Liam's at it again!

Dagenham & Redbridge 1-3 Woking: 26th November 2005
by Mick

Round the M25, through the Dartford Tunnel, past the place with lots of tyres, right at the McDonalds Drive Thru and past the Tube station. All to stand on a terrace in Dagenham, braving the cold temperatures and periods of thin rain. Lovely. It was all worth it though as the Cards gained a crucial three points in a 3-1 victory over the Daggers.

Luck plays a big part in football but you have to make the most of it. The difference between last week and this was not a lot in terms of performance yet the difference in points was immense. The fact was the Cards took their chances where as last week they failed to and Dagenham misfired where Morecambe hit the net and that can make all the difference. However, it was a result and a dogged, determined performance that Woking needed to break a poor run of results.

New signing Paul Watson started, as did Liam to form a new look left hand side. However, it was from the right, after as little as four minutes from which the first goal arrived. A long launched Smith throw was flicked by McAllister and the Dagenham defence were slow to react, allowing the ball to bounce in the box and giving enough time for Richards to position himself for an acrobatic and clinical finish in the shape of a bicycle kick.

It was a goal the front man desperately needed and he put in a hard working, determined and solid performance after scoring. Just three minutes later and the Cards won another throw on the right and repeated the same move they had done just moments earlier except this time instead of Justin getting on the end of it, it was Liam diverting it home with a stooping header. Hopefully, that will make up for his strike on Tuesday not counting. It was exactly the positive start the team needed having lost the last two Conference games, failing to score in both.

However, the two-goal advantage didn't last long. On 11 minutes, Nethercott was adjudged to have fouled loanee Cliff Akurang, it was fairly debatable but Paul Bruce made the most of it producing a curling effort that dipped over the wall and out of Jalal's clutches to make it 2-1. Dagenham continued to fight back well, having most of the play and a number of corners but the defence held firm.

The Raph-like Akurang should have scored for the Daggers when he was gifted an opportunity off a mishit shot, appearing at the back post to meet the dipping ball with a free header. However, fortunately for the Cards it went straight into Jalal's arms who couldn't believe his luck. Woking came back well for the last fifteen minutes of the half and could have got the two goal cushion back twice. Richards getting in another good shot which was well blocked and then Liam firing a long range curling effort past the upright.

The second half saw some dogged defending from the Cards to secure the three points. They had their backs against the wall a number of the times but somehow survived while failing to take their chances on a number of occasions at the other end to put the game beyond doubt. Nethercott was a rock at the back, aided amiably by Luke's pace. Watson stopped any threat down the left, helped by some decent defensive play from Liam. Jackson had had a poor first half by his standards but did much better in the second, defending well.

Fergie should have scored when he arrived unmarked in the box onto a bouncing ball following an excellent cross from Watson but he attempted an ambitious left footed half volley, skewing it well wide of the target when he easily had time for a touch.

Paul Bruce forced Shwan into another good save, one, which he did particularly well to hold when the Daggers were waiting for him to spill it. However, he was beaten from a corner in which a goalmouth scramble ensued and Jackson cleared off the line for the second time in a week. Liam robbed his man at the other end and got to the byline before putting a neat cross, which McAllister met at the back post with a desperately outstretched leg but he could only divert it high into the air to allow Roberts to catch.

Lee Goodwin had a header from a corner saved, Akurang hit a left footed effort over from just six yards and Scott Griffiths tame effort easily gathered by Jalal as Dagenham pushed on. However, as they did Woking threatened to hit them on the break several times, Ferguson and Richards looking mostly likely to get away.

Finally, Woking put the game beyond doubt when McAllister got a deserved goal after an impressive all round performance, however, it was very fortunate. A long ball found Richards who took it down with the help of his arms but neither the referee or his assistant were in a good enough position to see it and play continued much to the surprise of the Cards contingent behind the goal. Richards put in a neat ball and McAllister came from deep, got in front of his man and lashed it towards goal, it hit Roberts but all he could was push it into the roof of the net.

Paul Benson almost made it an interesting last five minutes getting his head to a corner and diverting it goalbound but the excellent Jalal was at his very best, making a stunning reaction save to keep the effort out. Blackman and Selley were introduced late on, more as time wasting substitutions than anything though. There were a few candidates for motm. The ever-impressive Nethercott, return to form of Rico, great debut from Paul Watson, continued improvement from Liam and a usually solid performance from Jalal, who I think just pipped it with his superb reaction save. McAllister, Smith and Murray also put in hard working and gritty efforts.

Woking (4-4-2): Jalal; Watson, Oliver, Nethercott, Jackson; L Cockerill, Murray, Smith, Ferguson (Blackman 87); McAllister (Selley 90), Richards. Subs not used: Evans, Rawle, Davies

Man of the match: Shwan Jalal

Attendance: 1138

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