LCS Events
FCP
7:45pm - MondayMon 3rd FebruaryFeb 2014
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 1131

Woking
Woking
3 - 0

Hereford United
Hereford United

Vital game on Monday evening

Brian Caffarey
3:07pm, Sun 2nd Feb 2014
Woking v Hereford United
7.45pm on Monday 3 February 2014

Cards fans will be hoping that the Kingfield pitch will have dried out in time to allow Monday evening’s game against the Bulls to take place. They will be particularly keen to welcome back Jack Marriott and Scott Rendell, who formed such an effective partnership up front towards the end of 2013. Hereford are likely to prove a stiff test, being unbeaten in their last four league games. Come on down to Kingfield to cheer on the Cards in this crucial league game!

WOKING

It was a frustrating weekend for Woking fans as the grim weather dashed their hopes of seeing the Cards take on Forest Green Rovers. In the games that were played Lincoln City had a good home win over FC Halifax, which took them three points above Woking in the table, but Chester lost at home to Welling United so did not make up any ground and remain just above the relegation places. The Cards stay six points above Tamworth in 21st place, so a win on Monday evening would extend the safety margin to nine points, although Tamworth have games in hand.

HEREFORD UNITED

Hereford are having a difficult season, hampered by their precarious financial position: they launched an appeal in December for £35k to help pay that month’s wage bill. But they’ve had a good January on the pitch, winning two and drawing two – which was sufficient to win Martin Foyle the ‘manager of the month’ award.

They currently lie in 15th place in the table, six points above Woking, having played one game more. After a reasonably bright start to the season their form dipped in September/October, with only two wins in 12 league and cup games. Results picked up in November, including a 3-0 away thumping of Southport and a 3-2 win at home over FC Halifax Town, until the surprise 3-0 defeat in the Trophy at the hands of the Cards. Subsequently, the Bulls had a couple of good home wins against Cambridge United and Forest Green Rovers but lost at home to Nuneaton and away at Kidderminster on Boxing Day. Last month the Bulls drew away at Forest Green Rovers, beat both Southport and Salisbury City at home and drew away at Kidderminster Harriers.

Familiar names include striker Michael Rankine, midfielder Rob Purdie and former loanee at Kingfield, left-back Chris Bush. But they have lost Josh O’Keefe, sold to rivals Kidderminster Harriers. Other recent departures are loanee Micah Evans, Eric Odhiambo and Damon Lathrope.

ADMISSION PRICES

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

LAST TIME OUT

Hereford United 0 Woking 3
FA Trophy 1st Round
30 November 2013

A first-half onslaught crushed the Bulls in this Trophy tie. Keiran Murtagh made his debut in his third loan spell, with Mark Ricketts moving to right back and Mike Cestor starting alongside Joe McNerney at centre back.

The Cards took the lead in the 13th minute after Jack Marriott had made inroads into the Hereford defence, releasing Charles Banya, whose pinpoint cross was slotted home by Scott Rendell. Marriott made it 2-0 on 33 minutes, thumping the ball high into the net after his first effort had been blocked. Three minutes later it was 3-0 as Rendell was again in the right place to shoot home after the Bulls’ keeper could only parry shots from Kevin Betsy and Keiran Murtagh.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Mark Ricketts, Joe McNerney, Mike Cestor, John Nutter, Kevin Betsy, Keiran Murtagh, Josh Payne (Jack Parkinson 65), Charles Banya (Adam Newton 72), Jack Marriott, Scott Rendell (Gez Sole 78)

Unused subs: Aaron Howe, John Goddard

Hereford United: Daniel Lloyd-Weston, Dom Collins, Danny Leadbitter, Rod McDonald, Joel Edwards (Damon Lathrope 46), Micah Evans, Josh O’Keefe, Frankie Artus, Dan Walker, Sam Smith (Eric Odhiambo 46), Michael Rankine.

Unused subs : Rhys Evans, Chris Bush, Luke Graham

Goals: Scott Rendell 10, 36 Jack Marriott 33

Attendance: 1,041

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

The 56-page matchday programme on Monday, produced for the original fixture date, is being sold at a bargain £2 and also includes an insert giving up-to-date squad information and Garry Hill’s thoughts on his recent signings. The programme itself includes an interview with new Cards Trust Chair, Peter Holdsworth, another ‘where are they now?’ feature by Liam Newman and memories by Richard Mason of a remarkable game. 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

NEXT UP

The Cards’ next home league game is not until Saturday 22 February 2014 when they entertain Macclesfield Town. Before then the Cards have three tough away trips: to Salisbury City on Tuesday 11 February, Gateshead on Saturday 15 February and Dartford on Tuesday 18 February. (The game originally scheduled for Saturday 8 February, away to FC Halifax Town, was brought forward and played on Saturday 7 December 2013.)

Come on, you Cards!

Returning Stars Inspire Woking Victory

Glen Harrington
9:22am, Tue 4th Feb 2014
Woking 3 Hereford United 0

The Skrill Premier

3rd February 2014

Returning strike duo Jack Marriott and Scott Rendell inspired Woking to an impressive 3-0 victory over Hereford United, as the Cards moved nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Ipswich loanee Marriott opened the scoring with his tenth goal of the season, while former Luton forward Rendell set up the third goal of the evening for man-of-the-match Josh Payne.

Keiran Murtagh netted the home side’s other goal with a well-placed shot from the edge of the area as Garry Hill’s side grabbed their first league win in four games.

Visitors Hereford rarely threatened, with January’s Skrill Premier ‘Manager of the Month’ Martin Foyle seeing his team suffer defeat for the first time since Boxing Day.

The hosts made three changes from their last outing, a 2-2 draw against Lincoln City at the end of last month, with Rendell, Marriott and goalkeeper Sam Beasant replacing Giuseppe Sole, the injured Mike Cestor and Mason Springthorpe. Sole dropped onto the bench alongside Aaron Howe, Anthony McNamee, Reece Beckles and new loan signing Joey Jones.

As a result, the Cards lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with a midfield of Payne, Murtagh, John Goddard and Kevin Betsy playing just behind Marriott and Rendell.

After a slow start from both teams, the home side began to find their feet, with John Nutter firing wide and Joe McNerney heading a Payne corner over the Hereford crossbar. The link-up play from the Cards was particularly impressive, emphasised by a move started by Murtagh, whose pass was headed down by Rendell into the path of Goddard, where an excellent tackle from Dominic Collins was all that prevented the midfielder getting a shot in on goal.

The Woking breakthrough seemed inevitable, and eventually came thanks to further strong build-up play in midfield. Payne got hold of possession and found John Nutter in space on the left-hand side. The fullback’s cross was inch-perfect, as was the leap of Marriott, whose glancing header flew past the despairing dive of Bulls keeper Daniel Lloyd-Weston and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Just two minutes later, and Woking’s lead was doubled. Betsy managed to twist and turn on the edge of the Hereford area and find Goddard. The ball was then moved on to Payne, who looked to have spurned any opportunity to shoot, with multiple defenders throwing their bodies in the way. But rather than waste the chance, Payne patiently rolled the ball into Murtagh, who found just enough space to get a shot away and find the bottom left-hand corner.

Things could have got even better for the home side. Twice Payne came close to setting Marriott clean through on goal, while Nutter’s free-kick, deflected off the head of a Hereford defender, flew just wide with the goalkeeper scrambling.

Further joy down the left-hand side saw Nutter send in another dangerous cross, which was headed back across goal by Joe McNerney for Rendell, whose effort was smartly stopped by the feet of Lloyd-Weston.

The Hereford 'keeper had to once again be at his best when Betsy cut in from the right and forced a save, with Rendell following up and also having his shot blocked by the Bulls stopper. Payne and Marriott also came close for the hosts, while the visitors' best chance was when Michael Rankine saw his effort blocked by the impressive Nutter.

Half-time: Woking 2 Hereford United 0

After an extremely poor first-half showing, Hereford came out a much improved team after the break, with Kingsley James and Frankie Artus both passing up early opportunities to narrow the deficit. At the other end, Marriott might have put the game to bed had it not been for another fine diving save from Lloyd-Weston.

The visitors quickly looked to their substitutes bench for inspiration, bringing on Dan Walker, Sam Smith and Daniel Leadbitter, in place of Artus, Chris Sharp and Collins. Despite the changes, the Bulls struggled to create chances with regularity. What good play they did produce came through Rankine, who did manage to force a save from Beasant with 20 minutes remaining.

Woking responded to Hereford’s increased pressure and possession by bringing on Jones for his debut, in place of stand-in captain Adam Newton, who passed the armband onto McNerney. Sole and Beckles also came on, replacing Marriott and Payne.

But before Payne departed, he still had time to cap his fantastic performance with a stunning goal: exchanging passes with Rendell before thrashing the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net.

It was an excellent, and totally professional all-round performance from the Cards, as they earned their second successive 3-0 victory over Hereford. The result moves Woking above Lincoln, into sixteenth place in the league table, 14 points short of the initial 50-point target.

The returning Marriott and Rendell, along with man-of-the-match Payne, will deservedly get the plaudits, but in truth they were far from the only stand-out performers. Murtagh had arguably his best game since signing on loan from Mansfield, while Brett Johnson also impressed, keeping Rankine extremely quiet throughout the night. Nutter was a constant threat down the Woking left, while Beasant was a commanding presence on his return to the team.

Cards fans will be hoping for more of the same as they begin a run of three successive away matches, starting next Tuesday at Salisbury.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Adam Newton (Joey Jones 75), John Nutter, Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Kevin Betsy, Keiran Murtagh, Josh Payne (Reece Beckles 90), John Goddard, Jack Marriott (Giuseppe Sole 85), Scott Rendell.

Unused Subs: Aaron Howe, Anthony McNamee.

Goals: Marriott 24, Murtagh 26, Payne 88.

Booked: Johnson 80

Hereford United: Daniel Lloyd-Weston, Dominic Collins (Daniel Leadbitter 62), Luke Graham, Rod McDonald, Chris Bush, Jonathan Brown, Frankie Artus (Dan Walker 55), Kingsley James, Jamie Edge, Michael Rankine, Chris Sharp (Sam Smith 62).

Unused Subs: Rhys Evans, Rob Purdie.

Booked: Graham 90

Sponsor's MOTM: Josh Payne – Outstanding performance in the middle of the park. He had a hand in setting up both the first-half goals before smashing in the third himself.

Attendance: 1,131


WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
2Adam Newton
3John Nutter
5Joe McNerney
6Brett Johnson
20Josh Payne
26Keiran Murtagh
11Kevin Betsy
22John Goddard
21Scott Rendell
25Jack Marriott
BENCH
1Aaron Howe
30Joe Jones
14Anthony McNamee
10Giuseppe Sole
34Reece Beckles
Hereford United LINEUP

Woking 3-0 Hereford United (Garry Hill Interview)

Interview with Josh Payne

David Holmes
10:43pm, Mon 3rd Feb 2014

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