Academy Bulletin | Week Seventeen

Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 9th December 2024

Monday 9th December

19:00 – Stoke City U18 v Woking U18; FA Youth Cup – Third Round Proper

St. George’s Park, Newborough Road, Needwood, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 9PD.

Thursday 12th December

19:30 – Abbey Rangers U21 v Woking U21; Suburban Football League – Premier Division

Abbey Rangers FC Development, Addlestone Moor, KT15 2QH.

For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy X (twitter) page.

Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.



Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 2nd December 2024

Wednesday 4th December

Woking U17 5 – 3 Dorking Wanderers U17 (Half-time: 2 – 1); National League Alliance – Division E

Westfield FC, Woking Park

Woking: Jack Roles, Max Goldsworthy, Thomas Ward (c), Joe Frawley, Pranish Gurang (George Mattingley 60), Brian Rai (Zack Rhioui 60), Joe Scanlon, Jack Tricker, Frankie Bushby (Mason Drew 81), Hayden Vally (Tyrell Ejakita 72), Jojo Ampah.

Goals: Ampah 22, 55, 69, 88, Vally 31.

Oxford City U19 2 - 0 Woking U19; National League Academy – South Division

Oxford City FC, Court Place Farm, Marsh Lane

Oxford City vs Woking u19s



Returning to league action after their exciting victory in the FA Youth Cup Second Round Proper, a number of changes were made to the starting 11. Aidy Silverstein, Jermaine Young, and Stanley Kyle returned to the starting line-up, with Harry White taking the place of the absent Mikey Verga.



Harrisons Stevens was also absent for the fixture, causing a shake-up in the back 4, which saw, left to right, James Orton, Aidy Silverstein, Jack Lewis, and Ryan Scott make up the defensive line, with Jacob Farr on the bench.



The game started at pace, with a number of early chances for both sides. The first chance for City to take the lead fell in the 5th minute, with a promising break forward which resulted in a cross deep into the box and the subsequent shot going wide.



Straight down the other end, Tommy Seale won a free kick mid-way into the City half, which Jermaine Young took from the left-hand side. A good chance for Woking to take the lead, but the header from a crowded box was well-claimed by Thomas Russell.



City certainly showed early on that they could be threatening with a long through ball, first evident in just the 7th minute, where the home side were almost through on goal, but White came out quickly to collect.



Two big chances in succession for Woking to take the lead rounded off the opening 15 minutes. Firstly, Seyi Akinwalere did well to take the ball around the City defence, calling Russell into action again as he did well to claim the shot.



Following this, Sam Brittain went close with a low shot inside the box, but the home ‘keeper got down to his left quickly to keep the shot out.



A free kick just outside the box in the 24th minute looked promising for the travelling side, but making the tactic for the set piece too complicated saw no real threat upon the restart. The home side cleared with City’s Endri Stath going down in the aftermath, with a stoppage in play allowing both teams to regroup and receive instruction from the sidelines.



Upon the restart, Brittain came close to establishing the lead. He took the ball around the City defence and placed a shot that went only narrowly wide of the left post. Involved again, Brittain won a free kick shortly after, this time on the right-hand side, which Young stood over once again. Much like earlier in the game, a good delivery from Young was met in the crowded box, but Russell did well to claim, keeping the score line level.



White was called into action in the 39th minute, as City broke into the box and got a decent shot away. A save with his feet denied City the lead, and shortly after another good move forward from City saw a decent through ball once again, but White was first to react, and claimed the ball to extinguish the threat.



Towards the end of the first half, City had a promising spell, most notably with an edge-of-the-box free-kick which Kyran Webb stood over. The delivery, 3 minutes into stoppage time, went all the way over the top of the populated box and out of play to end the half with the deadlock yet to be broken.



Half-time: Oxford City 0 – 0 Woking



Both teams started the second half strongly, with Scott firing over the bar in the 46th minute, and Orton conceding a free kick on the edge of the box just 3 minutes later. The set piece was well defended by Woking, clearing out of a crowded box to deny City the lead.



Minutes later, an incredible touch from Akinwalere picked the ball out of the air in the box, and brought it down as he looked set to slot it past the keeper. The shot just got away from him, however, and Russell did well to quickly react and collect the ball before an attempt at goal could be made.



Kyle had a huge chance to take the lead for his side in the 55th minute, with a breaking run forward seeing him denied by the post, with Woking looking set to be the side to break the deadlock.



This momentum, however, was minimised just before the hour mark as a charging run forward from City saw their attack get past the Woking midfield and break into the box, with Silverstein conceding a penalty by bringing the attack to the ground. City made no mistake from the spot, slotting the ball past White, who had dived the right way, to establish their lead.



With some good chances as the game approached and entered the final 10 minutes, an equaliser was most certainly not off the cards for the travelling side. Kyle did well to keep hold of the ball despite the City pressure in the 78th minute, putting a promising ball across the face of the goal which was just out of McDonald’s reach.



Akinwalere also put a couple of threatening balls into the box in quick succession as the closing stages embarked, but a combination of good defending from City and the lack of the final touch in the box from Woking saw the home side retain their lead.



And they did more than just that, doubling their advantage in the 82nd minute, slotting the ball in at the near post to almost guarantee them the 3 points.



Woking responded well, with substitute Jacob Farr putting a good ball into the box for Kyle, who headed over the bar just after the restart.



Akinwalere showed great footwork just moments later, but the execution of the shot was poor, going over the bar and causing no real threat to City’s goal. Brittain’s first-time shot shortly after was straight into the gloves of Russell, another chance to threaten the home ‘keeper, but the scoreline was left unchanged.



On the 90-minute mark, great play from City nearly saw them make it three, with the ball squared in the box and the following shot going narrowly wide. After the 4 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the 90, City took all three points at Court Place Farm.



Woking are next in action on Monday (9th), playing against Stoke City at St. George’s Park in the FA Youth Cup Third Round Proper.



Oxford City: Thomas Russell, Rafael Dos Santos, Caleb Moir, Tyrae Njogu, Kyron Webb, Fin Beckett, Kian Duggan, Brayden Daniel, Kauan Bitencourt, Endri Stathi, Charlie Bacon.



Woking: Harry White, Ryan Scott ©, James Orton (Jacob Farr 72’), Tommy Seale (Leo Christophers 65’), Jack Lewis, Aidy Silverstein, Sam Brittain, Henry McDonald, Stanley Kyle, Jermaine Young (Harvey Brook 60’), Seyi Akinwalere. Unused sub: Bob Honey (GK).



Referee: Jonathan Boyce.



Thursday 5th December

East Grinstead Town U18 P - P Woking U18; Isthmian Youth Football League – Central Division

Match postponed due to waterlogged pitch at East Court College Lane, East Grinstead



Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:

Tuesday 3rd December

Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Came on as a 67th minute substitute in the 1 – 3 defeat to AFC Whyteleafe in the Combined Counties – Premier Division South.

Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Did not play in the 1 – 3 defeat at Fleet Town in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South.

Wednesday 4th December

Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: Started the game, and scored the first goal in the 57th minute, of the 2 - 1 victory at Guildford City in the Aldershot Senior Cup Second Round. Lui’s goal an overhead kick from about one yard.

Saturday 7th December

Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: The match against Hayes and Yeading United in the Isthmian League - South Central Division was postponed.

Henry McDonald, Centre Midfield, 3rd year - Petersfield Town: The match at Eastbourne United in the Southern Combination - Premier Division was postponed.

Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Came on as a 66th minute substitute in the 0 – 1 defeat to Cobham in the Combined Counties – Premier Division South.

Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: No fixture was scheduled.