Seymours

Cards aim to consolidate lead

Brian Caffarey
7:45am, Thu 23rd Feb 2012
Hampton and Richmond Borough v Woking
3pm on Saturday 25 February 2012

The Cards travel to the Beveree on Saturday aiming to consolidate their 13-point lead at the top of the table. But Hampton are fighting desperately to avoid the drop and Garry Hill’s side haven’t always found it easy to extract three points from struggling teams this season. Make the short trip if you can and cheer the side on to another victory and another step closer to the title!

WOKING

The Cards now have a 13-point lead over Chelmsford City and a 14-point lead over Dartford and Welling United, but Dartford have two games in hand and Welling one. Whilst Woking’s lead is formidable at this stage of the season, there are still 13 games to play and no-one at Kingfield will be taking things for granted.

The Cards’ vital win over Dartford last Saturday owed a lot to some excellent defending, with some fine saves needed from Aaron Howe and tremendous all-round displays from Alan Inns and Adam Newton in particular. Kevin Betsy on his debut looked a little rusty, not surprisingly, but showed that he can still pick a pass. Garry Hill will no doubt be hoping we can get a stronger grip of the midfield on Saturday than we managed against an admittedly able Dartford outfit.

Mark Ricketts and Dale Binns will presumably still be missing but, with no suspensions and the likes of Paris Cowan-Hall, Mo Shariff and Joe McNerney all chomping at the bit for a starting place, Garry will have some difficult (but, in many ways, welcome) selection problems.

HAMPTON AND RICHMOND BOROUGH

Mark Harper’s side have been struggling all season and now lie one off the bottom of the table with 23 points from 27 games, with five wins, eight draws and 14 defeats so far and a goal deficit of 14. They have lost three out of their last four home league games, with defeats to Staines Town (1-2), Dartford (1-3) and, last Saturday, Eastleigh (0-4). A 1-1 draw against Tonbridge Angels was sandwiched between the Staines and Dartford results.

They have a predominantly young side and their cause hasn’t been helped by the loss of their captain, ex-Card Matt Ruby, with a knee injury: this was incurred in their 4-1 away defeat to Northwich Victoria in the FA Trophy on 14 February and is expected to end his season.

Two other ex-Cards are on the Beavers’ books: Charlie Moone and Joel Ledgister, who has now signed permanently from Sutton United following a successful loan spell earlier in the season. Hampton have several loan players helping them out, including Tobi Alabi, a striker from Millwall, but the main threat up front is likely to come from Dave Tarpey, now in his third season with the club.

GETTING THERE

The Beveree Stadium
Beaver Close
Off Station Road
Hampton
TW12 2BX

Website: www.hamptonfc.net

By coach

Leaves 1pm. Members £11; non-Members £16. Phone the Club Shop today to book your place (01483 772470) or email shop@wokingfc.co.uk

By car

From the A3 leave at the junction signed Hampton Court. Follow signs for Hampton Court, which will take you through Esher and past Sandown Park Race Course. Once over Hampton Court Bridge turn left onto Hampton Court Road. After about 1½ miles turn right into High Street, then left into Station Road. There are signs at the turnings on the Hampton Court Road, Station Road and outside Beaver Close directing you to the ground.

By train

The best bet is probably to go via Clapham Junction to Hampton (not Hampton Wick or Hampton Court), but you can also pick the train up at Wimbledon. The 12.46 and 13.17 from Woking, via Clapham Junction, should get you there at 13.53 and 14.23 respectively. The station is about a 10 minute walk to the ground: leave the station and turn left on Station Road. Trains back, via changes at New Malden and Surbiton, are at 21 minutes and 51 minutes past each hour. Check www.trainline.com for more details.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £11
Concessions: £6
U16s: £3

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 2 Hampton and Richmond Borough 1
16 August 2011

This, the second game of the season, was a very different affair from the Cards’ opening-day frolic at Sutton United when they had rattled in five goals without reply. The Beavers, well marshalled in defence by Matt Ruby, played it tight and set out to frustrate Garry Hill’s side. Moses Ademola made a lively start but the Cards soon became bogged down, with progress being made only through Ademola and Dale Binns on the flanks, while Hampton visibly grew in confidence.

Hampton began the second half brightly but the Cards regained control and took the lead in the 63rd minute when Ademola turned in Binns’s cross from a tight angle. However, the lead was short-lived as the enterprising Jacob Erskine got in front of Little to nick the ball past him.

Garry threw on Wayne Gray and Nathan Koranteng for Elvis Hammond and Dale Binns and both of the substitutes were involved in the move that led to the Cards gaining a penalty in the 84th minute for handball. Jack King converted but it was a nervous finale for the home side as the giant Leon Simpson came close to producing an equaliser.


Come on, you Cards!

NB. Don’t forget the Cards Trust Quiz Night on Friday 2 March (the evening before the Cards’ home game against Maidenhead United). Please support the Trust’s fundraising efforts.

Shop Online

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas Laithwaite Financial Services Boz's Fruit and Veg Jewson MKJ Peacock Construction Seymours The National League Vanarama

Woking Football Club Limited
A company incorporated in England and Wales (company number: ‍03329172)
Registered office The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

Click here to read our Data Protection Privacy Policy
Click here to read our Accessibility Statement