Laithwaite Independent Financial Advisers

Cards seek third successive away win

Brian Caffarey
5:26pm, Thu 12th Mar 2015
AFC Telford v Woking
3pm on Saturday 14 March 2015

After last weekend’s and Tuesday evening’s results the Cards’ chances of making the play-off places appear very slim indeed since they now sit in 8th place, nine points behind fifth-placed Forest Green Rovers and with Eastleigh in particular looking much better placed to challenge Rovers. But Garry Hill will no doubt be keen to secure a higher finish than last season’s 9th place if possible and the side will surely be keen to avenge their home defeat at the hands of the Bucks. The Cards would be well advised, though, not to take the Shropshire side lightly even though they prop up the table.

WOKING

A very professional Grimsby side came away with the points from Kingfield last Saturday. They deserved to win but they wouldn’t have done so but for the sort of defensive lapses which Grimsby themselves never looked like making. It was another lesson in the ‘gap’ the Cards have to bridge if they are to mount a convincing challenge for a play-off place.

A positive from last Saturday’s game was a very assured debut from on-loan central defender Brian Saah, which saw him pick up the sponsor’s ‘man of the match’ award.

There is no reason why Garry Hill’s side cannot get on the front foot again this weekend as they did so convincingly at Lincoln City and Dartford and secure another away win.

AFC TELFORD

It’s been a struggle all season for the Bucks in their first season back in the Conference since being relegated at the end of the 2012-13 campaign. They failed to register a win till their 12th league game of the season when they beat Torquay at home. Their next win, five games later, was their surprise 3-1 victory at Kingfield. Since then they’ve managed four more wins: at home to Altrincham; successive away wins in January against Aldershot and Wrexham; and last weekend completing the double over Torquay United with a 1-0 away win. On Tuesday night they lost 1-0 at Macclesfield. They are now eleven points adrift of safety, having secured 26 points from 37 games.

Manager Steve Kittrick replaced Liam Watson in December but has been unable to spark a sustained upturn in the Bucks’ fortunes. The squad includes several well-known Conference players, including strikers Tony Gray, top scorer with 14 league goals, and Ross Dyer, midfielder Godfrey Poku and pacy winger Sean Clancy. A recent arrival is highly experienced central defender Ian Sharps, on loan from Burton Albion. Target man Sam Smith was injured at Torquay and missed the Macclesfield match.

Bermudan international keeper Freddy Hall is capable of ‘man of the match’ performances.

GETTING THERE

The New Bucks Head
Watling Street
Wellington
Telford
Shropshire
TF1 2TU

By coach
The Cards Trust coach leaves Kingfield at 10.30am. The cost is £20 for Trust members and £25 for non-members. Phone (01483 772470) or email (shop@wokingfc.co.uk) the Club Shop to book your place.

By car
Leave the M6 at Junction 10 and take the M54 towards Telford. Leave the M54 at Junction 6 and turn right at the roundabout above the slip road (SP A518 Telford West). Go past Tesco’s on your left and then over two roundabouts. At the third roundabout, where there is a Ford Garage on one corner, turn left. The entrance to the club car park is a short way down this road on your right. Parking facilities comprise 290 spaces at the stadium (entrance via Haybridge Road) and
some 500 at Telford College of Arts and Technology, which is situated on the opposite side of Haybridge Road. There is surveillance by stewards and CCTV. The fee is £3 per car.

By train
The nearest station is Wellington, about a mile from the ground. There are various possible routes from Woking: travelling direct from Euston; travelling from Euston and changing at Birmingham New Street; and travelling from Woking to Basingstoke and then from Basingstoke to Birmingham International and changing again for a train to Welllington. Look up www.nationalrail.com or www.thetrainline.com for more details.

Wellington station is about a 20-minute walk from the ground. Turn left outside railway station and up the walled steps to Wellington bus station. Follow the road (The Parade) with the bus station on your left to T-junction. Cross the road and continue walking ahead through the residential area, taking you on to Victoria Avenue. Continue along, bearing left, to cross-roads with King Street. Cross straight over to Regents Street – follow the road through housing to a T-junction. Turn left into Telford Whitehouse Hotel Car Park. Continue past the Dugout Bar. Club Shop and home turnstiles are on the right.

Regular buses run past the New Bucks Head from Telford town centre and Wellington bus stations.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £15
Concession: £12
Youth (14-18): £5
Under 14: £2

Away fans are housed in the Frank Nagington (South) Stand, providing covered terraced accommodation for 1300. Seating is usually available for away fans in block A of the West Stand on request. You can purchase tickets in advance for a game: call 01952 640064 for further information.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 1 AFC Telford 3
18 October 2014

The Cards came into this match on the back of a three-match winning run but found bottom-of-the-table AFC Telford a much harder opponent than most had expected.

The visitors took the lead on 10 minutes when ‘man of the match’ Mike Phenix – shortly to be on his way to Barnsley – headed home from a free-kick. It took the out-of-sorts Cards some time to get going and they nearly fell two behind when Ross Worner had to block an attempt by Sam Smith.

An equaliser came just past the half-hour mark when keeper Freddy Hall couldn’t hold a Dean Morgan strike and John Goddard was on hand to convert from six yards out.

The Cards were once again caught cold after the break when Phenix, with only two minutes played, slammed home after a flick-on from a throw-in.

The Cards threw men forward in search of a second equaliser but got caught at the back on the hour mark when a snapshot from Phenix was parried by Worner into the path of Ryan Higgins, who gobbled up the loose ball.

Woking put the Bucks under great pressure but couldn’t breach a surprisingly stubborn defence, although Scott Rendell had two efforts disallowed.

Woking: Ross Worner, Mike Cestor, Joe McNerney, Joey Jones, Chris Arthur, Josh Payne, Theo Lewis (Kevin Betsy 62), John Goddard, Dean Morgan (Giuseppe Sole 65), Jack Marriott, Scott Rendell

Unused subs: Jake Cole, Adam Newton, James Clarke

Goal: John Goddard 34

Booked: Kevin Betsy 83

AFC Telford United: Freddie Hall, Andy Parry, Rod McDonald, Neil Byrne, Sean Clancy, Ryan Higgins, Godfrey Poku, Kristian Platt, Mike Grogan, Mike Phenix, Sam Smith (Andy Todd 79)

Unused subs: Jonathan Hedge, Charlie Barnett, Sean Cooke, Jordan Deacey

Goals: Mike Phenix 10, 47, Sam Smith 60

Booked: Andrew Parry 23, Kristian Platt 69, Andy Todd 83

Attendance: 1817

NEXT GAME

The Cards are at home to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday 21st March, followed by another home game against Torquay United on Tuesday 24 March.


Come on, you Cards!


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Registered office The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

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