Seymours
FCP
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 28th SeptemberSep 2013
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 1272

Woking
Woking
2 - 0

Nuneaton Town
Nuneaton Town

Cards face another big test

Brian Caffarey
4:08pm, Thu 26th Sep 2013
Woking v Nuneaton Town
3pm on Saturday 28 September 2013

The Cards need to pick themselves up and dust themselves down after Tuesday’s painful encounter with Luton Town but, if they play with the endeavour and commitment they showed in the first half hour, there is no reason why they cannot get a result in Saturday’s game against the Boro, whose early remarkable form has been halted by two successive defeats. The Cards really need your support at this difficult time, so please come down to Kingfield and roar the team on to a much-needed victory! Get there early and take in the Spurs v Chelsea game on the big screen first.

WOKING

It was not entirely doom and gloom on Tuesday evening. The side actually played quite well for half an hour or so, but it all went rapidly downhill once Luton scored. Woking’s confidence sagged, especially after the second, very preventable, goal went in and Luton’s initial nervousness dissipated as they realised that they were in for a relatively untroubled evening.

After employing Gavin Williams as a makeshift leader of the front line on Tuesday, Garry will be pleased to have Scott Rendell to call on again. Darren Murphy made his debut on Tuesday in midfield and looked quite strong till the lack of match practice caught up with him, whilst substitute John Goddard’s attacking instincts might have proved more fruitful on a different day.

NUNEATON TOWN

Unfancied Boro have made an exceptional start to the season. They were unbeaten in their first nine games, which included a run of five consecutive wins prior to their surprising 2-1 defeat last Saturday at home to Salisbury City, which was followed by a 3-0 loss at table-toppers Cambridge United on Tuesday evening. The run of unbeaten games included away wins at Macclesfield, Grimsby and Dartford and a draw at Barnet. They still lie 2nd in the table, four points behind the U’s.

Manager Kevin Wilkin, who has guided the re-formed club to three promotions, kept most of his squad from last season but added five new signings in the summer, the most important of which has proved to be top scorer Louis Moult from Northampton Town, who impressed in a loan spell last season. The other additions were keeper James Belshaw, originally with Walsall; Theo Streete, a defender from Alfreton; experienced midfielder Phil Trainer, who has since gone on loan to Worcester City; and striker Greg Pearson, who made his name with Bishop’s Stortford and Burton Albion before joining Crewe. More recently, Wilkin has signed 19 year-old defender Emmit Delfounesco, brother of former Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfounesco.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £15
Over 65s and students (with valid student card) £10
U16s £3

The game will not be segregated, so Boro fans will be very welcome to use the Cardinals’ Bar, which, as already noted, will be open from 12noon for the televised game between Spurs and Chelsea. There will be a draw at half-time of the televised game, for everyone present, for a bottle of champagne.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Don’t miss out on the Club’s excellent matchday programme! In another packed edition Ian Nicholson profiles Woking web maestro Nick Shaw. David Horncastle reviews a fascinating study of football statistics. Do you think it’s better, statistically, to keep a clean sheet or score a single goal? Find out the answer by reading David’s piece. Long-distance Woking fan Malcolm Wyatt muses on Woking’s visit to Chester and on his local non-League scene. And Nuneaton fan, Tony Packer, a man with a very long memory, reflects on Boro’s successful start to the season. And of course there are all the usual match reports, previews, news and great photos. If you can’t get to the game, you can order a copy from the Club Shop on shop@wokingfc.co.uk

LAST TIME OUT

It certainly would be a turn up for the books if the Cards on Saturday emulated last season’s home fixture against Boro in September 2012 when Garry Hill’s side secured their biggest win of the campaign, trouncing the visitors 6-1. But the current side might take hope from the fact that last season’s resounding victory came after a run of four defeats. Garry Hill welcomed back Bradley Bubb from injury and brought in Adam Doyle and Dean Sinclair, with Mike Cestor and Loick Pires dropping to the bench. Mark Ricketts was absent, injured. Woking took the lead through a breakaway after an excellent Aaron Howe save, Sawyer immediately setting Gavin McCallum free on the left, with the winger finishing expertly just inside the far post. The second goal was scored by Sawyer himself following another counter-attack, this time by Bubb and Kevin Betsy. The second half saw Bubb notch four goals, profiting from two goalkeeping errors, whilst Howe saved a penalty. Nuneaton grabbed a consolation goal right at the end.

The away fixture in March this year saw the two sides grind out a 0-0 draw – a result which was no great surprise, given the recent record of both sides. Both teams had their chances on a cold night, with snow still bordering the touchline, but neither could make the crucial breakthrough.

NEXT UP

The Cards travel north again next Saturday (5 October) with a trip to Southport, rarely a happy hunting-ground for Woking sides over the years. On the following Tuesday evening (8 October) there is a very attractive game in prospect when Edgar Davids’ Barnet side visit Kingfield. Make sure you’re there!

Come on, you Cards!

Much improved Cards brush aside high-flying Nuneaton

Glen Harrington
8:43pm, Sat 28th Sep 2013
Woking 2 Nuneaton Town 0

The Skrill Premier

28th September 2013

Goals from Scott Rendell and Josh Payne ended Woking’s run of just one win in eight games, as the Cards picked up their first home victory of the season. It was an excellent all-round display from the Cards, who dominated proceedings throughout against a Nuneaton team placed second in the league standings.

The home side deservedly took an early lead when Rendell got in front of his marker and turned in Kevin Betsy’s low cross. It was an advantage that might have been doubled if it were not for the exploits of the Boro’ goalkeeper James Belshaw, who saved brilliantly from both Rendell and Payne as the first-half wore on. But Woking did get the second goal just after half-time, when Gavin Williams teed up Payne to fire high into the roof of the Nuneaton net.

Garry Hill and Steve Thompson made two changes in personnel from their side’s heavy 4-0 defeat to Luton Town at Kingfield on Tuesday night, with Rendell and Anthony McNamee replacing Mike Cestor and Giuseppe Sole – who both dropped to the bench. Rendell, who was ineligible to play against his parent club Luton, returned to his lone striker’s role, with McNerney slotting in at centre back alongside Jack Parkinson. Mark Ricketts continued at right-back, allowing Payne and new signing Darren Murphy to partner each other in central midfield, while McNamee took up a position on the left of an attacking three that also included Williams and Betsy.

Woking started the game brightly, winning their first corner within 30 seconds, while Payne saw a volley from the edge of the penalty area fly narrowly wide of the right hand post. A little over ten minutes in and the hosts were deservedly rewarded for their lively start, with Betsy escaping Amari’i Bell (on loan from Birmingham City) on the right hand side and powering in a low cross for Rendell to flick past Belshaw into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Payne came close to a second Woking goal just five minutes later, as a sumptuous curling free-kick from the edge of the area, which looked bound for the top left hand corner, was acrobatically palmed away by Belshaw.

Rendell perhaps should have scored his second, when a delightful back-heel from Williams left him with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Belshaw was out quickly to close the striker down, and was able to get his body in the way of the shot.

Despite boasting the league’s top goal-scorer amongst their ranks – Louis Moult – who has nine goals already this season – the visitors offered little in the way of an attacking threat during the opening 45 minutes, with Ricketts and McNerney particularly impressive at keeping Boro’s frontmen quiet. Their best, and arguably only chance of the half came, perhaps somewhat predictably when considering the Cards recent struggles, from a set-piece, as Gavin Cowan headed over from a free-kick angled into the Woking penalty area.

Half-time: Woking 1 Nuneaton Town 0

Woking brought on John Goddard at half-time in place of McNamee, who had struggled to get into the game during the first-half, with almost all of the play going down Betsy’s flank. The winger also looked to have picked up a slight knock and had been limping towards the end of the half, and Cards fans will be hoping that his withdrawal was only a precautionary measure.

But those fans were soon celebrating once again, as Williams cleverly worked his way out of the right hand corner and squeezed the ball across the box for Payne, who took one touch past a defender before unleashing a powerful shot into the corner of the goal, giving Belshaw no chance.

Boro’ manager Kevin Wilkin instantly responded by bringing on a third striker – Greg Pearson – in place of midfielder Danny Sleath, and the change inspired Nuneaton’s brightest spell of the game, which also included their best effort on goal: Adam Walker’s long range effort that had to be tipped over the crossbar by Sam Beasant.

However, it was Belshaw who remained the busier of the two goalkeepers, as he had to react well to turn Payne’s deflected shot round the post for a corner, before he was almost caught-out by a hopeful shot from distance by Murphy, which looped just over the bar. Woking might have added a third, when Betsy burst past Bell and went clean through on goal. He unselfishly attempted to square the ball for Rendell to tap home, but the pass was slightly over-hit, and the striker instead pulled the ball back to the edge of the area for Williams, only for his shot to be blocked by the recovering defender, Gareth Dean.

The Cards introduced Mike Cestor and Giuseppe Sole in the closing stages, and the latter almost struck lucky and got his name on the score-sheet, as Belshaw was forced to punch clear his corner from directly underneath his own crossbar. Nuneaton also made changes, throwing on Emmitt Delfouneso and Delroy Gordon, but it made little difference as the Cards saw out the game comfortably and consigned Boro’ to their third successive defeat.

It was an excellent performance from Woking against a side which, despite the result, are still second in the division, and have enjoyed a wonderful start to the season. The Cards impressed all over the pitch: defensively sound, creative in midfield, and with viable attacking outlets both through the middle and out wide. The confidence that spread through the team after the opening goal was evident, and the players and management team must be praised for seemingly finding the right balance for the side, despite the absence of Brett Johnson and Lee Sawyer.

Although the Cards remain in the relegation zone, there are just two points separating them from the five teams directly above them, and if this result can be consolidated next week against Southport, they should hopefully soon start to move up the table.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Mark Ricketts, John Nutter, Jack Parkinson, Joe McNerney, Darren Murphy (Mike Cestor 77), Josh Payne, Gavin Williams (Giuseppe Sole 82), Anthony McNamee (John Goddard 46), Kevin Betsy, Scott Rendell

Unused Subs: Aaron Howe, George Frith

Goal(s): Rendell 13, Payne 49

Booked: Parkinson 32

Nuneaton Town: James Belshaw, Theo Streete, Gareth Dean, Gavin Cowan, Amari’i Bell (Delroy Gordon 88), Wesley York (Emmitt Delfouneso 80), James Armson, Adam Walker, Danny Sleath (Greg Pearson 52), Louis Moult, Andy Brown

Unused Subs: Jon Adams, Michael Richens

Booked: Brown 82

MOTM: Joe McNerney – Outstanding display defensively, emphasising clearly why centre back is his best position. He kept both Moult and Brown very quiet throughout with a dominant all-round performance.

Attendance: 1,272


WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
4Mark Ricketts
3John Nutter
5Joe McNerney
8Jack Parkinson
20Josh Payne
23Darren Murphy ('78)
9Gavin Williams ('83)
14Anthony McNamee ('45)
11Kevin Betsy
21Scott Rendell
BENCH
1Aaron Howe
15Mike Cestor ('78)
16George Frith
22John Goddard ('45)
10Giuseppe Sole ('83)
Nuneaton Town LINEUP
19James Belshaw
11Theo Streete
3Amari I Bell ('89)
4Gavin Cowan
5Gareth Dean
13Daniel Sleath ('52)
6Adam Walker
7James Armson
10Andrew Brown
9Louis Moult
16Wesley York ('80)
BENCH
18Greg Pearson ('52)
23Michael Richens
8Joe Adams
15Delroy Gordon ('89)
24Emnitt Delfouneso ('80)

Woking 2 - 0 Nuneaton Town (Garry Hill Interview)

Interview with John Goddard

David Holmes
6:04pm, Sat 28th Sep 2013

John Goddard:







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