WOKING 3 WEYMOUTH 0

Woking 3 Weymouth 0
Setanta Shield Quarter-Final
26 February 2008

The Cards reached the Semi-Finals of the Setanta Shield this evening with a 3-0 win over Weymouth, setting them up for another clash with our nemesis this season, the Shots. Weymouth, though, will be wondering how they lost so decisively in a game in which they enjoyed so much possession. The Cards, though, defended stoutly and took their chances, whilst the Terras did the opposite.

Frank Gray made predictable changes to Saturday?s line-up, bringing in Ross Worner in goal, Paul Lorraine, Matt Ruby and Adam Green in defence, Matt Gray in midfield and Liam Marum up front.

The Cards started brightly, with the lively Liam Marum chipping a delightful through ball to Marvin Morgan, which, unfortunately, spun away from him just as he looked set to beat the keeper to it. Matt Pattison too looked sprightly, making some characteristic bursts from midfield. With 12 minutes gone, Marvin Morgan, who worked tirelessly all evening, did well to win a corner from a Matt Ruby throw-in. Danny Bunce put the ball into the danger zone and Tom Hutchinson appeared to deflect it far enough over the line for the assistant referee, correctly, to signal a goal. (Later video evidence suggests that it was Magnus Okuonghae who scored an own goal.)

Woking continued to show attacking intent, but Matt Pattison completely miscued his kick after Danny Bunce had teed him up nicely on the edge of the area. Gradually the Terras began to take control of the midfield areas but, for all their possession and probing, they failed to put Ross Worner under any pressure, whilst whenever the Cards got the ball forward they looked more likely to score. With 18 minutes gone, Marvin Morgan executed a brilliant turn in the box. The goalkeeper didn?t know much about his shot but blocked it with his body. Matt Pattison lashed at the rebound but it went well wide.

Weymouth?s fortunes were typified by Jack Crompton?s first free-kick, which sailed majestically over the KRE stand and into the car park. Leading up to the half-hour mark, the Terras threw in a succession of crosses but only one, flicked on towards the back post, caused any problems to a Woking defence in which Tom Hutchinson was prominent as usual.

A couple of minutes later the Cards fashioned a superb move, with Liam Marum?s clever back heel opening the way for Matt Pattison to play in Marvin Morgan, but the attack broke down just inside the area. For the most part, though, the Cards sought to hit the front two quickly and, when this didn?t work, possession almost inevitably was restored to the Terras.

In the 44th minute the Cards doubled their lead. The ball fell nicely to Liam Marum on the edge of the box but he still had a lot to do. Making space for himself, he hit a sweet low drive past the keeper for a fine goal.

Half-time: Woking 2 Weymouth 0

The Cards started the second half brightly, with Liam Marum?s excellent run setting up Matt Gray for a volley over the bar. But this proved to be a false dawn as the Terras proceeded to dominate play, with Woking seemingly content to sit back and absorb the pressure. Fortunately for the Cards, the Terras? frailties in front of goal were very evident. Their approach play was attractive and they buzzed round the box but lacked any cutting edge. Nevertheless, they seemed to be getting closer to pulling a goal back as Tom Hutchinson headed clear, almost out of Ross?s hands, and then Ross had to field a drive from Paolo Vernazza. Bizarrely, though, it was Woking who came closest to scoring as Danny Bunce?s cross in the 65th minute drifted over the keeper and hit the bar.

A few more half-chances came the Terras? way as a back header went just wide of the post and Ross had to field a decent effort from Michael Malcolm, before Woking grabbed their third goal. In the 73rd minute Tom Hutchinson flicked on a superb header in the box to Marvin Morgan just to the right of the Weymouth goal. Marvin seemed to take an age as he shaped to pass the ball back across the goal but instead shot neatly inside the keeper?s near post to wrap the game up.

In injury time Marvin was denied a blatant penalty as he was flattened in the box after substitute Jason Norville had played a fine ball out to Danny Bunce and the latter had found Marvin a few yards out. At the other end, summing up the Terras? night, a free-kick on the edge of the area was blasted into the Woking wall.

This was a strange game in many ways. Weymouth weaved pretty patterns but were toothless. The Cards, so often lacking a cutting edge themselves this season, looked dangerous on their less frequent attacks, with the irrepressible Marvin Morgan always causing problems, aided by some clever touches from Liam Marum and, of course, his excellent finish for the second goal. Matt Pattison had an outstanding first half but the midfield in general seemed to labour in the second half particularly.


Woking: Ross Worner, Matt Ruby, Tom Hutchinson, Paul Lorraine, Adam Green, Matt Pattison, Matt Gray (Jerome Maledon, 72), Bradley Quamina, Danny Bunce, Liam Marum (Jason Norville, 85), Marvin Morgan

Subs not used: Nick Gindre, Jay Gasson, Giuseppe Sole

Booked: Matt Ruby, Matt Pattison

Attendance: 690

Sponsor?s (Mundays Solicitors) MOTM: Tom Hutchinson