Cards travel to Spelthorne and Sutton for pre-season double header

Spelthorne Sports vs Woking,
followed by Sutton United vs Woking
Pre-Season Friendlies
Saturday 14th July 2018

The Cards play pre-season games three and four on Saturday as they make consecutive short journeys to minnows Spelthorne Sports and long-time National League and National League South rivals Sutton United.

Alan Dowson’s side have one win and one defeat to show from their first two weeks of pre-season with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fleet Town followed by a 3-1 defeat to League One side AFC Wimbledon in Giuseppe Sole’s appreciation match. Trialist Paul Hodges scored the Cards’ consolation against the Dons and he will likely be amongst those looking to impress again this weekend alongside the already contracted players.

Woking

Dowse had 19 players in his squad on Tuesday evening, in addition to Sole, with nine trialists on display. Only two of those trialists, former Sutton full-back Dan Spence and ex-Hull City striker Greg Luer, started the game. The Cards lined up with Sam Mason in goal, deputising for Berti Schotterl, a back four of Spence, new signing Josh Casey, Ian Gayle and Jack Cook, a midfield of Fabio Saraiva and Nathan Collier, with Luer, Sole and Nicky Wheeler playing behind Duane Ofori-Acheampong.

In addition to Declan Appau, making his first appearance since January after his comeback from injury, and academy goalkeeper Peter Arnold, substitutes included former Reading striker Nic Bignall, last with Hungerford; experienced forward Chris Dickson, a former Ghana international who has been a regular scorer for Chelmsford City in recent seasons; highly-rated Hartley Wintney midfielder Hodges, scorer on Tuesday; giant German Brandon Diau, who can play both centre-back and up front; midfielder James Dale, a regular in the Scottish leagues with Forfar and Brechin; Kofi Halliday, a former Aldershot youth team striker who has spent time in Sweden; and Samson Maagbe, a winger last with Kettering Town.

Charlie Wassmer and Christian Jolley were still not fit to start on Tuesday following their play-off run with Hampton and Richmond whilst Reggie Young was away with his family. The latter, at least, should be back to play some part on Saturday.

Spelthorne Sports and Sutton United

Woking’s first friendly of the day, starting at midday, is against ninth tier side Spelthorne, who finished tenth in the Combined Counties Premier League last season, some 47 points behind champions, and our near neighbours, Westfield – who we face in just under two weeks’ time.

Kicking off at the earlier time of 1.30pm, the Cards then take on familiar foes in Sutton United, who will provide a stern test for Dowse’s side after only missing out on promotion from the National League through the play-offs last season. The U’s have been familiar opponents for Woking during both their time in National League South and the National League over the last decade and there will be few surprises when the two teams lock horns again on Saturday at Gander Green Lane.

Sutton, managed by Paul Doswell, scored an impressive 2-0 win over newly promoted League One side Coventry City last weekend and the Cards will need to be at their best to get a result. The Sutton squad includes a number of familiar names, including ex-Woking players Aswad Thomas and Ross Lafayette. New signings thus far include former Forest Green Rovers duo Dale Bennett and Charlie Clough, but generally they look to be keeping the core of last season’s successful squad together, no doubt in the hope of challenging at the top end of the table once again.

Please get along to see one of the games if you can and cheer on the team ahead of England’s match with Belgium which kicks off later in the day.