Match Report | Cards settle for a point in Doyle's first game

Woking Maidenhead United
Vanarama National League
23rd December 2023

Woking returned to the Laithwaite for the last time in 2023, in what was new manager Michael Doyle’s first game in charge. There was just one change from the team victorious at Dorking last week as Rhys Browne replaced Paul Osew, who missed out on the squad completely, which meant Charlie Wakefield returned to the bench.

Former Woking duo Craig Ross and Kane Ferdinand started for Alan Devonshire’s Magpies, with this being Ross’s first game back at the Laithwaite since leaving the Cards in the summer. It would be Jim Kellermann to kick the game off, and it would be Woking to create the first moment of note after 7 minutes. Good link up between Dan Moss and Dennon Lewis saw the latter dink the ball across goal, but Luke Wilkinson couldn’t quite convert at the back post.

Another good Lewis cross on 12 minutes saw Kellermann this time unable to convert at the back post, as Woking continued to press. After great work from Browne to dispossess Casey Pettit, Lewis was unable to finish from a tight angle.

After a quiet period in the game, a loose backpass was seized upon by Browne on 31 minutes, and he forced a good save out of Ross, before Padraig Amond’s header went just wide. However, the best chance of the game thus far came on 35 minutes, when a Sam Barratt free kick went to the back post, causing havoc but somehow not being turned in by someone in blue.

A long free kick in first half injury time saw Lewis do well to beat his man, before squaring across goal, but Amond just couldn’t meet the ball. The half time whistle went straight after, a half in which Woking dominated play and had chances but with their opponents looking lively as well.

Half-time: Woking 0-0 Maidenhead United

Woking began the second half on the front foot. First, Dan Moss’s angled shot was just deflected wide off Amond before minutes later, Browne danced past two defenders and unleashed a speculative effort that just cleared the crossbar.

Much of the second half was Woking trying to force an opening against a stubborn Maidenhead defence. Cross after cross went unpunished by the Woking frontline, but the Magpies’ full backs Zico Asare and Sam Beckwith were exceptional in particular in dealing with Lewis and Kellermann out wide.

After another unsuccessful Woking onslaught in the final stages, the sides shook hands on a draw. A game which lacked quality from both teams, and that cutting edge that has been absent from the Cards' season thus far was not there again.

Still, after only six days in the job, Michael Doyle will take positives out of his side's play ahead of the big Aldershot double header after Christmas.

Woking: Alexis Andre Jr, Dan Moss, Josh Casey, Scott Cuthbert, Luke Wilkinson, Manny Oyeleke, Jim Kellermann (Pavey 85’), Tunji Akinola (Ince 68’), Padraig Amond, Dennon Lewis, Rhys Browne

Unused subs: Wakefield, Bradshaw, Odusina

Bookings: Kellermann 84’

Maidenhead United: Craig Ross, Zico Asare, Sam Beckwith, Will De Havilland, Ashley Nathaniel-George, Kane Ferdinand, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson (Keetch 57’), Casey Pettit, Chanka Zimba (McCoulsky 76’), Alan Massey, Sam Barratt.

Unused subs: Jinadu, Sho-Silva, Kinsella

Bookings: Nathaniel-George 6’, Zimba 10’, Pettit 61’, Ross 93’

Attendance: 2425

Man of the Match: Dan Moss