Committed performance needed in Cup trip

Torquay United v Woking
FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round
3pm on Saturday 15 October 2016

The Cards travel to Torquay United this Saturday in the FA Cup, hoping to repeat their victory over the Gulls in last month’s league fixture. But the Cards’ form away from home has been poor, while Torquay beat Dagenham and Redbridge in their last home game and were unlucky not to share the points at Chester last weekend. Cards fans will be hoping to at least see a more committed performance than in the 4-1 defeat at Sutton United last Saturday.

WOKING

Garry Hill’s post-match comments last Saturday were typically forthright and honest. It was a dreadful performance, lacking passion and commitment as well as being error-strewn. Once again, the Cards started prettily but folded as soon as they came under any real pressure. Once behind, the team’s heads seem to go down and they never looked like getting back in the game. No part of the team could be exempt from criticism. The strikers failed to hold the ball up, the midfield didn’t get its tackles in and the defence was easily breached.

It would be a big fillip, given the Cards’ cup record in recent seasons and current form, to get through to the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup, so let’s hope that the players have taken Garry’s criticisms to heart and give it their all on Saturday.

TORQUAY UNITED

The Gulls, under inspirational player/manager Kevin Nicholson, engineered a miraculous escape from relegation last season after suffering huge financial problems. A proposed takeover fell through over the summer and the club is now trying to re-establish itself with a community focus.

On the field, Nicholson was able to strengthen the side, presumably with money coming from the sale of captain Angus MacDonald to Barnsley for an undisclosed fee. Among the new arrivals were ex-Card Brett Williams; Sean McGinty, the ex-Aldershot defender; Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, a defender returning to the club; and Giancarlo Gallifuoco, an Australian U23 defender. Striker Jamie Reid is on loan from Exeter City. Players remaining from last season include striker Nathan Blissett; midfielder Luke Young; new captain Courtney Richards; defender Damon Lathrope and influential ex-Braintree winger Dan Sparkes.

Two recent arrivals are 19 year-old right back Billy Palfrey, on a youth loan from Plymouth Argyle, and 21 year-old striker Joel Ambalu, who came up through WBA’s youth set-up before injury stalled his career.

When the Gulls came to Kingfield a month ago they sat in 14th place in the table with 13 points from their opening nine games. Since then they have won only one game (a surprising 1-0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge in their last home fixture), drawn one and lost three. They now sit in 18th place, two places and five points above the Cards.

Midfielders Amon Verma and Dan Sparkes missed last Saturday’s narrow 1-0 defeat at in-form Chester with hamstring injuries. Ben Gerring will be suspended but Brett Williams, another absentee at Chester, will be available. Exeter City don’t want Jamie Reid to become cup-tied, so he will be missing.

GETTING THERE

Torquay United Football Club
Plainmoor
Torquay
Devon
TQ1 3PS

Official website: www.torquayunited.com

By coach

Ring (01483 772470) or email (shop@wokingfc.co.uk) the Club Shop, or email a.barn1572@btinternet.com to book your place on the Cards Trust coach. It leaves the Laithwaite Community Stadium at 8.30am and costs £25 for Members, £30 for Non-Members, and £13/£15 for Under 16s. Please note that Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult, with a maximum of two Under 16s travelling with one adult.

By car

M3, A303, A30 and M5 to Exeter. A380 to Newton Abbot (Penn Inn Roundabout). Follow signs to Torquay, past the Willows Shopping Centre, then next left at traffic lights. Follow signs for Torquay United/Plainmoor through three roundabouts. At top of hill traffic lights go straight on into Warbro Road. Ground is on the right-hand side. Away turnstiles are just off Warbro Road, down the lane next to the Gulls’ Lodge. AA estimate: three and a half hours for 170 miles.

By train

It’s a lengthy trip down to Torquay by train. The latest train you could get is the 09.46 from Woking which gets into Exeter St David’s at 12.42, where you’d change onto the 12.58 service, arriving at the main Torquay station at 13.43.

The Stadium is over two miles away from the main Torquay railway station and so a taxi (around £5) would probably be needed. Torre station, one stop before Torquay, is closest to the ground and so, if you are walking straight to the ground, it might be a good idea to alight there. Walk up the hill opposite the station and it’s around a 20-25 minute walk.

If you have time on your hands, you can walk to the Stadium from the main Torquay station in around 40 minutes. On leaving the station, turn left into Rathmore Road. Follow the road down crossing into Falkland Road. Proceed by way of Lucius Street and Tor Hill Road into Union Street. Take the St. Marychurch Road and climb the hill towards Babbacombe, then take the third turning on the right into Bronshill Road. The floodlights of the Launa Windows Stadium will be visible after a few minutes on the left.

There’s a train back at 17.16 (17.18 at Torre), which gets to Exeter St David’s at 18.10, with a service to Woking then leaving at 18.25, arriving at 21.29.

ADMISSION PRICES

BRISTOW'S BENCH/AWAY SEATING

£19 (adults)
£15 (Over 65s and NUS card holders)
£7 (Under 18s)
Free (Under 7s with full paying adult)

Popside /Away Terrace (standing)

£15 (adults)
£12 (Over 65s and NUS card holders)
£7 (U18s)
FREE (Under 7s with a full paying adult)

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 3 Torquay United 1
Vanarama National League
13 September 2016

The Cards produced their best performance of the season to overturn the Gulls’ 1-0 half-time lead with a stirring second-half comeback.

Garry Hill’s side were unfortunate to be behind at the break, trailing to a Gallifuoco goal in the 28th minute after the towering Nathan Blissett had got his head to a free-kick. But the deficit was cancelled out five minutes after half-time when Gozie Ugwu’s shot from a Nathan Ralph cross was blocked and then turned in by Delano Sam-Yorke. Nine minutes later the Cards took the lead after Jake Caprice had torn down the right flank to set up Dennon Lewis for a run and shot, with Sam-Yorke once again on hand to pick up the pieces.

Woking then had a superb 20-minute spell in which Fabio Saraiva in particular was unlucky not to add to his goal tally. Lewis added a third in the 86th minute with a superb solo effort.

Woking: Michael Poke, Jake Caprice, Nathan Ralph, Connor Essam, Joey Jones, Brian Saah, Keiran Murtagh (c), Fabio Saraiva (Charlie Carter 82), Dennon Lewis, Gozie Ugwu (Charlie Penny 85), Delano Sam-Yorke (Chike Kandi 70).

Subs not used: Max Kretzschmar, Brandon Hall

Goals: Delano Sam-Yorke 50, 59, Dennon Lewis 86

Torquay United: Brendan Moore, Aman Verma, Giancarlo Gallifuoco, Sean McGinty, Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, Courtney Richards (c), Luke Young, Joe Ward (Chay Scrivens 46), Jamie Reid (Brett Williams 57), Dan Sparkes (Sam Chaney 70), Nathan Blissett.

Subs not used: Damon Lathrope, Ben Gerring

Goal: Giancarlo Gallifuoco 28

Attendance: 1,115

COMING UP

Barring any FA Cup replay on Tuesday evening, the Cards’ next game will be at home to high-flying Barrow the following Saturday (22 October)


Come on, you Cards!

P.S. Don’t forget that the Youth team are at home to Radstock Town in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Youth Cup at 7.45pm on Thursday 20 October.