Specsavers

Cards aim for first home win following derby day disappointment

Glen Harrington
7:25am, Sat 10th Aug 2019
Woking vs Harrogate Town
Vanarama National League
Saturday 10th August 2019


The Cards will be looking to record a first home success of the season on Saturday, when Harrogate Town will be the visitors to the Laithwaite Community Stadium, who themselves will be looking to defend an unbeaten start to the new campaign.

Hopes were high at Kingfield on Tuesday evening as a crowd of nearly 4,000 arrived on mass to see Woking’s first meeting with local rivals Aldershot Town in over year – fresh off the back of a hugely encouraging 2-0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge on the opening day of the season. However, whilst much has changed for the better at Woking over the last 12 months, the Shots remain something of a bogey side for the Cards and so it proved once again as Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong scored the only goal of the game, handing the Hampshire-side their first win under new boss Danny Searle. Manager Alan Dowson will now be aiming to get off the mark on home soil at the second attempt as his team take on play-off chasers Harrogate Town.

Town, manager by Simon Weaver, are amongst the favourites for promotion this season. They finished sixth last year, losing in the end of season play-offs to eventual finalists AFC Fylde, a great showing having only clinched promotion from National League North the previous year. They have started this season with four points from their first two games, drawing 2-2 at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Solihull Moors, before picking up a comfortable 3-0 win away at Barrow last time out – putting them in second place in the infant league table.

The team has really appreciated your fantastic support over the last two games and we’d love to see as many of you there again as possible on Saturday to cheer on the team!

Woking Team News

Dowse has promised changes after starting each of the last two games with the same 5-3-2 formation and the same personnel: Craig Ross in goal, Jack Cook and Josh Casey as wing-backs, a defensive three of Manny Parry, Ben Gerring and Moussa Diarra, a midfield pairing of Kane Ferdinand and Shaun Donnellan, with Max Kretzschmar behind Jake Hyde and Dave Tarpey.

There are plenty of options in the squad to mix things up. Loanees Tyreke Johnson and Ibrahim Meite have both been used from the bench so far but could add an extra dimension to the Woking attack, as could Paul Hodges, who’s been out of the squad so far after missing the final part of pre-season. Godfrey Poku and Nathan Collier offer alternatives at the other end of the pitch should Dowse want to change things in midfield or defence respectively.

We could also see as many as two new arrivals before Saturday’s game. Speaking on Friday afternoon, Dowse confirmed the signing of right-back Joe Felix from Queens Park Rangers, whilst he also hinted that he’s hoping to add another attacking player in the near future.

Harrogate Town Team News

Harrogate could well name the same team which performed so well at Barrow. Against the Bluebirds, they lined up with James Belshaw in goal; in defence was George Smith, signed from Chesterfield, Warren Burrell, Connor Hall (not the former Woking loanee), and Will Smith, who was previously with Barnsley and spent time on loan at Darlington last season.

In midfield they had the experienced Josh Falkingham, who played over 150 games for Dunfermline in Scotland, along with Lloyd Kerry, Joe Leesley and, a player Dowse will be extremely familiar with, Brendan Kiernan, who previously played under him at Hampton and was with Welling United last season, where he scored 13 league goals; up front was former Lincoln and Fylde forward Jack Muldoon alongside 6 ft 5 target man Mark Beck.

One very familiar name amongst the substitutes was forward Jon Stead, now 36, who has played over 600 career games for the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Bristol City and, most recently, Notts County.

Admission Prices

• Adults £18
• Over 65s £13
• Disabled (Including carer) £13
• Students (Under 19) £5
• U16s £5

Tickets are available on the turnstiles or in advance online. Remember, our matchday programme will also be on sale for £3. Don’t forget to grab your copy on the way in! You’ll then be able to visit the club shop for more great offers.

Next Up

The Cards face a challenging week with two lengthy away trips – they start by facing Chesterfield on Tuesday evening before making the journey to AFC Fylde the following Saturday.

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Woking Football Club Limited
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Registered office The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

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