Cards return to league action

FC Halifax Town v Woking
Vanarama National League
3pm on Saturday 11 November 2017

The Cards get back to league action on Saturday with a long trip to West Yorkshire before resuming Emirates FA Cup action on Tuesday with another lengthy excursion to Bury. Their morale ought to have been boosted by a good performance against the League 1 side, with the Cards looking the more accomplished outfit for most of the game. But Anthony Limbrick’s side could do with picking up some more points in the league to maintain a challenge for a play-off place.

WOKING

The Cards may feel a little disappointed not to have finished off Bury on Saturday. After conceding a goal 45 seconds in, Woking equalised deservedly through a very fine header from Jamie Philpot and, till midway through the second half at least, looked like the only team interested in, or capable of, winning. Let’s hope our best chance has not gone.

For the trip to Halifax, Anthony will at least be able to call on Kane Ferdinand again, who’s now served his three-match suspension. But it’s reported that Josh Staunton, who missed the game against Bury, will be out for a couple of weeks more with an ankle ligaments injury. We’ll have to see whether either of Charlie Carter and Bobson Bawling are fit enough to figure in the team selection. It’s interesting to note that Fabio Saraiva has now been on the bench for three consecutive games without actually getting on the pitch. Jason Banton was also fit enough to return to the bench on Saturday.

FC HALIFAX TOWN

The Shaymen, having been relegated at the end of the 2015-16 season, bounced straight back under new manager Billy Heath, defeating Chorley in last season’s Conference North play-off final.

Heath had brought in several players from his previous club, North Ferriby United, including striker Tom Denton, who had a spell on loan at Woking from Huddersfield, and midfielder Liam King.

The Shaymen had an uncertain start to this season, failing to score in their first three league games, but went on an unbeaten six-game run from mid-August. More recently, they have registered only one win in their last seven league games. They now sit in 15th place in the table with 24 points from 18 games. At home they have won four league games, drawn two and lost three, scoring and conceding 11 goals. In the FA Cup they were knocked out by Tranmere Rovers in the 4th Qualifying Round. They did not have a fixture last weekend.

In goal, Heath can choose between 6’7� Sam Johnson, who signed from Port Vale in the summer after two previous loan spells, and Tom Nicholson, another incomer from North Ferriby, with whom he won an FA Trophy winner’s medal. Defenders include Zimbabwean Cliff Moyo, another with experience at North Ferriby; Josh Wilde, yet another North Ferriby exile; Scott McManus, previously with Crewe and FC United of Manchester; Scott Garner, who was Boston United’s captain; Nathan Hotte, formerly with Bradford PA and North Ferriby; Martin Riley; and Matty Brown, a danger at set pieces, previously with Chesterfield, Southport and Chester.

In midfield, the Shaymen’s squad includes Danny Clarke, another recruit from North Ferriby; Connor Oliver; Bohan Dixon; Dion Charles, on loan from Fleetwood Town; Josh MacDonald; Jake Hobbs; and talented left-winger Matt Kosylo, who has been the danger man in recent games. Daniel Batty, 19, is a recent loan arrival from Hull City.

Up front, in addition to top scorer Tom Denton, Heath can call on Adam Clarke, who started his career with Liverpool; and Ben Tomlinson. George Waring has recently arrived on loan from Tranmere Rovers. Midfielder David Lynch has just re-joined Southport for an undisclosed fee.

GETTING THERE

The Shay Stadium
Halifax
HX1 2YT (2YS for sat navs)

Official website: www.halifaxafc.co.uk

By coach

The Cards Trust is running a coach to this match. It will leave The Laithwaite Community Stadium at 8.30am. The cost is £30 for members, £35 for non-members, and £15/£18 for under 16s.

To book please email shop@wokingfc.co.uk

The Trust will also run a coach to the replay at Bury, leaving at 2.30pm, if there are enough ‘takers’. Please let the Club Shop know by Thursday if you're interested. Cost to members will be £30, non-members £35, and £15/£18 for under 16s.

By car

Take the M62, exiting at junction 24. Follow signs for A629 Halifax into Skircoat Road, then on to Shaw Hill, where you will find the ground.

By train

Trains go at 00, 20 and 40 minutes past the hour from Euston and take about three and a half hours e.g. 10.00 (13.33), 10.20 (14.05) and 10.40 (14.14). All seem to involve a change at Manchester Piccadilly and then either getting a connection to Manchester Victoria or sometimes a train from Piccadilly to Huddersfield and then a change there for a train to Halifax. There are also a few trains, via a different but usually slower route, from St Pancras. Returning, there are trains to Euston at 17.20 (21.20) and 17.56 (21.59), the first via Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly, the second via Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly.

Look up www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com for more details of times and prices.

The ground is five to ten minutes’ walk from Halifax station. Leave the car park, turn left and the ground is on your right in half a mile.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £18
Over 65 and Students with ID £15
U16 £5
U7 £3

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 1 FC Halifax Town 1
Vanarama National League
23 January 2016

Woking ground out a hard-fought draw against an improving FC Halifax Town despite playing with ten men for over an hour, as Bruno Andrade’s first-half goal was cancelled out a few minutes later by Sam Walker’s precise free-kick.

With the home side hunting a fourth consecutive win in all competitions, their strong start was halted after Chris Arthur was shown a straight red card midway through the first half. Despite the setback, Woking took the lead ten minutes later through Andrade’s mesmerising run and shot.

However, Woking were pegged back when Walker converted a curling free-kick for Halifax five minutes before the interval. Nevertheless, the Cards showed strong resilience to keep out the Shaymen and take a well-deserved point to make it nine games unbeaten.

Woking: Jake Cole, Chris Arthur, Brian Saah, Joey Jones, Cameron Norman, John Goddard, Mark Ricketts (c), Keiran Murtagh, Bruno Andrade (Jake Caprice 67), Joe Quigley, Giuseppe Sole (Matthew Robinson 30)

Unused subs: Nick Hamann, Godfrey Poku, Alex Smith

Goal: Andrade (35)

Red Card: Arthur (25)

FC Halifax Town: Sam Johnson, James Bolton, Scott McManus, Hamza Bencherif, Matty Brown, Kevin Roberts (Josh MacDonald 71), Nicky Wroe (c), Kingsley James, Sam Walker (Dino Fazlic 61), Shaun Tuton, Jordan Burrow

Unused subs: Jordan Porter, Richard Peniket, Jake Hibbs

Goal: Walker (39)

Attendance: 1,484

COMING UP

The Cards travel to Bury on Tuesday 14 November for their Emirates FA Cup 1st Round Replay. They are then at home to Maidenhead United on Saturday 18 November and then at home again, to Ebbsfleet United, the following Tuesday (21 November).


Come on, you Cards!