Tough first outing for the Cards

Wrexham v Woking
Blue Square Bet Premier
11th August 2012


Woking failed to recover from two first half goals on their return to the Blue Square Premier to go down 3-1 to a strong Wrexham side.

The Cards endured a tough start to the game and were threatened by a lively Wrexham side when Wright threaded a through ball to Ogleby, who found himself one-on-one with Aaron Howe but could only find the side-netting.

Woking threatened soon after when Brett Williams found himself in space with a lobbed ball over the Wrexham defence only for the goalkeeper to narrowly beat Pires to the ball.

After a long spell of pressure Wrexham finally took the lead in the 18th minute after Rob Ogleby lost his marker in the box and latched onto a cross to lob Howe and put the home side ahead.

Woking almost found themselves back in the game soon after but were denied by a great save from Mayebi after Betsy (pictured) picked the ball up in the middle of the Wrexham half and shot from the edge of the area.

However, it was the home side who were to get the next goal after Dean Keates took down a cross from the right-hand side. He then spun and shot to find the corner of Howe’s net to send Woking into half-time two goals down.

Half-time: Wrexham 2 Woking 0

Woking started the second half brighter than they finished the first half and almost pulled a goal back via Pires as his shot almost wrong-footed the Wrexham ‘keeper.

Woking did, however, pull a goal back when Wrexham failed to defend a goal kick from Howe. Centre backs Creighton and Westwood both expected each other to clear the ball, left it and Bradley Bubb ran in and slotted it into the corner of the net.

Woking were now looking more confident and almost equalised soon after when a long ball from Joe McNerney found Sole, who crossed the ball into Betsy, who had his header saved at point blank range.

Woking’s hopes of snatching a point were dashed when Creighton, who was partly at fault for Woking’s goal, headed in at the back post from a corner with 15 minutes left.

The home side could have had a fourth goal when Adrian Cieslewicz burst into the area, rounded Howe, hit the post and then Wright smashed the rebound over the bar.

Despite being defeated Woking will takes positives from the game going into Tuesday's clash with Dartford, who lost 3-2 at home to Tamworth on the opening day.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Mike Cestor, Brett Johnson, Joe McNerney, Mark Ricketts (Dean Sinclair 74), Lee Sawyer, Kevin Betsy, Loick Pires (Bradley Bubb 62), Gavin McCallum, Brett Williams (Giuseppe Sole 62)

Unused Subs: Sam Beasant, Jack Parkinson

Wrexham: Joslain Mayebi, Neil Ashton, Mark Creighton, Jay Harris, Danny Wright, Brett Ormerod (Andy Morrell 74), Dean Keates, Rob Ogleby(Adrian Cieslewicz 76), John Hunt (Joe Clarke 76), Declan Walker, Chris Westwood

Unused Subs: Andy Coughlin, Martin Riley

Attendance: 4,088

MOTM: Kevin Betsy – Lively throughout the game and forcing two good saves from Mayebi.