Vital fight for points on Saturday
Brian Caffarey
9:50am, Thu 23rd Jan 2014
Lincoln City v Woking
3pm on Saturday 25 January 2014
Another critical game against another struggling side beckons on Saturday. Cards fans will be hoping that Garry Hill’s side can emulate last season’s trip to Sincil Bank when, coming off a 7-0 thrashing at Hyde, the Cards came away with a superb 2-0 win. Garry has said that urgent reinforcements are needed to the squad: Tuesday evening’s performance against Chester suggests that they can’t come quickly enough.
WOKING
There was a new face on Tuesday evening but it wasn’t the striker (or two) that Cards fans had been hoping for. Keeper Mason Springthorpe made his debut in place of Sam Beasant and won the ‘man of the match’ award. The Cards struggled up front, barely registering a shot on goal all evening. In fact, very few attacking moves were created, not helped by a heavy pitch and the absence of the suspended Keiran Murtagh. At least Keiran will be available for selection on Saturday, having missed Tuesday night's game following his sening off at Welling.
Garry made it clear in his post-match interview on WFC TV that the side, now only five points off the relegation places, is now in a battle to avoid the drop. Whichever team loses on Saturday can expect to be uncomfortably close to the fourth-from-bottom slot.
LINCOLN CITY
The Imps had a promising start to the season, winning four, drawing one and losing one game in August but things went downhill after that. September saw two league wins, October none, November one and December none. This month, so far, has seen creditable draws away at Grimsby and at home to Luton, a fine 4-1 home win over Alfreton and, on Tuesday, a 3-1 defeat at Macclesfield. Like Woking, Lincoln were also given a hiding in the FA Trophy by North Ferriby United, losing 4-0 at home.
The Imps now sit in 17th place in the table, ahead of Woking by a goal difference of one, having played one game more.
Lincoln’s squad includes ex-Card Delano Sam-Yorke, who, together with left-winger Mitch Austin, is on loan from Cambridge United.
GETTING THERE
Sincil Bank Stadium
Lincoln
Lincolnshire
LN5 8LD
By coach
The Cards Trust’s coach leaves Kingfield at 10.00am. The cost is only £16 for members and £21 for non-members. Ring the Club Shop on 01483 772470 or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk to book your place.
By car
Exit the A1 at sliproad Lincoln A46. Follow the A46 into Lincoln (which leads onto the High St) and the ground is indicated from there. If you follow the signs for 'away coaches' then this leads you onto the A158 South Park Avenue, where there is plenty of street parking to be found (although it is a ten-minute walk to the ground).
By train
The nearest station is Lincoln Central, which is a 15-minute walk from the ground. Trains from KX involve at least one change. The 11.03 would get you to Lincoln at 13.30 via a change at Newark North Gate. The 11.35 would get you there at 14.05, while the 11.48 would get you there at 14.07, this time via a change at Retford. There is a train back at 17.22, arriving at KX at 19.46, via a change at Retford. Check out www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com for more details.
ADMISSION PRICES
Co-op / Echo Stand
Adults: £18
Concessions: £13
Juniors: £7
Bridge McFarland Stand
Adults: £16
Concessions: £11
Juniors: £7
LAST TIME OUT
Woking 0 Lincoln City 0
10 August 2013
The opening game of the season proved to be a hard-fought, cagey affair, with relatively few chances created by either side. In what was to become a familiar story, the Cards looked short of striking options and, not for the last time, Garry Hill resorted in the second half to throwing Joe McNerney up front to disturb an otherwise fairly comfortable Imps’ back line. Woking finished the stronger of the two sides but a draw was a fair result.
Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, John Nutter, Jack Parkinson, Brett Johnson, Mark Ricketts, Josh Payne, Lee Sawyer (Anthony McNamee 72), Gavin Williams (George Frith 86), Kevin Betsy, Gavin McCallum (Joe McNerney 58).
Unused Subs: Sam Beasant, Giuseppe Sole.
Goal(s): None.
Booked: Payne 88.
Lincoln City: Paul Farman, Dan Gray, Nat Brown, Andrew Boyce, Sean Newton, Luke Foster, Jon Nolan, Mamadou Fofana, Alan Power, Nick Wright (Bohan Dixon 72), Ben Tomlinson.
Unused Subs: David Preece, Waide Fairhurst, Danny Rowe, Jake Sheridan.
Goal(s): None.
Booked: Foster 29, Tomlinson 64.
Attendance: 1,845
NEXT GAME
The Cards’ next game is at home to Leatherhead on Monday 27 January in the Quarter-Final of the Surrey Senior Cup; kick-off at 7.45pm. On Saturday 1 February Woking are at home to Forest Green Rovers in the league.
Come on, you Cards!