, and two minutes later a Guentchev overhead kick looped inches wide of the post.

Delano Sam-Yorke’s ability to hold the ball, turn, and run powerfully at defenders was creating havoc, and on 19 minutes one such move saw him brought down in full flight just short of the ‘D’. This was a perfect opportunity for free kick specialist Giuseppe Sole and he didn’t disappoint. His inch perfect kick curled inside the post with the keeper still in the process of trying to organise his wall.

The fine drizzle ended and from then on the sun shone for Woking. Continued pressure on the Greens' defence saw Reading smother at the near post on 25 minutes, a blatant block on Delano Sam-Yorke lead to a booking for Danny Dyer, and Delano scoop a good opportunity high and wide on 35 minutes. Hendon were rocking, and Harry Arter was marauding. With two minutes of the half remaining the Bowyer like midfielder worked his way down the right to send in an inch perfect cross which Delano Sam-Yorke lost sight of in the sun and was unable to head into the goal from six feet.

A minute later Gez Sole collected the ball and strode majestically away deep in his own half and placed a long ball down the right for Harry Arter to run on to. Looking as though he was beaten in the race by right back David Diedhiou, the former Valley man used his professional experience to steal the ball, run into the box and from an acute angle fire across the keeper into the net inside the far post.

Half-time 3-0 to Woking

With the job was half-done, and Hendon dispirited, both sides made half-time changes. Joe McNerney replaced Jon Boardman, who had picked up a nasty cut, and Glenn Garner and Wayne O’Sullivan came on for Bent and Ochoa. Hendon tried to "toughen up" and within a minute Craig Vargas was booked for a trip on Mark Ricketts on the half way line. Two minutes later, on 48 minutes, Harry Arter chested down a loose ball, passed to Nicky Nicolau, collected the return ball in a neat interchange and calmly passed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. 4-0 to Woking.

Minutes later, Hendon captain James Parker, in a moment of frustration, floored Delano Sam-Yorke as he turned and raced away, and was promptly shown the yellow card by Mr. Crouch. By now both Woking’s full backs joined the raiding party, and on 51 minutes, Anane ghosted into the box to angle in a shot which drifted inches wide with the keeper beaten. Three minutes later Sam-Yorke fed Arter on the penalty spot, and his quick touch to Nicolau brought the save of the game, as his firm drive was palmed over by Reading.

On 58 minutes, a brilliant deft chip by Harry Arter on the edge of the box, was gathered by Delano Sam-Yorke, and in a one move, he had side-stepped Dyer and powered goalward a bullet-shot which was blocked excellently by Reading. Delano was a real handful all afternoon, and on 69 minutes, he brilliantly turned three defenders in the box only to be held by the last player. Skipper Parker was shown his second yellow and trudged to the dressing rooms. Giuseppe Sole strode up, on a hat-trick, having taken ten perfect penalties in training the day before, only to stroke his firm penalty kick against the bottom of the upright.

Graham Baker, having already decided on his substitution with the fourth official, promptly replaced Sole with Medley, and then soon after brought on Sloma for Aswad Thomas who had had a quiet but competent game. By now this was becoming the Harry Arter show as he seemed to pick up every loose ball and run at every defender.

With the game in the closing stages and Hendon looking resigned to just closing the door, the referee harshly booked Sam-Yorke was for a third heavy challenge. This seemed to spark the Greens into life and substitute O’Sullivan broke through the back line and raced towards goal. Ross Worner, quick to react dived low to his right and the forward fell. There may have been the slightest contact and the referee clearly felt there was no intent, but it was sufficient for him to award a penalty. Worner escaped with a yellow card, and the Cards were reprieved when O’Sullivan drilled the ball against the cross bar.

Woking recovered composure and with six minutes to go, Arter set up Ricketts for a twenty yard drive just over the bar. Moments later Arter collected a pass from Luke Medley and drove clinically home from the edge of the box for his first hat-trick in senior football and to make it Woking 5, Hendon nil.

Playing in the shadows of the Wembley Arch was just the incentive the Woking players needed to show that they can play and finish well. Man of the Match Harry Arter is surely dreaming of an away tie at his former club, Charlton Athletic, whilst others will be hoping for a visit to Leeds United or Southampton.


MOTM: Harry Arter

Woking: [ red and white halves ] Ross Worner; Ricky Anane, Jon Boardman (Joe McNerney HT’), Tom Hutchinson, Aswad Thomas (Sam Sloma 72’); Harry Arter, Mark Ricketts, Jamie Hand, Nicky Nicoloau; Delano Sam-Yorke, Giuseppe Sole (Luke Medley 71’).
Subs not used: Jerome Maledon, Rob Carr, Matt Pegler (gk), Tom Topham
Booked: Delano Sam-Yorke 77’, Ross Worner 80’

Hendon: [ all green ] James Reading; Dave Diedhiou, Craig Vargas, Patrick O’Donnell, James Parker, Kevin Maclaren, James Bent (Glenn Garner HT’), Danny Dyer, Peter Dean, Lewis Ochoa (Wayne O’Sullivan HT’), Lubomir Guentchev
Subs not used: James Burgess, Casey Maclaren, Berkley Laurencin (gk), Yacine Hamada, Andreas Pilides
Booked: Dyer 30’, Vargas 46’, Parker 49’ (sent off 69’)

Referee: Mr Ian Crouch

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