MATCH PREVIEW: WOKING (A)

Woking vs Boreham Wood
Saturday, 3rd February 2024, 3:00 pm
Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield Road, Vanarama National League

PREVIEW

Tomorrow afternoon, The Wood travel to Surrey for a clash with Woking at Kingfield Road. Not only will this be a crucial game for Luke Garrard’s side, who will be looking to bounce back from the 3-0 loss at home to Dorking on Saturday, but it also promises to be an exciting day with the return of Kabongo Tshimanga. The forward is set to be available for selection and will be hoping to hit the ground running.

Woking are a side The Wood have already faced this season. Our previous meeting with The Cardinals came back in November, where The Wood hosted our Surrey opponents, and ended in a 4-2 victory for Luke Garrard’s side. Woking led 2-0 inside 16 minutes, thanks to a converted Grego-Cox penalty as well as Nathan Ashmore being caught off his line by Rhys Browne. However, a goal from Angelo Balanta and a brace for Tyrone Marsh completed a comeback for The Wood, with Tom Whelan putting the tie to bed in the 87th minute with a low strike into the bottom corner of the Woking net.

Woking currently occupy 20th place in the league, 3 places below The Wood. The Cardinals have accumulated 8 wins, 6 draws and 15 losses at this stage in the season, leaving Michael Doyle’s side on 30 points. Luke Garrard’s side are 4 points better off and sat 3 places above Woking but need a performance tomorrow afternoon as they look to climb back up the Vanarama National League table.

FORM GUIDE

Woking – W-L-L-L-D

Woking currently sit 23rd in the form guide for the Vanarama National League, symbolic of their recent run of form. In their previous 10 league matches, The Cardinals have only picked up 2 wins, suffering 6 losses and playing out 2 goalless draws in the process. After a New Year’s Day loss at home to Aldershot Town, Woking continued their unfavourable start to the year with a trip to the West-Midlands, where Solihull Moors would put 3 past The Cardinals. Clarke, Maycock and Beck bagged for The Moors in a day to forget to Michael Doyle’s side. Following defeat at Solihull, Woking would make another trip up the M1, this time to Northern Derbyshire where The Cardinals would take on the league leaders, Chesterfield.

Unsurprisingly, the league leaders would come out on top in a 1-0-win with former Northern Ireland international, Will Grigg scoring for The Spireites. Despite this run of form, Michael Doyle would take home the most recent Vanarama National League manager of the week award, and for good reason. Doyle’s side travelled to 6th placed Oldham Athletic on Saturday and would make the return journey later that evening as shock 1-0 winners. In the opening minute of the second half, Kelly-Evans would float a cross into the Oldham Penalty area. The ball fell to Jermaine Anderson, who fired home for The Cardinals. Woking would defend their lead and take the three points back to Surrey, a possible confidence booster for The Cardinals.

ONES TO WATCH

Max Dyche:

20-year-old centre-back, Max Dyche, is a new addition for The Cardinals, joining Michael Doyle’s side on a loan last month. Dyche came through the academy at Northampton Town and made his debut for the Cobblers in December 2020 against Crewe Alexandra. The young defender then made his first start against Oxford United, just three days later. Dyche would later be sent out on loan to both Kettering Town and Brackley Town in the National League North, for the 2021/22 season, and would go on to score his first senior goal while at Kettering.

He then returned to Northampton Town, playing part in the Cobblers’ promotion charge last season. Dyche would start in the last four crucial games of Northampton’s League Two campaign, scoring against Bradford in the penultimate match of the season. In his debut for Woking on Saturday, the young defender hit the ground running and helped The Cardinals keep a clean sheet in their 1-0 triumph over Oldham Athletic. There is no doubt over the potential of Max Dyche and the ability he brings into Woking’s back-line, which may prove an obstacle for The Wood frontline in a massive six-pointer tomorrow afternoon.

PRE-MATCH INTERVIEW