Lovetts

Cards looking to return to the top of the table at Weston

Glen Harrington
7:59am, Fri 7th Dec 2018
Weston-super-Mare vs Woking
Vanarama National League South
Saturday 8th December


The Cards travel to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday looking to extend a run of six consecutive victories in all competitions. It’s the club’s best winning run in more than four-and-a-half-years, since April 2014, when Garry Hill’s side won seven in a row on route to a ninth-place finish in the league and a Surrey Senior Cup win.

Of course, Alan Dowson’s side are still fighting on four fronts after a remarkable few weeks, with the last four wins coming in four different competitions. A dogged 1-0 win on the artificial surface at Slough Town in our last league outing was followed by a routine 2-0 success against Folkestone Invicta on home soil in the FA Trophy. Then came the famous 1-0 victory over Swindon Town in the FA Cup before Wednesday evening’s comfortable 5-0 thrashing of minnows Croydon FC – Paul Hodges netting a brace and academy graduate Jack Skinner scoring a hat-trick on his first competitive game for the senior team.

Dowse must now attempt to put the prospect of games with National League Maidstone in the Trophy and Premier League Watford in the FA Cup to one side and focus his team on returning to the top of the National League South table – with both Torquay United, with two points more after two additional games played, and Welling United, on goal difference, now ahead of the Cards. The two teams face each other at Plainmoor on Saturday however, giving Woking an ideal opportunity to return to the summit, should they be able to overcome an improving Weston side who have lifted themselves off the foot of the table in recent weeks.

The Seagulls, managed by Mark McGregor, have won their last two games – scoring impressive away victories over Chippenham Town, 3-1, and Slough Town, 3-2, with the latter coming in FA Trophy qualifying. They’ve also held Torquay and Dulwich Hamlet to draws in recent weeks whilst they gave National League promotion chasers Wrexham a scare in their FA Cup game last month to prove that, despite scoring just 11 points in the league so far this season, they are not to be underestimated.

We hope as many fans as possible will make the journey to support the team on this great run!

Woking Team News

Dowse made a host of changes in mid-week as he gave those who have been short of game time recently an opportunity to impress. The likes of Berti Schotterl, Daniel Spence, Ian Gayle, Declan Appau, Nicky Wheeler and Greg Luer featured from the start, whilst Christian Jolley continued his return from injury as he filled in for Josh Casey at left-back.

Of the regulars, only Jack Cook and Charlie Hester-Cook, suspended against Swindon, played from the start and both were withdrawn after an hour. The performance of third year academy player Skinner, who has also featured in a number of mid-season friendlies, was the undoubted highlight however and the youngster will hope that he’s given himself a fighting chance of joining the first-team squad on a more regular basis in the future.

It should mean that the manager has near enough a complete squad to pick from with Jamar Loza also having made his comeback from injury in the game against Swindon on Sunday. The only question mark will be around Charlie Wassmer, who has now completed his loan with Leatherhead, and has spoken about aiming to be available for this fixture.

Weston-super-Mare Team News

Against Chippenham, they started with Luke Purnell in goal; in defence was Alex Byrne, George Nurse, Jason Pope and Cheltenham Town loanee Matt Bower; in midfield was captain Jacob Cane, one of a number of former Exeter City players in the squad, alongside Nabi Diallo, who both scored and was sent off in the game meaning presumably that he will be suspended; out wide were Jack Lee and Gethyn Hill while two former Football League players, Jennison Myrie-Williams and Marlon Jackson, both graduates of the Bristol City youth system, started up front.

There is only one former Woking player in the Weston squad, striker Jamie Lucas, who scored a couple of goals for the Cards during a short loan spell in 2017.

On the Day

Woodspring Stadium can be found on Winterstoke Road; the postcode is BS24 9BA – a drive of just over two hours from the Laithwaite Community Stadium. The nearest station is Weston-super-Mare which is a 30-minute walk away.

Supporters can also book a place on the travelling club coach which departs at 10.30am. The cost for trust members is £30 for adults and £22 for under-16s – with a £5 increase for non-members. To book your place please contact Adam Bowyer (adam.bowyer@cardstrust.co.uk) or call the club shop.

Matchday ticket prices are £12 for adults, £8 for concessions, £3 for under-16s and free for all those under the age of 8. A family ticket for two adults and two under-16s is also available for £20.

Next Up

After five away games in the last six, the Cards have a number of home matches coming up, starting next Saturday when we host Maidstone United in the FA Trophy. A week later we make the trip to Billericay Town before back-to-back festive matches against Hampton & Richmond Borough and Eastbourne Borough at Kingfield.

Shop Online

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas Laithwaite Financial Services Boz's Fruit and Veg Jewson MKJ Peacock Construction Seymours The National League Vanarama

Woking Football Club Limited
A company incorporated in England and Wales (company number: ‍03329172)
Registered office The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

Click here to read our Data Protection Privacy Policy
Click here to read our Accessibility Statement