Cards finally beat the trap!

Woking 1 Bromley 0
Blue Square Bet South
19 March 2011



Another home win, another three points and another clean sheet as Woking’s magnificent run continues. But this was not an easy victory as Bromley’s defence, playing a very high line, made it so difficult for the Cards and what proved to be a particularly frustrating afternoon for hot shot Elvis Hammond. But in the end it was the introduction of Craig Dobson (pictured) that made all the difference. It took the flying right-winger just ten minutes to finally beat Bromley’s defensive line and secure the win.

Garry Hill made a number of changes from the Tuesday line-up. Joe McNerney, having finished his ban, was back to partner Adam Doyle while Andy Burgess moved to left back to replace the injured Aswad Thomas. James Walker made his first start on the right, with Dobson returning to the bench.

The home side made a very bright start playing at a high tempo and putting immediate pressure on the Bromley defence. After five minutes, good play between Murtagh and Ademola, linking well on the left, made room for Burgess. He beat his man and played a delightful ball through to the rampaging Davies but the young midfielder was unable to get the ball under control. And three minutes later a great ball in from Ricky Anane on the right flank found Hammond but for the first time he was offside. It wouldn’t be the last time that he would suffer the same fate.

Anane was again involved on ten minutes but this time called on to make an all-important block as Dunk’s ball to England created a dangerous attack for the visitors on the left. Almost immediately the dangerous Finn was allowed to track across the Woking box from the right but he delayed his shot and the chance was gone.

Back at the Kingfield Road End a well-taken free-kick from Burgess found Joe McNerney, who was able to get his head to the ball twice but the final looped header was easy for keeper Lovelock.

Woking won the first corner of the game after nineteen minutes. Bromley managed to clear but Murtagh, lurking on the edge of the box, was on hand to volley goalwards, but his shot was deflected away after hitting a Woking forward.

Bromley’s first corner followed almost immediately. Taken by Flnn, the corner was met by Harwood but his rocket header was straight at Little. Finn was again involved in a dangerous attack as he beat two defenders but was finally stopped by Doyle on the bye-line.

The visitors had clearly weathered the early storm and were now much more in the game and carrying something of a threat going forward. Meanwhile Woking looked quick on the break but were now regularly caught out by Bromley’s defensive high line as they attempted to get the ball over the top and into Hammond.

The half finished with neither keeper having been called on to make a meaningful save.

Half-time: Woking 0 Bromley 0

The second period began as the first with Woking taking control from the start. Almost immediately Ademola latched on to a long free-kick, beat his marker and flashed the ball across the box. As Lovelock flapped at the ball it evaded both defenders and attackers and was cleared. What followed was a period of sustained Woking pressure as Bromley struggled to clear, with Lovelock struggling to cope with high balls into the box.

On fifty-one minutes Woking had their first real shot on goal as Murtagh’s effort was deflected away for a corner. Hammond then had a half-chance but was blocked on the bye-line as he attempted to get round the back of the defence. Then Ademola delayed his cross after controlling an excellent cross-field pass from Davies. At the other end a headed back pass from Doyle was almost too strong but Andy Little stretched to collect and avert the danger as McBean looked to take advantage of any slip.

On fifty-seven minutes Garry Hill replaced James Walker with Craig Dobson. He immediately made a significant difference. But not before a resurgent Bromley created a number of half-chances. First, Finn wriggled into the box but a solid Woking defence cleared the danger. The dangerous winger then took a short free-kick to McBean, whose low cross was again cleared. McKenzie’s next effort was hacked away and then Finn again saw his free-kick palmed away for a corner by Little.

Rather against the run of play Woking finally broke the deadlock and the Bromley offside trap. A delightful ball from Jay Davies found Craig Dobson in plenty of space on the right. His speed took him into the box and he took his time before calmly drilling the ball past Lovelock and into the far corner.

With about fifteen minutes remaining a frustrated Hammond, who had been regularly caught offside, was replaced by Ollie Palmer, with Murtagh pushed further forward in support. Nathan Koranteng came on to replace Moses Ademola at the same time.

Woking now managed to take complete control of the game as Bromley tired. Dobson’s pace remained a continual threat as he regularly managed to beat his man and either cross dangerously or carry the ball into the opposition box.

With six minutes left Murtagh was through but as the ball was cleared it fell to Mark Ricketts. With shouts of “shoot!� ringing round the ground he took the ball down the right flank and fizzed a cross into the box but it managed to evade everyone. Dobson then saw his fierce shot parried by the Bromley keeper before he put Murtagh clean through. The midfielder’s goal-bound lob was just caught by a leaping Lovelock. He perhaps should have scored.

Woking almost doubled their lead in added time as a Dobson shot was parried; Murtagh’s effort from the rebound was also diverted away by Lovelock before Palmer smashed his shot over.

The win means that the Cards move up to third and will, no doubt, welcome the fact that they now have a full week to prepare for the next challenge – away at Eastleigh.


Woking: Andy Little, Ricky Anane, Andy Burgess, Mark Ricketts, Joe McNerney, Adam Doyle, James Walker (Craig Dobson 57), Kieran Murtagh, Moses Ademola (Nathan Koranteng 74), Elvis Hammond (Ollie Palmer 74), Jay Davies

Unused subs: Reiss Noel, Matt Pegler

Bromley: Lovelock, Graves, Dunk, Henriques, Nnamani, Harwood, Finn, Harding, McKenzie, McBean, England (Sobers 86)

Unused subs: Udoji, Holloway, Hall

MOTM: Craig Dobson

Attendance: 1381