Cards must focus on league survival this Saturday

Woking v North Ferriby United
Vanarama National League
5.30pm on Saturday 12 November 2016

After the exhilaration of the Cards’ hard-fought Emirates FA Cup win at Stockport County last Saturday Garry Hill’s side return to the equally (if not more) important matter of trying to secure a win over one of their fellow relegation strugglers. The Cards have had little success so far when playing the teams around them. Now is the time to start putting that right. Come down to The Laithwaite Community Stadium to cheer on the side to a much-needed win! Don’t forget that this televised game kicks off at 5.30pm and that there is free entry for U16s and members of the Armed Forces.

WOKING

After just about surviving – largely thanks to inspired goalkeeping from Brandon Hall – a torrid opening spell at Stockport, in which defensive weaknesses were to the fore again, the Cards went on to show a lot of fight to equalise, take the lead and then to pull away from County after the disappointment of seeing themselves pegged back just before half-time. Although under the cosh for much of the second half as the corners and crosses rained in, Garry Hill’s side showed some very welcome resilience defensively and, thanks to some superb finishing from the few chances created on the break, came away with the £18k prize money and a place in the Second Round, at home to Accrington Stanley, safely pocketed.

Woking now need to concentrate on trying to improve their perilous league position and Saturday’s game presents a terrific opportunity, if they can take it, to put five points between themselves and another struggling side. Cards fans will be hoping that Jake Caprice, seen jogging round the pitch at Stockport, will be fit enough to come into consideration for Saturday.

NORTH FERRIBY UNITED

The Villagers have enjoyed great success in recent years. They were promoted to the Conference North in 2013, beat Wrexham on penalties in a dramatic FA Trophy Final in 2015 and then secured promotion to the Vanarama National League, through the play-offs, last season.

Not surprisingly, though, they are finding it tough going in their first season in the top tier of non-League football. They started reasonably well, drawing at home to Braintree Town and then beating Guiseley and Torquay at home after away defeats at Lincoln and Dover. But the following 15 games have seen them win only once, a 1-0 away victory at Gateshead on 13 September, while 13 have been lost and one drawn: their encouraging 0-0 home draw against Wrexham on Saturday. That sequence has seen them score only one goal, the winner against Gateshead. Defeats, though, have tended be narrow, which suggests that the side is not being completely outclassed. The problem is scoring goals. They may well feel, looking at Woking’s defensive record, with more goals conceded than any other side, that Saturday is as good a chance as they will get in this league to knock a few in.

North Ferriby now sit in 23rd position with 11 points, two places and two points behind Woking but having played one game more.

Manager Steve Housham can still call on quite a few players who have tasted success with the club in the last few seasons. Arrivals in the summer included 20-year-old keeper, Rory Watson, on loan from Hull City; Taron Hare, a young defender previously with York City and Scunthorpe; Jake Skelton, a 20-year-old defender from Leeds United; Conner Robinson, a striker from Lincoln City; and Connor Oliver, a striker from Blackpool. Perhaps the best known new face was that of experienced midfielder Simon Russell, who has played for Kidderminster, York and Cambridge amongst other clubs. Striker Kyle Wootton is on a three-month loan from Scunthorpe.

ADMISSION PRICES

Saturday’s game is free for U16s and members of the Armed Forces.

Adults £18
Over 65/Students with valid student card £13
U16s FREE
Members of the Armed Forces (with identity card) FREE

PRIORITY EMIRATES FA CUP VOUCHERS

The Club has introduced a priority scheme for tickets for any potential Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie.

From this Saturday’s game against North Ferriby United, there will be priority vouchers issued in every Vanarama National League programme and in the FA Cup Second Round Programme in the run-up to any potential Third Round Tie on the weekend of 7th January 2017.

If the Club reaches the Third Round, the following priority scheme will apply in applying for tickets:

1. Season Ticket Holders
2. Cards Trust Members
3. Programme Vouchers Collected (Max 6)
(The more vouchers that are collected, the higher the level of priority)

Make sure you start collecting your vouchers this weekend by buying a copy of the programme!

COMING UP

The Cards are at home to Walton Casuals in the Surrey Senior Cup next Tuesday evening (15 November). They then have two away games: versus Maidstone United the following Saturday (19 November) and against Dover Athletic on Tuesday 22 November. Their next home league game is on Saturday 26 November when Gateshead are the visitors, swiftly followed by another home game against Bromley on Tuesday 29 November and then the home Emirates FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley on the weekend of 2-4 December.

Come on, you Cards!