Easter Monday at Kingfield
Brian Caffarey
5:26pm, Sun 24th Apr 2011
Woking v Weston-super-Mare
3pm on Monday 25 April 2011
(FREE ENTRY FOR U16s)
The Cards’ excellent win at Farnborough on Saturday has put Garry Hill’s side in the driving seat for a play-off place but they must win against Weston-super-Mare on Easter Monday to remain in charge of their destiny. Garry has appealed for massive support in what is the Cards’ last scheduled home game of the season, so take advantage of the offer of free entry for all children under 16 and make it a great family day out.
WOKING
The Cards’ win at Farnborough restored the side to 5th place in the table, with a vital point advantage over Chelmsford City and Dover Athletic. A win for the Cards, and defeats for those two sides on Monday, would in fact secure a play-off place for the Cards and they could even still catch Ebbsfleet United in 3rd place. But that’s probably just wishful thinking and what Garry Hill’s side have got to do is to concentrate on beating Weston-super-Mare – by no means a foregone conclusion – and then see what’s left for them to do at Ebbsfleet next Saturday.
Elvis Hammond got back on the goal trail on Saturday with a superbly-taken strike but the unlikely star of the show was Alan Inns, recalled from his loan spell at Boreham Wood in the absence of the suspended Adam Doyle and Reiss Noel. With both suspensions continuing, Inns will surely line up again tomorrow afternoon in what seems likely to be an unchanged side barring any new injuries.
The other games involving clubs in the play-off mix are:
Braintree Town v Welling United
Chelmsford City v Bromley
Dartford v Dover Athletic
Thurrock v Ebbsfleet United
On paper at least, the Cards have the easiest fixture and need to take full advantage of it.
WESTON-SUPER-MARE
The Seagulls are doing better in the league than most people would have expected, currently lying in 12th place with 50 points from 40 games Their away record, however, is relatively poor, with three wins, five draws and twelve defeats on their travels, scoring 19 goals and conceding 39.
The Seagulls have a reputation for playing some attractive football this season under manager Craig Laird, who has done wonders with a very tight budget and a lot of young players. They have a strong central defensive partnership in Craig Rand and Matt Villis, and keeper Lloyd Irish has been in good form. Kane Ingram and the speedy Sahr Kabba are the main threats up front. Their recent results, working backwards from Saturday’s home win against Staines Town, have been:
Weston-super-Mare 2 Staines Town 1
Lewes 1 Weston-super-Mare 1
Weston-super-Mare 1 Dover Athletic 4
Thurrock 3 Weston-super-Mare 0
Farnborough 2 Weston-super-Mare 0
PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS
This season
Weston-super-Mare 0 Woking 1
8 March 2011
The Cards kept their magnificent unbeaten run going with this hard-earned win after a long trip to Weston-super-Mare on a Tuesday night. With Joe McNerney serving the first of his three-game suspension following his dismissal at Maidenhead United, Reiss Noel lined up with Adam Doyle in central defence. Weston sought to nullify the Cards’ attacking threat and it wasn’t until the 79th minute that Woking got the vital winner which edged them nearer the play-off places, with substitute Ollie Palmer deflecting the ball into the net at the far post from a corner.
Last season
Weston-super-Mare 1 Woking 1
18 August 2009
In the heady, optimistic days of August 2009 the Cards travelled to Weston-super-Mare full of confidence but couldn’t turn all their pressure into goals. Shortly after half-time they found themselves a goal down after Ashan Holgate’s great strike but Harry Arter rescued a point. The game marked Craig Watkins’s debut for the Cards.
Woking 2 Weston-super-Mare 1
28 December 2009
With Weston really struggling in the league, this should have been an easy three points for the Cards. They had a great start as Matthew Wright netted with a perfect header in the 2nd minute but then struggled, as so often at Kingfield, to turn superiority into goals in spite of creating numerous openings. Weston drew level in the second half as the ball zipped off a Woking defender’s header past Worner, but Wright eventually made sure of three points with another excellent header from a cross from his fellow Crystal Palace loanee, Nathaniel Pinney.
ADMISSION
Adults - £12
Juniors (u16s) – FREE ENTRY
Concessions / Students - £8
Every junior coming through the gates will get a free caramel mini egg and the chance to take part in a balloon race which will be released on the day. There will be prizes for the longest-travelling balloon.
The bar will be open from 12 noon with a special promotion both before and after the Woking match. From 12pm until 1.30pm ALL DRAUGHT beers will be £2 a pint, which gives you a bargain on Fosters, London Pride bitter and Guinness.
There will be sport on the big screen from 12 noon and fish and chips available from Seafare or the burger bar inside the ground which you can bring back inside.
After the Woking v Weston-super-Mare game, the Woking FC raffle will be drawn in the main bar at 5.30pm, where one lucky winner will get his or her hands on a £1000 top prize.
Before the draw is made any remaining tickets will be able to be snapped up and, remember, apart from the £1000 jackpot, there are 50 other great prizes!
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
See the earlier news item for details of our great matchday programme, which includes fans’ views on the season and an article on dreadful football kits. Buy a copy and support the Club! If yours is the ‘lucky programme’ you will win a full hospitality package for two to the game of your choice.
Come on, you Cards!
P.S. Don’t forget to bring your completed Boost the Budget form with you if you haven’t got round to handing it in yet.
