Lambs 'slaughtered'...ahem...

Tamworth 0 Woking 1: 24 September 2005
by Mick

On a sunny Saturday near Birmingham the Cards put the helpless Lambs to the slaughter… errr well, not really. It was one of those nail biting finishes that we are all so familiar with nowadays as the referee - a favourite with the travelling following - somehow got five minutes of time to add on (sponsored by the Wet Bromwich Building society) and proceeded to give the home side the majority of the decisions in that time to allow the ball to be fired into Jalal's area to cause as much panic as possible.

However, it was to be the Cards day in Tamworth. Home of the legendary Bob Taylor, the snow dome and a demented mascot called "Tammy". His errr "entertaining" performance before the game included imaginary boxing (to "Eye of the Tiger"), wild kicks and aeroplane impressions. I don't know what they put in his pre performance drink but I'm guessing it's alcoholic and very, very strong. It kept us amused none the less. Female Cards fans were treated to Jalal stripping down to his pants before kick off after the referee duly told him he couldn't wear his cycling shorts.

The game was a scrappy but enjoyable affair with both sides doing their best get the ball in the net but not quite managing it. The Cards started well, Neil Smith hit a strong volley from outside the area but only managed to direct it straight at keeper' Dormand. This was quickly followed up by a more placed effort by Richards, curling it just wide of the near post. However, the best chance fell to Karl Murray latching onto Evans's cross unmarked at the back post and taking his time to beat the keeper' but not the man on the line who kept it out.

Tamworth threatened on occasions, the on loan Mansaram proved a handful for both Nethercott and Oliver. A couple of long shots forced Jalal into good but mostly comfortable saves in the Cards goal - he did well to hold Graham Ward's early effort. However, despite some pressure from both sides neither really looked like breaking the deadlock as both defences held relatively firm.

We've been renowned for bad first halves and better second ones though and this was to be no different although it wasn't too much better. In all honesty, neither team really did enough going forward - creatively they were poor and both relied on some shoddy defending and mistakes and frailties for chances to arise.

Gary Mac nearly opened the scoring very early in the second half, after a matter of seconds the Cards were awarded a free kick and Steve Ferguson's dinked cross set him up for a free header at the back post but a combination of keeper' and defence somehow stopped Luke Oliver from bundling it over the line. The lively but frustrating Richards had a shot from the angle and a strike from outside the area comfortably saved before finally managing to grab the crucial goal.

It came from a long throw of all things, after Stuart Nethercott came up. He jumped with Aaron Brown and the ball dropped in the area for Ferguson who aimed a header back at goal. Ward and Bantram got their bodies in the way of it and the ball struck an arm resulting in the Cards fans and players appealed for a penalty. However, Fergie latched onto the loose ball worked his way to the by-line and neatly chipped it back into the area. McAllister met it at the far post and got a foot to it sort of diverting it to the opposite corner and somehow Rico seemed to swivel with his back to goal and flick it just enough to send it over the line even though the keeper' got a hand to it. It was fortunate to say the least, however, probably just deserved and could easily have been disallowed for a foul on Dormand, but a lot of decisions went Tamworth's way over the course of the match too.

Richards, MacDonald and Murray all had good chances to kill off the game. Richards latched onto a through ball but his fierce shot was tipped over by Dormand, MacDonald had another header go close and Murray a well struck volley bang the crossbar. As the game wore on and panic set in at the other end crosses flew across the area dangerously, the defence seemed to lose markers and three free kicks were given away around the area carelessly (and thanks to the whistle happy ref). Thankfully, none caused too much damage although one chance forced Jalal into a top class reaction stop to keep out an almost certain goal. It was all very nerve wracking and after it was all over you couldn't help but feel that the one goal conceded in the last four doesn't tell the whole tale.

There is work to be done. The defence looks much more solid but there is still some organisation to do back there. Jalal had to do a lot of work and made one really class save and perhaps he shouldn't have had to do all that. I don't suppose we'll know how much better it really is until we take on some of the better sides - Exeter on Tuesday will be a big test. The midfield relies on Evans and Fergie for quality - Murray and Smith do their defensive duties well and do their best to go forward but can't pass or spread the play a la Selley - however, Evans isn't doing it on the left and Fergie only seems to play in patches.

Up front, the work rate of McAllister and Richards is superb and neither are goal shy but you can't help but think that both could get more. Richards really should have had two. Things certainly look good in the last four games, you can't moan about two away wins and 10 points out of a possible 12. However, I'm not that convinced just yet. Exeter should be interesting, getting any result there would be superb.

Woking (4-4-2): Jalal; MacDonald, Oliver, Nethercott, Jackson; Evans, Murray, Smith, Ferguson(Blackman 86); McAllister, Richards(Rawle 84). Subs not used: Aggrey, Davies, El-Salahi.

Man of the match: Shwan Jalal

Attendance: 1,021

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