Back to league action on Saturday
12:36pm, Thu 21st Jan 2016
Woking v FC Halifax Town
Vanarama National League
3pm on Saturday 23 January 2016
The Cards take on a much-improved Shaymen outfit this Saturday in what is sure to be a testing encounter. Come down to the Laithwaite Community Stadium to cheer on Garry Hill’s side.
WOKING
The Cards’ superb win at Wrexham lifted them to 6th place in the table, only one point off the play-off places. It was a terrific achievement to go there and score three goals, having just lost top scorer Dan Holman.
Woking continued their winning ways on Saturday, coming back from a goal down at half time to defeat Maidenhead United 6-1 in the FA Trophy.
FC HALIFAX TOWN
The Shaymen have had a very disappointing first half of the season after their 9th place finish last year. They currently sit in 19th place with 28 points from 28 games. However, there has been a huge upturn in form since their 6-3 home defeat by Braintree Town on 14 November. They are unbeaten in their subsequent ten league and cup games, including wins at Gateshead, Lincoln City and Macclesfield Town. On Tuesday they defeated Barrow at home in the FA Trophy, with a narrow 1-0 score line. It is no surprise that this upturn corresponds with the highly experienced Jim Harvey taking charge.
Long-serving manager Neil Aspin (now manager of Gateshead) left the club in September, to be replaced by former Oldham manager Darren Kelly, assisted by ex-Morecambe and Forest Green Rovers manager, Jim Harvey. Kelly did not last long, with the defeat by Braintree seeing Harvey take over as caretaker manager. Just before Christmas it was announced that Harvey would fill the substantive position till at least the end of the season.
The Shaymen’s decline set in last year as they fell away from the play-off chasing places. A big turnaround in personnel in the summer failed to arrest the slide. But they still had some experienced players at their disposal, including defender Scott McManus, midfielders Hamza Bencherif, Kingsley James and Kevin Roberts and strikers Danny Hattersley and Richard Peniket. Hattersley has been on loan at Chester FC but was due to return on 19 January. Jordan Burrow is top scorer, followed by Shaun Tuton.
Loan players include keeper Sam Johnson from Port Vale – a move which has seen Matt Glennon go on loan to Buxton FC for a month; and midfielder Shaquille McDonald from Derby County.
ADMISSION PRICES
Adults - £18
Over 65s, Students with NUS card, forces personnel and MOD civilian staff with recognised ID - £13
U16s - £5
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
Another packed 64-page matchday programme includes a celebration by Glen Harrington of Garry Hill’s and Steve Thompson’s five years in charge at the Club, plus Bob Cumming’s learned exposition of the baffling loan system. (There will be a test afterwards!) In addition, there’s a summary of what’s been going on at other National League clubs; and news from the Club Board and the Cards Trust, plus match previews, reports and the usual superb match action photos. Great value at only £3!
LAST TIME WE MET
FC Halifax Town 0 Woking 3
10 October 2015
This very welcome victory brought to an end a run of four consecutive defeats, although it proved not to signal the end of the ‘disastrous’ loss of form we suffered in the autumn. The Shaymen were stuck at the bottom of the table but had just registered an encouraging midweek win under new manager, Darren Kelly, following a 7-1 thumping at the hands of Cheltenham Town the previous weekend.
In a largely one-sided first half the Cards played with confidence and no little invention but had only a one-goal advantage to show for it at the break: the result of a move started by Joey Jones, with Kadell Daniel’s cross being converted with aplomb by Dan Holman.
The hosts were more in the game after the break, although Woking still dominated. John Goddard, with a superb free-kick in the 58th minute, put the Cards 2-0 up. Two minutes later it was 3-0 as Holman fired home from 25 yards. More chances followed but the Shaymen’s defence avoided any further breaches.
FC Halifax Town: Matt Glennon ©, James Bolton, Matthew Brown, Julian Banton, Kingsley James, Hamza Bencherif (Josh Macdonald 87), Shaun Tuton (Connor Hughes 54), Jordan Burrow, Kevin Roberts, Scott McManus (CJ Hamilton 54), Kieran Sadler
Subs not used: Jordan Porter, David Brooks
Woking: Jake Cole, Jake Caprice (Ben Pattie 89), Chris Arthur, Mark Ricketts © (Godfrey Poku 84), Brian Saah, Terell Thomas, Keiran Murtagh (Jimmy Keohane 87),Joey Jones, John Goddard, Kadell Daniel, Dan Holman (Giuseppe Sole 68)
Subs not used: Nick Hamann, Bruno Andrade
Goals: Dan Holman (11, 60), John Goddard (58)
Attendance: 1,155
COMING UP
The Cards travel to Altrincham on Tuesday evening (26 January). The Cards Trust is not running a coach to this game. The following Saturday (30 January) they are at home to Barrow, when John Nutter will be the special guest in the Geoff Chapple Lounge.
Come on, you Cards!