Academy Bulletin | A mixed week for busy Cards

Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 15th April 2024

Wednesday 17th April

11:30 - Woking U17 v Maidenhead United U17; National League Alliance – Division E

Woking College, Rydens Way

13:00 - Dartford U19 v Woking U19; National League Alliance – Academy South

Princes Park Stadium, Dartford FC

Thursday 18th April

19:30 - Woking U23 v St Albans City U23; Suburban Football League – Premier Division

Knaphill FC, Redding Way

Friday 19th April

11:30 - Woking U19 v Southend United U19; National League Alliance – Academy South

Woking College, Rydens Way

Monday 22nd April

19:45: Camberley Town U18 v Woking U18; Isthmian Football League – Youth West Division

Krooner Park, Camberley

Following Camberley’s 3 – 0 victory against Bedfont Sports last Thursday this game becomes a league title decider. Woking need a draw to become champions.



For up-to-date information on fixtures refer to the Woking Football Club Academy twitter page.



Match Reports – Week commencing 8th April

Overview

A difficult week for the Cards with fixture congestion, injuries and player holidays all having an impact as the season draws to a close.

Monday 8th April

Welling United U19 3 – 1 Woking U19; National League Alliance – Academy South

Eltham Goals, Eltham Palace Road

A tough afternoon for the Cards as the busy schedule continues, with Welling getting ahead in the competition for mid-table positions.

Woking: Owen Crawford, Charlie Robertson, Tom Gardner (c), Aidy Silverstein, Louis Pask, Alex Rihoy (Keion Vassell 75), Lucas Boxall, Jayden Wynter (Ellis Byrne 50), Sam Brittain, Lui Edwards, Stanley Kyle. Unused subs: Harry White (GK), Jayden Langford.

Goal: Sam Brittain.



Wednesday 10th April

Bromley U17 4 - 2 Woking U17 (Half-time 3 – 1)

National League Alliance – Division E; Bromley FC, Hayes Lane

Woking: Mikey Verga, Sean Bull (Jiyah Kapotwe 35), Ben Smith, Charlie Sweeney, Jayden Smith, Tommy Seale, Saadiq Bangura-Kerr, Roshaun Cooper (Jack Bashford 68), Fynn Lawrence (Alvaro Picon 46), Ollie Saword, Byron Mitchell.

Goals: Mitchell 10, Bashford 77.



Woking U19 0 - 0 Maidstone United U19

National League Alliance – Academy South; Westfield FC, Woking Park

A hard-fought game in difficult rather wintry conditions against a side whose only recent defeat had come against Dartford, this season’s Academy South league winners. Maidstone had the better of the early exchanges but could not find a decisive pass or set-piece routine to create a goal, Tom Gardner blocking Akshar Santosh when he did look to be in with a chance.

Woking nearly had the lead on 27 minutes, Gardner side-footing wide from the lively Keion Vassell’s cross. And Woking had more of the play with Aiden Payne-James nearly finishing off Lui Edwards’ fine build-up play, a constant throughout the game.

Harry White was called in to action on 40 minutes, making a very good save diving at the feet of Alfee Wincott when the Maidstone player looked certain to score. Maidstone continued to trouble Woking with their quick passing game, but still without a breakthrough.

Half-time: Woking 0 – 0 Maidstone United

The pace continued after the break, but without any clear-cut chances. On the hour Woking made a change, bringing on Ellis Byrne, and changing to a back four, with Harrison Stevens moving in to midfield.

Woking nearly made a costly error as Gardner and Brook got their wires crossed, but Gardner was able to clear the ball out of harm’s way. Woking’s players continued to battle well, and deserved their hard-earned point.

A frantic, end-to-end, eight minutes of added time could have seen the game go either way. There were a number of chances at both ends. Substitute Sam Brittain providing some much-needed energy and Lui Edwards just not quite getting away from his marker when it looked like he may run on to score. Whilst at the other end Bradley Murphy made a great block to ensure the draw.

Woking: Harry White, Harrison Stevens, Tom Gardner, Ethan Gold; Charlie Robertson, Alex Rihoy, Jamie Hilton (Ellis Byrne 58), Bradley Murphy; Aiden Payne-James (Stanley Kyle 87), Lui Edwards, Keion Vassell (Sam Brittain 72). Unused sub: Jayden Langford.

Maidstone United: Chris Swift, Alfee Wincott (Harry Short 77), Liam Wilson, Sonny Jackson (Kaelem Sobhee-Turner 67), Tyler Jackson-Hunt (c), Tyler Hatton, Ashton Mitford, Liam Parle, Elliott Wenham (Akash Santosh 63), AJ Clark, Akshar Santosh. Unused sub: Riley Court.



Thursday 11th April

Woking U23 4 - 1 Cobham U23

Suburban Football League – Premier Division; Knaphill FC, Redding Way

Woking ended the week on a high, but it was not as straightforward as the scoreline might suggest against a Cobham team that arrived with a goal difference of –41. Cobham were well organised, with a frustrating offside trap, and it took 3 goals in 9 second-half minutes for the Cards to prevail.

Woking started well but when Darius Ogoden’s hit the bar with a well-hit curling effort from outside the area after 11 minutes, it was clear that the Cards were not going to have things all their own way.

There were chances at both ends, and it was Cobham who took the lead after half-an-hour, Louis Toussaint showing excellent close control as he dribbled in the penalty area, before slotting the ball past Mikey Verga.

Woking found Toussaint’s physical strength difficult to counteract, although they had chances to level through Stanley Kyle, Louis Pask and Lucas Boxall, but went to the break still trailing.

Half-time: Woking 0 Cobham 1

Henry McDonald, a second-year trialist from Chichester City, was introduced at the start of the second-half, and his skill and energy was to make a difference. Although Simon Fraser missed a guilt-edged chance to make it 0 – 2 before Woking equalised.

Woking came close when Ellis Byrne set up Boxall, who hit the post, and not before Harry White had made a good save, Woking were level. Quicker passing and movement put Kyle in down the left-side in the 51st minute, and his cross-shot went in to the far top corner.

An open game saw chances at both ends, and more composed finishing could have seen either side in the lead before Woking took the lead on the 76th minute, when a very well delivered McDonald corner was emphatically volleyed home by Kyle.

Cobham still pressed forward, but the game was about to get away from them. Boxall had already seen one shot blocked by Kanu Mohammed’s face as the ‘keeper misjudged the bounce, when he put a quality finishing touch to a fine passing move involving McDonald and Kyle.

Kyle completed his hat-trick, and Woking’s victory, with another great finish, beating his man on the edge of the area and hitting the top corner, the problems with the offside trap well and truly solved.

There was still time for a fine Chris McCormick effort, his bullet towards the top corner well tipped around the post by Mohammed, before the referee decided against any added time.

Woking: Mikey Verga (Harry White 46), Owen Sims, Harrison Stevens, Aidy Silverstein, Tommy Seale (Henry McDonald 46), Sam Brittain, Ellis Byrne (c), Lucas Boxall (Chris McCormick 81), Louis Pask (Saadiq Bangura-Kerr 75), Matt Farrelly (Keion Vassell 69), Stanley Kyle.

Goals: Kyle 51, 76, 84, Boxall 80.

Cobham: Kanu Mohammed, Joshua Tawah, Louis Elsom, Cameron Deighton, Freddie Pritchett, Louis Toussaint, Ruben Boyd (c), Federico Rodella, Johnny Dempsey, Simon Fraser, Darius Ogoden. Subs: Thomas Kerbey, Michael Adeosun, Nehemiah Skerrett, Cameron Harrison, Theo Walker, Ivey Shai (GK).

Goal: Toussaint 30.

Referee: Ian Kitchen.



Monday 15th April

Camberley Town U18 P - P Woking U18; Isthmian Football League – Youth West Division

Krooner Park, Camberley

Game rescheduled for Monday 22nd April.



Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:

Tuesday 9th April

Owen Crawford, Goalkeeper, 3rd year – Camberley Town: Played full game in 1 – 5 defeat to AFC Croydon Athletic, with one of his saves a highlight of the game.

Saturday 13th April

Aiden Payne-James. Forward, 2nd year – Sevenoaks Town: Did not play in 2 – 1 victory over Littlehampton Town.

Owen Crawford, Goalkeeper, 3rd year – Camberley Town: Did not play in 0 – 3 home defeat to Abbey Rangers.

Ollie Mason, Centre Midfield, 2nd year – Ascot United: Played 79 minutes of 3 – 1 defeat at Chertsey Town, receiving a caution in the 73rd minute.

Lui Edwards, Forward, 3rd year – Sandhurst Town: No fixture.

Harry White, Goalkeeper, 1st year – Sandhurst Town: No fixture.

Jamie Hilton, Centre Midfield, 3rd year - Guildford City: Played in 0 – 4 home defeat to Cobham.

Ben Mitchell, Forward, 2nd year - Guildford City: Did not play in 0 – 4 home defeat to Cobham.

Keiondre Ellis-Vassell, Forward, 2nd year – Guildford City: Did not play in 0 – 4 home defeat to Cobham.

Bob Honey, Goalkeeper, 1st year – Spelthorne Sports: Awaiting information.