Specsavers
FCP
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 15th FebruaryFeb 2014
Gateshead International Stadium | Att: 706

Gateshead
Gateshead
0 - 2

Woking
Woking

Cards face difficult trip north

Glen Harrington
5:15pm, Thu 13th Feb 2014
Gateshead v Woking
3pm on Saturday 15 February 2014

Saturday sees the second of three tough away trips in succession for Garry Hill’s side. On Tuesday night the Cards were unfortunate to lose out at Salisbury City, falling to a 2-0 defeat after an encouraging first-half. However, they will need to rediscover the form they showed in the 3-0 home success against Hereford United, if they’re to come out on top against the play-off chasing Heed, who are making a concerted challenge for a top five place.


WOKING

Despite Tuesday’s result, Woking remain in 18th place in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone, with 36 points from 30 matches. Tamworth and Hyde were the only teams below the Cards to play in mid-week: playing out a 1-1 draw. A run of three away matches for Woking finishes next Tuesday against Dartford, before Macclesfield Town visit the following Saturday.

With Mark Ricketts having returned to action against Salisbury, Mike Cestor is the only name still on the Card’s injury list.


GATESHEAD

Gateshead have invested heavily in their squad and, with a recent upturn in results, are now making a serious challenge for a play-off spot. They currently sit in fourth place with 50 points from 31 games, having lost only one of their last ten league games. At home, January saw draws against Aldershot and Welling but, most recently, a 3-1 win over fellow play-off candidates Kidderminster Harriers.

Well-known names in the squad include former Everton and Sunderland midfielder John Oster; strikers Liam Hatch, Colin Larkin and James Marwood; and experienced midfielder Phil Turnbull. Marcus Maddison is the in-form striker, with goals in his last three games. A recent addition is 38 year-old Jack Lester, a forward with over 550 League appearances to his credit, including with Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United and Chesterfield. Other recent arrivals are Jordan Holt, a young defender from Notts County, whilst JJ O’Donnell’s loan from Luton has been extended till the end of the season.

Gateshead’s game at Welling last Saturday was postponed and they didn’t have a midweek fixture.


GETTING THERE

The International Stadium
Neilson Road
Gateshead
Tyne and Wear
NE10 0EF

Official website: www.gateshead-fc.com

By mini-bus

The Cards Trust mini-bus leaves Kingfield at 7.30am. Thanks to a generous donation from a Cards Trust member the cost is only £15 for members. For non-members the cost is £39. Ring or email the Club Shop (01483 772470 or shop@wokingfc.co.uk) to find out if any places are left.

By car

Take the A1(M) to its junction with the A194(M), just north of Washington Services. Take the A194(M) to the end of the motorway. At the roundabout turn left onto the A184 towards Gateshead. The International Stadium is on the right after about three miles. Car parking is available at the ground.

By train

There are frequent trains from London KX to Newcastle, from where you can take the Metro to Gateshead. The stadium has its own Metro stop, which is only five minutes’ walk away. Look up www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com for details of train times and prices.


ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £14
Over 60s and Students: £9
Under 16s: £2

Woking fans will be seated in the north-west corner of the Tyne and Wear Stand.


LAST TIME OUT

Woking 1 Gateshead 2
31 August 2013

A dispiriting afternoon for Cards fans saw Woking start brightly only to fall two goals behind after half an hour, with only a 90th minute penalty from Gavin Williams to provide any consolation. This was the Cards’ third successive defeat.

Woking lined up with Joe McNerney continuing in a lone striker role. Several presentable chances were spurned by the home side before Gateshead took the lead in the 20th minute against the run of play, James Brown bursting through several half-hearted tackles before his deflected shot looped over Aaron Howe. A slick move ten minutes later saw Jamie Chandler double the lead.

Woking came into the game more in the second half but only had the late penalty to show for their efforts.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton (Anthony McNamee 70), Brett Johnson, Jack Parkinson, Mike Cestor, Mark Ricketts, Lee Sawyer, Gavin Williams, Kevin Betsy, Gavin McCallum (Freddie Ladapo 62), Joe McNerney (Giuseppe Sole 70)

Unused subs: Sam Beasant, John Nutter

Goals: Williams (pen) (90)

Gateshead: Adam Bartlett, Carl Magnay, Ben Clark, Luke O'Brien, Jamie Chandler, Josh Walker, Phil Turnbull, Colin Larkin (Richard Brodie 69), Craig Baxter, James Brown (Adam Boyes 69), Liam Hatch

Unused subs: Jordan Nixon, Micky Cummins, Marcus Maddison

Goals: James Brown (20), Jamie Chandler (30)

Cautions: Phil Turnbull (38), Jamie Chandler (87), Adam Bartlett (90)

Attendance: 1230


COMING UP

The Cards are away to Dartford on Tuesday 18 February. Their next home league game is on Saturday 22 February when they entertain Macclesfield Town.


Come on, you Cards!

Nutter and Goddard strikes secure inspired victory

Malcolm Wyatt
10:19am, Sun 16th Feb 2014


Gateshead 0 Woking 2
The Skrill Premier
15th February 2014

A spirited Woking performance led to three precious away points as Garry Hill’s side out-gunned play-off contenders Gateshead on a rain-soaked International Stadium pitch.

The Cards moved nine places clear of the relegation zone and ended Garry Mills’ side’s nine-game unbeaten run with an assured and often gritty performance.

The visitors stunned the hosts with a second-minute John Nutter finish, weathering a second-half fight-back before John Goddard killed the game with a second 20 minutes from time.

It was no less than the visitors deserved, after a committed display, although there was doubt as to whether the match would even get the go-ahead after persistent rain during the day.

The Cards got the green light to head north after an 8am pitch inspection, but while Hill and his squad headed to the North-East by train via King’s Cross, morning rain gradually saturated the pitch.

But a meeting between Yorkshire referee Adrian Holmes, Hill and Mills led to a decision to go ahead, something the travelling party will be glad of.

There was a dream start for the Cards, early pressure leading to a Kevin Betsy cross from the right of the area and a relatively easy five-yard Nutter finish, the Tynesiders out-foxed in their own box.

Yet the hosts – fourth at the start of the day - fought back, with Marcus Maddison and Craig Baxter proving a handful on the right flank.

Maddison drilled just wide after a prolonged attack, while his next effort struck the post and was cleared, Sam Beasant expertly rallying his defence.

The imperious Joe McNerney on more than one occasion pulled off assured headed clearances.

Woking for their part looked dangerous on the break, with Jack Marriott stretching the home defence, but two early corners came to nothing, McNerney coming closest with a rising header.

Josh Payne’s strike from distance was stopped by Adam Bartlett, the home sponsors’ choice for man of the match, while at the other end James Brown tested Beasant.

After Baxter held off three challenges, Maddison was closed down again, while Joe Jones was starting to make an impact at the other end and played in Scott Rendell, but his shot was cut out too.

Betsy continued to press the home defence with his mazy runs, while Bartlett got down to a Marriott shot after a defence-splitting one-two with Rendell.

Brett Johnson stood his ground to deny James Marwood, an increasing threat for Gateshead, while Beasant made a diving save to stop a Lewis Sirrell long-range strike.

McNerney had his next towering header stopped by a home defender on the line, while Beasant gathered at the second attempt from a powerful Maddison free-kick.

After Woking’s next corner was cleared, Gateshead swiftly countered and Marwood tested Beasant from distance again, while JJ O’Donnell headed wide but was offside anyway.

Half-time: Gateshead 0 Woking 1

Mills’ half-time words proved the catalyst for a concerted spell of pressure from the Tynesiders after the break, but Woking remained resolute in their quest to stay in front.

McNerney cleared the first attack, while Baxter blazed over, Beasant then held on to a half-chance from former Everton player John Oster.

Woking might have added a second on the break after another great Jones through-ball, the ball taking a deflection but the resultant corner was cleared.

By the hour mark, Mills had introduced all three subs, but the Cards remained a threat on the break, Goddard denied by Bartlett after a lovely Rendell pass as the hosts appealed for offside.

Nutter headed away as a home striker lurked from Sirrell’s danger-ball, Woking continuing to stand their ground.

Subs Ryan Noble and Liam Hatch soon came into their own for the Tynesiders, but Mark Ricketts was at his best to cancel out the latter’s promising break, while Maddison’s next centre was too strong after good work by Marwood.

Maddison then tested Beasant with a cheeky near-post lob, the home crowd ever more vocal as the pressure continued.

But then came the killer moment in the 70th minute, Beasant’s long clearance falling perfectly for Rendell, whose pass was deflected but still found the tenacious Betsy, the veteran play-maker threading across the area. And while Marriott could not quite reach the ball, Goddard was on hand at the left of the area to slot home and put the game to bed.

Bartlett then denied Marriott again with the home defence stretched, while Payne struck from distance, and Marriott’s replacement Giuseppe Sole added a fresh threat.

Betsy drilled wide with Sole waiting after another great Payne delivery, while Sole showed too much of the ball to Bartlett after a neat Betsy lay-off.

While the crowd had been struck dumb by Goddard’s goal, the hosts continued to battle, but McNerney cleared the next danger-ball, and a Noble header just cleared the post.

And late visitors’ sub Niall Wright was back to deny Hatch as Gateshead eyed an injury-time consolation, Woking’s subsequent clean sheet another badge of pride on a day when the train ride home must have been all the sweeter.

Woking: Sam Beasant, Joe Jones (Niall Wright 90), John Nutter, Mark Ricketts ©, Joe McNerney, Brett Johnson, Kevin Betsy, Josh Payne, Scott Rendell, John Goddard, Jack Marriott (Giuseppe Sole 76),. Subs not used: Aaron Howe, Anthony McNamee, Reece Beckles.

Bookings: Marriott 43, Goddard 88.

Gateshead: Adam Bartlett, James Curtis, Ben Clark ©, Phil Turnbull, James Brown (Ryan Noble 52), Craig Baxter, James Marwood, Lewis Sirrell, Marcus Maddison, John Oster (Liam Hatch 60), JJ O’Donnell (Jamie Chandler 52). Subs not used: Carl Magnay, Josh Walker.

Attendance: 706.

My MOTM: Joe McNerney – difficult to choose on a day when every Woking player proved their worth, but the non-nonsense defender, busy at both ends, perfectly illustrated the visitors’ best qualities.
Gateshead LINEUP
WOKING LINEUP
18Sam Beasant
30Joe Jones ('90)
3John Nutter
5Joe McNerney
6Brett Johnson
4Mark Ricketts
20Josh Payne
11Kevin Betsy
22John Goddard
21Scott Rendell
25Jack Marriott ('76)
BENCH
1Aaron Howe
17Niall Wright ('90)
14Anthony McNamee
10Giuseppe Sole ('76)
34Reece Beckles

Interviews from Gateshead

Nick Shaw
5:25pm, Sat 15th Feb 2014
John Moore speaks to Garry Hill following the Cards' 2-0 win at Gateshead:





David Holmes speaks to Joe Jones after the loanee from Yeovil made his first start for Woking:

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