MKJ Group
7:45pm - TuesdayTue 3rd OctoberOct 2023
The Laithwaite Community Stadium | Att: 2350

Woking
Woking
1 - 2

FC Halifax Town
FC Halifax Town

Match Preview and Guide | FC Halifax Town (H)

William Bewsey
11:59am, Mon 2nd Oct 2023
Woking vs FC Halifax Town
Vanarama National League
Tuesday 3rd October 2023
19:45 Kick-Off


Woking will hope to climb back into the National League top seven when they host FC Halifax Town at the Laithwaite on Tuesday.

Saturday's 2-0 win at AFC Fylde was much needed; not just because it got the Cards their first win in four, but also because Dennon Lewis, Sam Habergham and Reece Grego-Cox made returns to the matchday squad, with the former two both getting valuable minutes. And with the news that Rohan Ince could be back for Tuesday, Woking will hope this means players can be rotated ahead of another home game on Saturday.

Around the Ground
Ticket pricing and other details are available here.

This is the second game of the 'Two for Tuesday' promotion, meaning anyone who bought tickets to the Ebbsfleet home game online will be able to use that ticket for this fixture.

Opposition Watch
FA Trophy winners last season, the Shaymen lost top scorer Mani Dieseruvwe in the summer to Hartlepool United, and he's proved hard to replace. Only Kidderminster and Maidenhead have scored less than Halifax this season, with just 12 goals scored; they've failed to score on five occasions so far. Rob Harker with three goals scored is the Shaymen's top scorer.

However, just two teams (Solihull Moors and Bromley) have conceded less goals (13) than Chris Millington's side, landing them the joint third best defensive record in the league, along with the Cards. Following the loss of captain Jack Senior to League Two side Doncaster Rovers, Halifax landed former Bolton loanee Adam Senior on a permanent deal, and there's a familiar face in midfield in former Woking loanee Kane Thompson-Sommers, signed from Hereford in the summer.

The Shaymen have won three, drawn six and lost four of their opening 13 games, meaning they currently sit 16th with a points return of 15. Away from home, they've won two, drawn two and lost two, with both wins coming against Greater Manchester sides in Oldham and Rochdale.

Last Time Out
Rob Harker's goal was enough to effectively end Woking's hopes of a third placed finish last season, as despite Mani Dieseruvwe's second half red card, the Shaymen were 1-0 victors at the Laithwaite in late April.

This was in complete contrast to the demolition job inflicted on Halifax at the Shay in October 2022, as two goals from Reece Grego-Cox, a James Daly opener and a Kian Spence own goal saw the Cards run out 4-0 victors.

Since Woking were promoted back into the division in 2019, they've won two of the eight matchups with the Shaymen, losing four and drawing two. Their last win at the Laithwaite against Halifax was in April 2015, when two stoppage time goals saw the ten man Cards win 3-2 in the last game of the 2014/15 season.

Match Report | Cards defeated at the death again

William Bewsey
9:44pm, Tue 3rd Oct 2023
Woking 1-2 FC Halifax Town
Vanarama National League
3rd October 2023

Woking hosted FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night for their first fixture of October. On the back of Saturday’s win at Fylde, Darren Sarll made three changes, with Josh Casey suffering from illness being replaced by Sam Habergham, whilst Scott Cuthbert and Luke Wilkinson dropped to the bench in place of Greg Taylor and Timi Odusina. There was also a welcome return to the bench for Rohan Ince after an injury that had seen him miss the last 11 games.

Halifax kicked off towards the KRE, and after a fairly even opening eight minutes, the first real opening of note was created by Padraig Amond, who flicked Zak Bradshaw’s header over a defender, before not quite getting enough on his effort at goal, as it trickled through to Sam Johnson. A Habergham long throw was then fired just over by Amond on 17 minutes as Woking looked to seize the initiative.

The dangerous Angelo Cappello weaved his way into the box, and his shot on 28 minutes took a deflection and trickled past the post, before Woking broke through Dennon Lewis from the resulting corner. His shot was well parried by Johnson, and Bradshaw couldn’t convert the follow up. Just a minute later, Jim Kellermann’s initial shot was blocked, before his follow up cannoned off the bar and over as the Cards looked dangerous.

In first half stoppage time, Woking had a deserved lead. Great work from Kellermann saw him find Tunji Akinola on the edge of the box, and his powerful left footed shot wasn’t read by Johnson, who only got an arm to it and the ball landed in his net. Relief for the Cards, who had knocked on the Halifax door a few times earlier in the half.

Half-time: Woking 1-0 FC Halifax Town

Woking started the second half with urgency, as a Kellermann shot from a tight angle was saved by Johnson, before a flurry of corners and a free kick saw the Halifax defence called into action a couple of times. Excellent work between Amond and Alfie Pavey saw Lewis fire just over on the half volley, and with 63 minutes gone, Bradshaw fired over via a deflection, with the Cards pushing for a second goal.

Great work from Pavey on 71 minutes saw him pick the ball up, drive towards goal and force a superb low save from Johnson from his low drive, before he fired over from the following corner. This was then followed by the much awaited return to action for Rohan Ince and Reece Grego-Cox, as they replaced Kellermann and Pavey.

Halifax were awarded a penalty on 76 minutes, when Millenic Alli was brought down inside the box, and Angelo Cappello’s spot kick squirmed under Jaaskelainen to bring the Shaymen level.

Woking were livid on 90 minutes when Grego-Cox was bundled over in the box whilst awaiting a cross, but somehow referee Wayne Cartmel didn’t point to the spot.

A superb save from Sam Johnson kept out Lewis’s header at the back post following superb work from Amond down the right, before Halifax completed the ultimate smash and grab when Tylor Golden’s left footed strike found the top corner.

Woking: Will Jaaskelainen, Dan Moss, Sam Habergham, Timi Odusina, Greg Taylor (Wilkinson 89’), Padraig Amond, Dennon Lewis, Tunji Akinola, Alfie Pavey (Grego-Cox 72’), Jim Kellermann (Ince 72’), Zak Bradshaw.

Unused subs: Andre, Cuthbert

Goals: Akinola 45+2’

Bookings: Odusina 92’

Halifax: Sam Johnson, Tylor Golden, Adam Senior (Wright 74’), Jamie Stott, Ryan Galvin, Jordan Hunter, Florent Hoti, Millenic Alli, Angelo Cappello (Evans 87’), Andrew Oluwabori (Cosgrave 64’)

Unused subs: Wilson, Thompson-Sommers

Goals: Cappello 78’, Golden 97’

Bookings:

Referee: Wayne Cartmel

Attendance: 2350

Man of the Match: Jim Kellermann
WOKING LINEUP
22Will Jaaskelainen
2Dan Moss
28Sam Habergham
21Timi Odusina
5Greg Taylor ('89)
16Tunji Akinola
17Jim Kellermann ('72)
20Zak Bradshaw
11Dennon Lewis
29Alfie Pavey ('72)
10Padraig Amond
BENCH
1Alexis Andre Jr.
4Scott Cuthbert
6Luke Wilkinson ('89)
24Rohan Ince ('72)
9Reece Grego-Cox ('72)
FC Halifax Town LINEUP
1Sam Johnson
2Tylor Golden
3Ryan Galvin
5Adam Senior ('74)
6Jamie Stott
16Jordan Keane
8Jack Hunter
18Florent Hoti
7Angelo Cappello ('87)
22Andrew Oluwabori ('65)
11Millenic Alli
BENCH
25Tom Wilson
12Jack Evans ('87)
14Kane Thompson-Sommers
17Max Wright ('74)
19Aaron Cosgrave ('65)

Woking 1-2 FC Halifax Town | Darren Sarll Interview

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