Match Report | Cards narrowly beaten by league leaders

Woking 2 Notts County 3
Vanarama National League
8th October 2022

Woking faltered to league leaders Notts County in a 3-2 defeat at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors went ahead early on with a penalty from Ruben Rodrigues before Cedwyn Scott added a second shortly after.

James Daly got the Cards back in the game after forcing goalkeeper Sam Slocombe into an error before County retook the lead just before half-time, with Scott getting his second of the match.

Reece Grego-Cox got one back from the spot with a few minutes to play, but the Nottingham side left Surrey with all three points.

The result keeps the visitors top of the table while Woking drop one place into eighth.

Darren Sarll made just one change from Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Southend United at Roots Hall. Scott Cuthbert returned to the side with Joe McNerney dropping to the bench.

The Cards made a solid start, as they have in the last few fixtures, not letting the challenge of Notts stifle them. Padraig Amond saw a shot deflect just wide and into the side-netting within the first two minutes.

Unfortunately, one moment change the game after eight minutes when Anderson’s trip on Chicksen as he drove into the box from the left-hand-side resulted in a penalty for the Magpies. It was Rodrigues who stepped up, stuttered, and converted the penalty down the middle.

The hosts responded well by showing intent. Kyran Lofthouse almost got in behind the County defence two minutes later, but Slocombe got out well to clear the ball. The resulting quick throw in almost created another opportunity as Ince’s low cross was somehow cleared before Amond could tap into an empty net from close range.

Despite the good response, the Cards found themselves two goals down in 14 minutes. Rodrigues found Chicksen on the left who drove at Dan Moss before seeing his cross diverted in by the foot of Scott.

The second goal took a bit of the sting out of the game, regardless of the fact the home side had played well, but the energy in the Laithwaite was lifted when Woking got back into the game in an unexpected manner with half-an-hour played. The ball was played to Slocombe in goal for the visitors and as he attempted to clear the ball, Daly sprinted toward him and blocked the ball directly into the back of the net.

Neither team really took a grip hold on the game for the next 13 minutes, but it was Notts County who regained their two-goal advantage with two minutes left in the half.

Woking failed to clear the ball properly, gifting the ball to Scott 25 yards from goal. The midfielder attempted to link-up with Rodrigues and Macauley Langstaff before seeing the ball kindly ricochet back towards him inside the box to put into an empty net.

It was a strange half of football with many believing that despite being 3-1 down, Woking had arguably had the better of the first 45.

Half-time: Woking 1 Notts County 3

Things changed in the second half as Notts began to take more control in the game. In the first 20 minutes of it, there wasn’t too much to speak of.

In the 67th minute Rodrigues had a good chance to get his second of the day, but after a nice bit of Notts build-up, the midfielder dragged his shot wide of the post from just inside the box.

A couple of rolls of the dice came from Sarll in an attempt to change the game, but the visitors had a strong grasp on the fixture at this point.

One of the substitutes, Ricky Korboa, did look lively with one weaving, kinking run of note with 15 minutes to play seeing his prodded effort from a tight angle go just over the crossbar in front of the Kingfield Road End.

A little bit of penalty box pressure finally told in the final stages when Kairo Mitchell was pulled up for a handball.

It was Grego-Cox who took the penalty and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner, sending Slocombe the wrong way, before going to get the ball quickly to search for an equaliser.

The visitors saw out the game professionally, with Woking struggling to create another chance in the two minutes plus stoppage time remaining.

Full-time: Woking 2 Notts County 3

Woking: 13 Craig Ross; 3 Josh Casey ©, 4 Scott Cuthbert, 6 Luke Wilkinson, 12 Dan Moss; 8 James Daly, 23 Jermaine Anderson (18 Jack Roles 57’), 24 Rohan Ince, 2 Kyran Lofthouse (7 Ricky Korboa 73’); 9 Reece Grego-Cox, 10 Padraig Amond (29 Jake Vokins 73’)

Unused subs: 5 Joe McNerney, 11 Tyreke Johnson

Goals: Daly 30’, Grego-Cox 88’

Bookings: Grego-Cox 90+5’

Notts County: 1 Sam Slocombe; 4 Kyle Cameron, 5 Connell Rawlinson, 2 Richard Brindley, 23 Adam Chicksen, 11 Aaron Nemane, 16 Geraldo Bajrami, 18 Matty Palmer (10 Quevin Castro 83’), 20 Ruben Rodrigues, 19 Cedwyn Scott (8 Sam Austin 78’), 9 Macauley Langstaff (7 Kairo Mitchel 74’)

Unused subs: 21 Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, 14 Ed Francis

Goals: Rodrigues 09’, Scott 14’, 43’

Bookings: Rodrigues 04’, Nemane 56’, Rawlinson 79’

Referee: Sam Mulhall

Attendance: 3267

Man of the Match: Reece Grego-Cox. As usual, he ran his socks off all afternoon, and he converted his penalty coolly to keep the game alive at the end.

Match Sponsor: RAMS FM

Match Ball Sponsor: Peacock Construction