Maidenhead United v Woking

Maidenhead United v Woking
Pre-season friendly
7.45pm on Tuesday 17 July 2007

Woking travel to Maidenhead United on Tuesday evening for their second pre-season friendly game, having lost the first 2-1 at Basingstoke Town on Saturday.

WOKING

It?s a truism that you cannot read very much into pre-season friendly results, especially the early games, so the Woking management team and Cards fans won?t be too bothered about the reverse at Basingstoke. And, with so many new faces at Kingfield, it is bound to take some time for some rhythm and consistency to develop, quite apart from boosting fitness levels. Frank Gray, speaking to me earlier today, described Saturday?s game as ?a good workout?. He added: ?It?s all about fitness and getting some shape at this stage. The players were only five days into their pre-season training so it would have been unrealistic to have expected miracles. Some players? touch and fitness was a bit better than others but I was happy with the afternoon overall.? Frank confirmed that Jay Gasson would be unavailable for the Maidenhead game as a result of his ankle injury and said that he might not risk Matt Pattison, who has a tight hamstring. Frank said that he envisaged making a few changes, partly to even out the amount of time players had spent on the pitch but he also hinted that he might play a few triallists.

MAIDENHEAD UNITED

The Magpies achieved an astonishing turnaround in their fortunes last season after ex-Yeading manager Johnson Hippolyte arrived in October. They won 15 of their last 17 games to reach the Southern League play-off final, defeating Team Bath 1-0 to gain promotion to the Blue Square South.

Assisting Johnson Hippolyte is a much-loved former player for Woking: none other than the great Dereck Brown.

New signings include midfielder Wes Daly from AFC Wimbledon and young striker Carl Wilson-Dennis from Eastleigh. Most of the play-off winning side have rejoined the club, including a couple of familiar names: Dwane Lee, who was in Barnet?s Conference-winning side, and Dominic Sterling, who has appeared for Hayes, Aldershot Town and Canvey Island in the Conference. Magpies fans will have been pleased to hear that the Supporters? Player of the Year, keeper Chico Ramos, has also put pen to paper again. Experienced striker Neville Roach has been in hospital with a viral infection.

The Magpies returned to training on 30 June and played two pre-season friendlies on Saturday (results not known at the time of writing).

GETTING THERE

Maidenhead United Football Club
York Road, Maidenhead
Berkshire. SL6 1SF

By Road
Leave at Junction 8/9 of the M4 and follow signs for Maidenhead town centre.
Go under the railway bridge, and follow the one-way system round to the first roundabout. Take the fourth exit, and take a left at the cinema along Broadway. Go down the hill, and the second road on the right is the car park.
York Road is a short walk across the road.

By Rail
York Road is a short walk from Maidenhead train station. Cross the one-way system and walk to the end of Bell Street.

Come on, you Cards!