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3:00pm - SaturdaySat 2nd OctoberOct 2021
Meadow Lane Stadium | Att: 5807

Notts County
Notts County
1 - 4

Woking
Woking

Exciting Cards looking to cause another upset

Glen Harrington
9:40am, Fri 1st Oct 2021
Notts County vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 2nd October 2021


Woking will look to make it two National League giant killings in the space of a week as they travel to Notts County this coming Saturday.

The Cards have certainly given returning supporters value for money so far this season, with 22 goals in six games, including another four-goal thriller on Tuesday evening. After coming out on the wrong end of a 3-2 defeat at Eastleigh last Saturday, Woking fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst against unbeaten second-place Chesterfield, a feeling exasperated by Saidou Khan’s fluke first-half opener – a well-struck clearance from inside his own half catching Craig Ross by surprise and dropping into the net. But once again the Cards rocked their more-fancied opponents with their physicality and tenacity, exemplified by Tahvon Campbell, who’s persistence led to him scoring the equaliser and making the third goal for substitute Inih Effiong. He also had time to turn in Kyran Lofthouse’s cross to make it six goals and three assists for him this season.

Campbell will undoubtedly be the first name on the teamsheet for manager Alan Dowson against one of the forward’s former clubs, Notts County, who are of course another of the league’s growing list of fallen Football League giants with significant pedigree and stature. Dowse certainly won’t be phased after seeing his team score at least twice in five out of six games so far – something the Cards only managed in 14 of 43 league games last season – and with seven different scorers as well. George Oakley is the only fresh injury concern for the Woking boss. The striker limped off after a heavy challenge on Tuesday evening and may not be risked from the start.

Opposition Watch

Notts County are in their third season in non-league football following relegations in 2015 and 2019. They have finished third and fifth in their first two seasons in the National League, losing a play-off final to Harrogate Town and a play-off semi-final to Torquay United. They have also lost successive FA Trophy semi-finals, against Harrogate and AFC Hornchurch, who both went onto win the competition.

Despite their relative success, manager Neil Ardley was dismissed in March of this year and replaced by Ian Burchnall, who has previously managed in Scandinavia with Viking of Norway and Sweden’s Ostersunds. He has endured a mixed start to his first full season in charge of the club with four wins, three draws and one defeat from the first eight league matches, placing them sixth in the early table. After a 5-0 thrashing of Barnet on the opening day, things have proved more challenging, with draws against Torquay, Wrexham and Weymouth, narrow wins over Aldershot, Wealdstone and Maidenhead, and last time out defeat at Altrincham.

Their signings over the summer break included Kyle Cameron and Aaron Nemane, both with Torquay last season, defender Ed Francis from Harrogate, midfielder Matt Palmer from Swindon, and forward Kairo Mitchell from Chesterfield. Notable departures included Enzio Boldewijn, to Sutton United, and Jake Reeves to Stevenage. Their key man is Callum Roberts who has now recovered from a long-term injury. Striker Kyle Wootton is aiming for a third successive year as the club’s top scorer.

Recent Meetings

• Woking 2-4 Notts County – 5th April 2021, National League (Kretzschmar, Ashford)
• Notts County 1-0 Woking – 5th December 2020, National League
• Notts Count 1-1 Woking – 15th February 2020, National League (Kretzschmar)
• Woking 0-4 Notts County – 29th October 2019, National League

On the Day

Notts County’s home ground is Meadow Lane. The postcode is NG2 3HJ.

Tickets can be purchased online here. The cost is £20 for adults, £14 for concessions and students, and between £1 and £7 for those under 18. Tickets can be bought on the day and the ticket office is only selling to Woking fans after 2pm to ease queues.

The Cards Trust is running a coach to this game. For full details please click here.

Cards break new boundaries with second half masterclass

William Bewsey
9:41pm, Sun 3rd Oct 2021
Notts County 1 Woking 4
Vanarama National League
2nd October 2021

No team had ever hit four goals past Notts County at Meadow Lane since they were relegated in 2019. That record looked certain to be extended as the game approached the 70-minute mark with a 1-0 lead to the Magpies. However, what was to follow would go down as a huge statement to the rest of the league.

The Cards travelled to Meadow Lane with hope after a second half demolition of Chesterfield on Tuesday night. Manager Alan Dowson was forced to make one change from that game, with George Oakley out injured. Inih Effiong came into the team following his late goal off the bench.

Notts County, in front of a crowd of almost 6,000, aimed to impose themselves on the game early. Summer signing Aaron Nemane was proving a handful for Josh Casey, getting plenty of joy down the wing. Notts, under the guidance of Ian Burchnall, former understudy to Graham Potter, were dominating possession and trying to create.

But it was Woking who had the first half chance. A quick throw in from Kyran Lofthouse found in form forward Tahvon Campbell who teed up Effiong. He found time to take a shot, but it was well blocked by Richard Brindley.

Notts should have taken the lead, after a corner from Matty Palmer was headed across goal by Kairo Mitchell, and had Ruben Rodrigues got anything on the ball, it would’ve been 1-0 to Notts. However, Notts made their dominance count, twenty nine minutes on the clock and Ruben Rodrigues received the ball in space inside the box, producing a smart finish into the bottom corner.

The hosts continued to press, several openings coming to nothing, the best of which saw pinball in the box, Woking failing to clear their lines as Rodrigues, Brindley and Mitchell all came close.

Woking’s first significant attack since that Effiong chance saw another controversial decision. A corner found Rohan Ince, and he was sure the ball had crossed the line before Notts’ keeper Anthony Patterson could claw it away. The referee and linesman were not so sure, and gave a free kick to Notts for a foul instead.

Half time came and Woking were perhaps fortunate to only be one goal down. Despite the dubious ‘goal’, the Cards lacked possession and clear chances.

Half-time: Notts County 1 Woking 0

Notts aimed to pick up where they left off, the speedy Nemane tearing down the wing and winning a corner seconds after the restart. Woking were coming into the game, with Effiong trying to threaten, albeit to no avail.

Kairo Mitchell whipped in a dangerous cross on the hour mark, but there was no one in a black and white shirt to tap in. Tyreke Johnson was brought on with sixty four minutes on the clock, and the impact was almost instant. He took on his man several times, winning throw ins and pushing Woking up the pitch.

Johnson whipped in a dangerous cross, Notts failed to clear and Solomon Nwabuokei managed to feed Inih Effiong. Woking’s number nine made it two in two games with a clinical finish off the post.

Inih readies himself to score Woking’s first
Inih readies himself to score Woking’s first
Phil Fiddes


Five minutes later, Woking won a corner, and it was two. Kretzschmar’s dangerous ball was met by the towering head of Moussa Diarra, and the ball took a slight deflection before finding the net.

Another 3 minutes on and it was ‘game over’. Tahvon Campbell continued his scoring streak, picking up the loose ball after Notts yet again failed to clear, and slotting into the corner of the net. In just eight minutes, Woking had silenced the home fans and caused bedlam in the away end.

Max Kretzschmar almost made it four with a free kick attempt that just whistled past the post. Woking managed to kill the game off with a number of fouls. There was just one last save for Craig Ross to pull off, Matty Palmer’s speculative effort saved brilliantly by the Woking stopper.

The following corner was cleared away, before Tahvon Campbell sealed the deal. He left the keeper on the floor before tapping into an empty net and running over to a jubilant away end.

An incredible week for Dowse’s men, scoring seven goals past two of the league’s tightest defences, and in Tahvon Campbell they have a man on fire. The sky is the limit for Dowse’s new look Cards.

Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 2 Kyran Lofthouse, 3 Josh Casey, 4 Tom Champion (Tyreke Johnson 64’), 5 Joe McNerney, 6 Moussa Diarra, 8 Solomon Nwabuokei (Tarryn Allarakhia 90’), 9 Inih Effiong, 10 Max Kretzschmar (Kane Thompson-Sommers 88’), 19 Tahvon Campbell, 24 Rohan Ince

Unused subs: Mark Smith, Jamar Loza

Goals: Effiong 70’, Diarra 75’, Campbell 78’, 90+5

Notts County 25 Anthony Patterson; 23 Adam Chicksen, 24 Alex Lacey, 22 Ciaran Brennan, 2 Richard Brindley; 6 Jim O'Brien (17 Frank Vincent 84'), 18 Matt Palmer, 20 Ruben Rodrigues, 7 Kairo Mitchell, 11 Aaron Nemane (27 Lewis Knight 76' (16 Dion Kelly-Evans 90')), 9 Kyle Wootton

Unused subs:3 Joel Taylor, 19 Edward Francis

Goals: Rodrigues 28’

Bookings: Brennan, Rodrigues, Mitchell

Referee: Martin Woods

Attendance: 5,807

Man of the Match: Tahvon Campbell made it eight goals in seven games with another double, a clinical performance
Notts County LINEUP
25Anthony Patterson
2Richard Brindley
23Adam Chicksen
22Ciaran Brennan
24Alex Lacey
6Jim OBrien ('83)
18Matt Palmer
20Ruben Rodrigues
7Kairo Mitchell
9Kyle Wootton
11Aaron Nemane ('76)
BENCH
3Joel Taylor
16Dion Kelly-Evans ('90)
14Ed Francis
17Frank Vincent ('83)
15Lewis Knight ('76) ('90)
WOKING LINEUP
13Craig Ross
2Kyran Lofthouse
3Josh Casey
5Joe McNerney
6Moussa Diarra
4Tom Champion ('65)
24Rohan Ince
8Solomon Nwabuokei ('90)
10Max Kretzschmar ('89)
19Tahvon Campbell
9Inih Effiong
BENCH
1Mark Smith
17Tarryn Allarakhia ('90)
22Kane Thompson-Sommers ('89)
11Tyreke Johnson ('65)
7Jamar Loza

Notts County 1-4 Woking | Ian Dyer Interview

Notts County 1-4 Woking | Inih Effiong Interview

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