Match Report | Ten man Cards defeated by Glovers

Woking 0-2 Yeovil Town
Vanarama National League
30th November 2024

Michael Doyle made four changes for the visit of Yeovil Town following a goalless draw in midweek against Southend United, with Timi Odusina, Alan Judge, Deon Moore and Charley Kendall replaced by Cian Harries, Jermaine Anderson, Jack Stretton and Dennon Lewis.

The visitors lined up with former Woking midfielder Charlie Cooper, and of course manager Mark Cooper’s son, in the heart of their team, with former Plymouth man Frank Nouble captaining the Glovers.

A fast start to the game saw Nouble fire a shot straight at Will Jaaskelainen from range inside 90 seconds, before a Woking corner routine saw Tunji Akinola’s shot well blocked after he found acres of space.

After intricate play from the visitors with just over ten minutes gone, Aaron Jarvis raced in on goal but was superbly denied by Jaaskelainen, who narrowed the angle well and clawed away.

Then came a turning point in the game, when Jack Stretton was sent off for a supposed elbow, which wasn’t seen by the referee. After discussion with the fourth official, Stretton was sent off much to his dismay.

A mistake from Ollie Wright in the Yeovil goal gave Matt Ward the chance to shoot from range, but his effort was cleared off the line by Morgan Williams, with Wright in no man’s land.

Yeovil took the lead just after the half hour mark when the ball fell kindly for Brett McGavin to have a go from outside the box. His volley flew across the ground and into the bottom corner, past the dive of Jaaskelainen to give the Glovers the lead.

Woking had the ball in the net in first half stoppage time when a fantastic left-footed cross from Dennon Lewis was finished by Jamie Andrews from close range, but he was adjudged to have been offside; another close call.

In truth, a half in which not much went in Woking’s favour despite being well in the game, but a man and a goal down.

Half-time: Woking 0-1 Yeovil Town

After a flat spell in the game, Ward aimed to get the crowd going with an audacious effort from just inside his own half after winning the ball back from the midfield, with an hour gone.

Good work from Pedro Borges down the right-hand side saw him pick out Jarvis inside the box, whose effort was straight at Jaaskelainen. However, another cross from that side, this time from Nouble saw Finn Cousin-Dawson prod home at the back post to give Yeovil a second, just before Michael Doyle could make a triple substitution and bring on Alan Judge, Tom Leahy and Lewis Walker.

A fantastic effort from Ward saw him fire just wide of the top right corner after he once again won the ball back, a common theme despite him being isolated for much of the game.

The visitors saw out the remainder of the game with ease. A game that looked to be a contest until Stretton was given his marching orders and was then a procession for the visitors.

Woking will need to pick themselves up with National League Cup and FA Trophy fixtures on the horizon in the next week.


Woking: Jaaskelainen, Kelly-Evans, Harries (Judge 80’), Dyche, Chicksen, Ward, Andrews (Leahy 80’), Akinola (Walker 80’), Anderson (Gorman 65’), Lewis, Stretton

Subs: Webber, Kendall, Conte

Bookings: Harries 43’, Gorman 70’

Sent Off: Stretton 17’

Yeovil Town: Wright, Whittle, Williams, Cousin-Dawson, Jarvis (Morgan 84’), Nouble (Greenslade 94’), McGavin (Worthington 89’), Plant, Borges, Cooper, Shaw (Sims 65’)

Subs: Gould, Lo-Everton, Morgan, James

Goals: McGavin 31’, Cousin-Dawson 80’

Bookings: Plant 36’, Williams 70’

Attendance: 2911