Cards continue to search for long-awaited league win

Barnet vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 12th October 2019

The Cards will continue their search for a first league win since August on Saturday as they travel to face another former Football League side in the shape of Barnet.

It’s far from doom and gloom for Alan Dowson’s side who despite an eight-match winless run, which includes three defeats in the last four games, remain fifth in the National League table and just six points adrift of league leaders FC Halifax Town. However, Dowse will know that his team will need to show more against Barnet than they did during the first-half against Yeovil Town on Tuesday evening, if they are to address their recent slide. The Cards were put to the sword in mid-week with a clinical performance from their hosts who scored three unanswered goals before half-time. Woking were better after the break and scored a fine consolation through substitute Ibrahim Meite, but still suffered a defeat by more than a single goal margin for the first time this season, falling five points behind the Glovers who are now third.

Barnet would have been amongst those hopeful of a promotion challenge at the start of the season and they’ve enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular start, remaining within touching distance of the top seven – in ninth place on goal difference. They’ve won six, drawn six and lost four of their 16 games, with their most recent outing ending in a 2-1 home defeat to Bromley. In fact, they’ve only won one of their last six games, a 4-0 thrashing of struggling AFC Fylde, in amongst draws with Dagenham and Solihull, plus defeats to Halifax and Ebbsfleet. The Bees are managed by Darren Currie, who took over in December 2018, guiding the club to a twelfth-place finish last season after briefly flirting with relegation. He ensured they avoided a second successive relegation after dropping out of the Football League in 2018.

The team really needs your support right now as they look to produce a reaction which will get them back to winning ways. Please come along if you can and cheer them on!

Woking Team News

Dowse will almost certainly make changes after the disappointment of Tuesday’s performance. He reverted to a 5-3-2 formation in the first-half with Ben Gerring, back from his three-match suspension, restored to the starting line-up. Toby Edser then dropped out of the midfield with Kane Ferdinand, Godfrey Poku and Shaun Donnellan forming a more defensive trio.

The Cards returned to 4-2-3-1 in the second-half with Dave Tarpey, Max Kretzschmar and Jamar Loza forming the attacking trio behind Ibrahim Meite. It appeared to be much more effective although Dowse will naturally be wary of going too attacking against strong opponents away from home. Paul Hodges will also be hoping for a first start of the season after another impactful appearance from the bench. Edser and Jake Hyde are the other options to come back into the squad if fit.

Barnet Team News

Against Bromley, Currie lined up with the experienced former Watford and Hartlepool stopper Scott Loach in goal; in defence was Cheye Alexander and Callum Reynolds, both previously with our local rivals Aldershot and part of the side which reached the National League play-offs in 2018, Portuguese centre-back Ricardo Santos, who was previously with Peterborough, and former Cardiff City prospect David Tutonda.

In midfield were three players Dowse will know well – Harry Taylor, who spent a month on loan with Woking last season, as well as Dan Sweeney and Wesley Fonguck, who both spent time on loan at Dowse’s Hampton & Richmond Borough side back in 2017. They were joined by club legend Mauro Vilhete, only 26, but already a part of the Bees’ setup for a decade. He’s played more than 200 games for the club since emerging from their academy in 2009 – scoring 19 goals in that time.

Up front was Josh Walker alongside Alfie Pavey, a recent addition from Dover Athletic, where he scored 11 goals in 37 games. He was amongst the top scorers in National League South in 2017/18 when he netted 26 times for Dartford.

Last Time Out

Barnet 2-1 Woking – National League (7th February 2015)

This was a close-fought encounter in what was a great season for both Barnet, promoted to League Two as champions, and Woking, who finished seventh in the National League under Garry Hill. In this one, the Cards went down to ten men mid-way through the first-half, when Joe McNerney was sent off and John Akinde dispatched the resulting penalty. An own goal from Joey Jones looked to have made the game safe but the visitors fought back and claimed a consolation through Yemi Odubade 10 minutes from time – setting up a nervy finish which the home side eventually escaped from unscathed.

On the Day

The ground can be found on Camrose Avenue; the postcode is HA8 6AG – a drive of just over an hour from the Laithwaite Community Stadium – although heavily traffic dependent. The nearest railway stations to The Hive are the London Underground stations at Canons Park, Queensbury and Edgware. The former can be found on the Jubilee Line and is a 5-minute walk away.

There is a supporters’ coach running for the game which leaves from the Laithwaite Community Stadium at 12.00pm. Please arrive by 11.45am. The price is £20 for adults and £15 for under-16s with a £5 discount for Cards’ Trust members. Those looking to attend should contact Adam Bowyer (adam.bowyer@cardstrust.co.uk) or call the club shop for more information.

Away fans are allocated the Legends Stand. Matchday ticket prices are £22 for adults, £14 for concessions and £5 for under-17s. Concessions are supporters aged 65 years and over and under the age of 21.

Next Up

The Cards are away for the third time in less than two weeks as our FA Cup campaign begins next Saturday. We’re taking on league rivals Ebbsfleet United who are currently managerless after sacking former Woking boss Garry Hill on Thursday.