Another big test for Cards

Torquay United v Woking
7.45pm on Tuesday 16 September 2014

This game looks the toughest test yet of Woking’s unbeaten start to the season, with the Gulls, also on an impressive winning streak, notching up their fourth victory in a row at Grimsby on Saturday. Let’s hope the Cards can produce yet another of their fine performances on their travels.

WOKING

On Saturday the Cards struggled to get past a Chester side whose display belied their lowly position in the table. Fortunately, Gez Sole once again came to the rescue with another classy goal.

The victory, Woking’s fifth in a row, lifted Garry Hill’s side to second place in the table and stretched their unbeaten run to nine games. Away from home, it’s now ten trips since they tasted defeat, taking into account the Cards’ fine run at the end of last season. All that resilience will be needed on Tuesday against a confident Torquay side.

The Cards will presumably still be missing captain Mark Ricketts as well as long-term absentee Kevin Betsy.

TORQUAY UNITED

Relegated last season from League 2 and returning to the Conference after an absence of five years, the Gulls, under former captain Chris Hargreaves, have made a very promising start to the season. A long and tough opening day trip to Gateshead produced a 3-1 reverse but they are unbeaten since then, with a record of five wins, three draws and one defeat. Saturday’s 2-0 win at Grimsby was particularly impressive, given the Mariners’ status as one of the promotion favourites. At home Torquay have beaten Welling and Nuneaton very comfortably and drawn against Southport and Aldershot Town.

The squad contains a mix of players who stayed with the Gulls in spite of relegation, including keeper Martin Rice, defenders Aaron Downes and Krystian Pearce, last season’s ‘player of the year’, and striker Elliot Benyon plus a number of new signings. The latter include big striker Duane Ofori-Acheampong; winger Louis Briscoe, part of Mansfield’s Conference-winning side; former Hereford and York striker Ryan Bowman; skilful midfielder Toby Ajala, who had a spell at Welling last season; and midfielder and captain Luke Young, surprisingly released by Plymouth Argyle. On Saturday Young scored the second goal, following up Courtney Richards’s opener.

GETTING THERE

Torquay United Football Club
Plainmoor
Torquay
Devon
TQ1 3PS

Official website: www.torquayunited.com

The Cards Trust is not running a coach to this game.

By car

M3, A303, A30 and M5 to Exeter. A380 to Newton Abbot (Penn Inn Roundabout). Follow signs to Torquay, past the Willows Shopping Centre, then next left at traffic lights. Follow signs for Torquay United/Plainmoor through three roundabouts. At top of hill traffic lights go straight on into Warbro Road. Ground is on the right-hand side. Away turnstiles are just off Warbro Road, down the lane next to the Gulls’ Lodge. AA estimate: three and a half hours for 170 miles

By train

It is not of course possible to do a return trip by train on the same day. Getting down there by train is easy enough. For example, the 14.46 train from Woking would get you to Exeter St.David’s at 17.39, from where you could take the 17.50 to Torquay, arriving at 18.36.


ADMISSION PRICES

Bristow's Bench / Away Seating
Adult - £21
Concessions [65 and over / Students with NUS] - £17
17 - 18 Years -£10
12 - 16 Years -£6
Under 12s [must be accompanied by a full paying adult] -£5

Popside / Away Terrace
Adult - £17
Concessions [65 and over / Students with NUS] - £13
17 - 18 Years -£10
12 - 16 Years -£6
7 - 11 Years -£5
Under 7s [must be accompanied by a full paying adult] -FREE

LAST TIME WE MET

Woking 2 Torquay United 2
22 November 2008

In a thrilling game the Cards roared into a two-goal lead against table-toppers United. A revitalised Matt Pattison set up Liam Marum (as he was known then) for a sixth-minute strike, which was followed in the 22nd minute by a deflected shot from Paolo Vernazza to double the lead. The Gulls looked dangerous through Carayol on the wing and the aerial threat of Tim Sills but Woking held out till half-time and caused problems themselves through Marum’s and Wilfried Domoraud’s pace. Shortly after the break Domoraud missed a great chance to make it 3-0 before the Gulls’ fight-back began. Benyon netted in the 55th minute from a Sills header and, ten minutes later, Danny Stevens was given too much space and fired across Nick Gindre.

Woking: Nick Gindre, Patrice Konan, Paul Lorraine, Colin Miles (Goma Lambu, 70), Danny Bunce, Daniel Spence, Matt Pattison, Paolo Vernazza, Abdou El Kholti, Liam Marum (Delano Sam-Yorke, 78), Wilfried Domoraud
Subs not used: Charlie Moone, Joel Ledgister, Giuseppe Sole
Attendance: 2452

NEXT GAME

The Cards are on the road again next Saturday, when they travel to Bristol Rovers. Phone the Club Shop (01483 772470) or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk to book a seat. The coach leaves at 11.30am and the cost is £16 for members and £21 for non-members.


Come on, you Cards!