Lovetts
FCP
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 5th OctoberOct 2013
| Att: 873

Southport
Southport
1 - 1

Woking
Woking

Cards look to maintain momentum

Alan Worth
9:18am, Wed 2nd Oct 2013
Southport v Woking
3pm on Saturday 5 October 2013


After a much needed win on Saturday, the first at Kingfield this season, Woking now make the long trip to Haig Avenue for their game against Southport. The Cards managed to win there last season and will be desperate to build on the improved form shown against Nuneaton in order to maintain the momentum of that vital victory.

WOKING

Having Scott Rendell back in the side was a huge bonus last Saturday and his partnership with Gavin Williams looks to be developing well. Garry has a number of interesting decisions to make regarding his midfield with newcomer Darren Murphy adding much needed “bite” in the middle of the park and substitute John Goddard looking dangerous going forward. How the manager will set up his midfield we’ll have to wait and see but there appear to be a number of options available that all look promising.

If Adam Newton remains unavailable it’s likely that the back four, that dealt comfortably with the side second in the league and kept a clean sheet into the bargain, will be retained.

SOUTHPORT

The Sandgrounders’ new manager Alan Wright, the former Aston Villa full-back, brought in a substantial number of new faces over the summer, with quite a few being recruited from relegated Barrow. In addition to two new keepers, Danny Hurst and David Stevenson, they included a new captain, highly-experienced midfielder Jamie Milligan, previously with Fleetwood; Danny Hattersley, a striker from Stockport County; and Scott Brown, a midfielder who includes over 60 appearances for Bristol City on his c.v. Two more signings recently have been French midfielder Bruci Irie-Be, previously with Lille B and Blackpool reserves, and Yamen Osawe, a pacy forward from Blackburn’s ranks, who has already notched three goals.

Chris Almond was top scorer last season, while Karl Ledsham also poses a considerable threat.

Southport have an excellent home record, having won four and drawn one of their five home league games. There have been victories over Luton, Gateshead, Aldershot and Alfreton, with only Welling sharing the points.
Last Saturday they were away at Dartford, losing by a single goal and despite hitting the woodwork early on. Southport have now lost six games – all away fixtures.

GETTING THERE

Merseyrail Community Stadium
Haig Avenue
Southport
PR8 6JZ

Official website: www.southportfc.net

By coach

The Cards Trust coach leaves Kingfield at 9am. The price for members is £25 and for non-members £32. Phone or email the Club Shop (shop@wokingfc.co.uk) to book your place.
By car
Leave the M6 at Junction 26 and take the M58 towards Southport. Leave the M58 at Junction 3 and take the A570 towards Ormskirk. Follow the A570 around Ormskirk Town Centre towards Southport. On entering Southport you will come to a large roundabout with Tesco's & McDonalds outlets. Take the 3rd exit onto Scarisbrick New Road (A570). You should now be able to catch sight of the ground over on your right. Pass the Richmond pub on your left and then turn right into Haig Avenue. The ground is down on the right. There is no car park at the ground. However, there are usually many spaces under a couple of minutes’ walk but watch out for parking restrictions around the streets.
By train
You can either get a train from Euston to Wigan and change there or travel to Liverpool Lime Street and then catch the Merseyrail to Southport. Look up www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com for details of train times and prices.
ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £13.50
Concessions: £10
Under 18s: £5
Under 11s: Free (if accompanied by a paying adult)

The match will be segregated and the ‘away end’ is an uncovered terrace.

LAST TIME OUT

Last season’s home game against Southport in October 2012 was a bit of a nightmare. It started well, with Kevin Betsy giving the Cards the lead after 10 minutes, set up by Gavin McCallum. But the Sandgrounders increasingly came back into the game, equalising before half-time through Andrew Parry. The visitors went down to ten men ten minutes after the break but still managed to take the lead through a Chris Lynch back-post tap-in. Gavin McCallum scrambled the ball home to make it 2-2 but Brett Johnson then under-hit a back pass to Sam Beasant. Joe McNerney desperately tried to save the day but only succeeded in giving away a penalty and being red-carded too, whilst Chris Lever converted to wrap up all the points for Southport.

The return fixture in February this year again saw Woking allow ten-man Southport to come back at them but this time they went on to claim the points with a 2-1 win. The turning point in the match was Simon Grand’s dismissal in the 24th minute for an ugly lunge at Mark Ricketts. The Cards then gained the ascendancy, with Bradley Bubb seizing on a Jayden Stockley pass to give the visitors the lead. Southport equalised on the hour through an Aaron Chalmers’ free-kick but Bubb secured a rare Woking win at Southport with a shot that went in off a defender.

NEXT GAME

The next game is a very attractive home fixture against Edgar Davids’s Barnet side on Tuesday evening. There have been some entertaining games between the two sides over the years and the current Barnet side have started the season very promisingly following their relegation from League 2 last season.


Come on, you Cards!

Dramatic end to end encounter results in valuable away point

Malcolm Wyatt
12:11pm, Sun 6th Oct 2013
Southport 1 Woking 1
The Skrill Premier
5th October 2013

An absorbing Conference clash that might have gone either way right to the death ended in stalemate at Haig Avenue on Saturday.

Woking struggled to build on Scott Rendell’s early first-half opener, their hard work soon undone by Sandgrounders star-turn Jamie Milligan’s fortuitous equaliser.

And while the visitors had several chances to end Port’s unbeaten home record from there, they might easily have come home empty-handed, with both sides thwarted late on in an often frenetic encounter.

The Cards were ahead within three minutes, a defence-splitting Darren Murphy pass putting Rendell away, the on-loan Luton striker holding off a challenge and coolly picking his spot, Danny Hurst parrying but unable to keep the shot out.

Port were not deterred, going straight up the other end and, from a corner on the right, panic ensued as Sam Beasant struggled.

A rugby-style scrum followed, yet somehow Woking survived, a free-kick given and combative captain Mark Ricketts the last man back on his feet.

The home pressure continued, Joe McNerney putting Milligan’s danger-ball behind and Murphy clearing the corner after Mike Cestor’s stop on the line.

Woking countered, Rendell a raised flag away from a one-on-one with Hurst, while Kevin Betsy’s labours led to a Gavin Williams free-kick from which McNerney and Jack Parkinson were close to heading home.

Quick balls over the top continued to cause Port problems, but Cestor was offside from a McNerney cross while Williams volleyed just wide from a Betsy centre.

Milligan remained a thorn in Woking’s side, and in the 19th minute his free-kick from the right of the area was only part-cleared, the ex-Fleetwood Town midfielder’s follow-up eluding everyone, Beasant wrong-footed as he curled into the net.

Woking fought straight back, Port player of the month Hurst unsure of himself as he lost out close to his line. But this time Rendell couldn’t hit the target.

It was Beasant’s turn next, getting down to a tricky Yamen Osawe effort, the striker twice more in the following minutes having sight of goal but unable to finish.

Ricketts’ tackle denied Osawe’s next raid after another Milligan centre, while David Fitzpatrick came close with a speculative shot.

On the break, Williams was off target after a classy lay-off by Rendell, who then played in Payne as the away pressure continued.

Betsy battled to win a corner, Rendell and McNerney getting touches from John Nutter’s set-piece, and Hurst, exposed again, punching away.

Osawe dazzled in the next attack, but his lay-off found Jay Smith offside, while a lofted Milligan delivery was headed over by Danny Hattersley.

As play continued to flow, a Nutter free-kick caused problems, while Osawe came close to unlocking the visiting defence yet again.

Woking appealed as Hurst handled on the edge of his area after further confusion, with Betsy running the width of the pitch soon after, trying to find a way through.

From the next cross, Port again struggled to clear, Parkinson testing Hurst from distance and his effort turned around for a corner, easily dealt with as a busy half petered out.

Half-time: Southport 1 Woking 1

The Sandgrounders were almost in a minute after the restart, Beasant denying Paul Rutherford’s fierce strike after Hattersley’s through-ball.

The same provider set up Fitzpatrick next, while Beasant stopped Brice Irie-Bi’s free-kick as Woking teetered.

Garry Hill introduced Adam Newton for Murphy, the Cards soon threatening as Betsy waltzed through on the right of the area.

But he couldn’t feed Rendell in the next attack, while Nutter shot into the side-netting after Cestor’s lay-off.

Port countered, Milligan firing in corners from both sides, the best put behind by an increasingly busy Beasant.

At the other end, Hurst caught a Cestor cross-shot, while a long-range Payne effort was cut out by the keeper after the impressive Newton toiled away on his 100th Cards appearance.

Matty Challinor and Luke George were caught out as Betsy attacked again, but no one could finish from Nutter’s resultant corner, while Ricketts was offside the next time Betsy looked to unload, the flag raised again as Williams cut through.

Irie-Bi went closer from an Osawe break before he was replaced, Port making two changes for the last 20 minutes, the game still in the balance.

Rendell was just wide with a spectacular diving header from a Payne cross soon after, while Beasant cut out from home sub Steven Tames and a Newton challenge denied Osawe.

Tames might have done better from another mighty Milligan ball, while Rutherford let fly with a volley but was just wide of Beasant’s post.

Woking moved up a gear when Anthony McNamee replaced Williams on 78 minutes, but neither Cestor nor Betsy could finish off his first right-wing raid, the latter’s header hitting the post.

The home defence continued to live dangerously, Cestor heading over after a great passing move started by Payne, and replaced by Giuseppe Sole for the last six minutes.

It took a majestic Parkinson header to keep out Scott Brown’s defence-splitting ball, but Woking went straight up the other end, Hurst stopping with his feet from Betsy.

Sole took the corner, but Rendell’s attempted bicycle kick came to nothing and Port countered with gusto, Tames through on goal but somehow hitting Beasant’s left post after the keeper narrowed the angle.

Moments later, it happened again, this time fellow sub Karl Ledsham denied by the keeper as the defence chased shadows.

And while hearts still pounded, Betsy and Sole carved an opening at the other end, beating Hurst only for George to clear off the line in the last real chance of a thrilling end to end encounter neither side deserved to lose.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Mike Cestor (Giuseppe Sole 84), John Nutter, Joe McNerney, Jack Parkinson, Mark Ricketts ©, Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Darren Murphy (Adam Newton 51), Gavin Williams (Anthony McNamee 78), Scott Rendell. Subs not used: Aaron Howe, John Goddard.

Booking: Jack Parkinson 90

Southport: Danny Hurst, Matty Challoner, Jay Smith, Luke George, David Fitzpatrick, Scott Brown, Jamie Milligan (Aaron Chalmers 81), Brice Irie-Bi (Karl Ledsham 70), Paul Rutherford, Yamen Osawe, Danny Hattersley (Steven Tames 70). Subs not used: David Stevenson, Steve Akrigg.

Attendance: 873

MOTM: Sam Beasant – The Cards' keeper has gone from strength to strength of late, and while partly at fault for Port’s equaliser, he saved Woking’s skin at key points in the game.
Southport LINEUP
1Danny Hurst
12Matty Challoner
2James Smith
18Luke George
20David Fitzpatrick
6Scott Brown
8Jamie Milligan ('82)
26Brice Irie-Bi ('70)
14Paul Rutherford
21Osayamen Osawe
15Danny Hattersley ('70)
BENCH
19David Stevenson
4Steve Akrigg
7Aaron Chalmers ('82)
10Karl Ledsham ('70)
9Steven James ('70)
WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
4Mark Ricketts
3John Nutter
5Joe McNerney
8Jack Parkinson
20Josh Payne
23Darren Murphy ('51)
9Gavin Williams ('79)
11Kevin Betsy
15Mike Cestor ('84)
21Scott Rendell
BENCH
1Aaron Howe
2Adam Newton ('51)
22John Goddard
14Anthony McNamee ('79)
10Giuseppe Sole ('84)

Southport 1 - 1 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

Scott Rendell Interview

Nick Shaw
10:15pm, Sat 5th Oct 2013
David Holmes speaks to goalscorer Scott Rendell after Woking's 1 - 1 draw away to Southport.

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