Get into them!

Woking 1 Canvey Island 1: 20 September 2005
by Mick

Tuesday night games against mediocre teams always seem to see us at our worst and most lacklustre. Sorry Canvey Island, because mediocre is really all you were, and before the abuse comes back, I'm not pretending for a minute that we are any different. The dull and harmonious bong of drums and the continuous hoot of a trumpet from the away fans didn't make the night any easier and certainly not headache free. Instruments really should be banned from Kingfield if you ask me, I don't mind if there used lightly but you could hardly here any singing.

To be fair, if a neutral was watching their first Conference game as least they couldn't say the fans had no passion. Even with instruments the Islanders put on a decent show and the KRE was in fairly good voice singing "barmy army" right to the death. Unfortunately, both teams on the pitch lacked the same passion and desire and had little creativity to make the match exciting.

Cast your mind back to Forest Green last year and to most teams that we really should be beating at home if we really do want to finish in even the top half. The performance always seems so heartless and although you feel the players are trying at the moment sometimes their not busting a gut as much as they could be, especially in games like this. They were certainly up for the challenge of Stevenage a few weeks ago but why any different today. Is it any wonder people are complaining about ticket prices if this is the kind of performance that we are subjected to?

I'm sure the crowd doesn't help as well, surely it would be better for everyone if the ground was filled rather than half empty, the LGS as sparse as it has ever been, is it any wonder when you have to pay £15 to sit there? Surely, the players would rather be playing in front of a bigger and noisier crowd and hopefully this would get the adrenaline going. However, the crowds almost resignation for the performance seemed apparent from the word go.

It was a typical first half from the Cards, a rather stale display that is one of the reasons we are bottom of the "first half" table. Attacks rarely amounted to much, the wingers needed to get in behind more and although the front two looked like they could work really well they often misread each other and were selfish. It's great to have a proper target man up front now in McAllister, a strong battling performer who defences just don't like and a real winner in the air, he also knows where to be in the box. It would be even nicer if he got the ball at his feet at times to play others in.

He was the menace in the first half, a lovely one-two with Rico set him on the way to goal but between keeper' and defender he was stopped going down inside the area, the referee was not having any of it. When Ferguson did get behind the backline a goal seemed more likely, both times Smith playing him in. The first he saw his run stopped by good defending and the second he crossed beautifully for McAllister, who should have done better with a free header.

The defence switched every few seconds from the supremely comfortable, with Oliver seeming to be in the right place any time any danger appeared to be about to mop up, to the down right woeful, clearing against each others backsides, nobody taking responsibility for anything and an unorganised mess. After getting away with it a few times Canvey made the sloppiness pay after 41 minutes. Luke gave a free kick away out wide, it was only just cleared and hammered back in before nobody dealt with it and it fell to Keize Ibe. He got in front of his man and poked it past Jalal who was trying desperately to get out to it and it rolled in just beyond Nethercott's outstretched lunge. Cue more drum banging.

Woking responded quickly though, or rather Canvey did for them. Just after Evo had finally done something, turning neatly just outside the area and hitting a clean right footed volley just wide, the Cards grabbed an equaliser just before half time. It was a little fortunate to say the least. Resorting to the long hoof, this particular long crossfield ball (that would be the description of a more accurate hoof) was actually well curled and placed and with Rico, McAllister and Murray all threatening to get on the end of it, Ben Chenery decided he might as well put it in instead, getting his head to it and diverting it past keeper' McKinney into the net, although Murray might try to claim it off him doing his best to make sure it went over the line.

The second half started a little better for the Cards but soon faded out. Both Richards and McAllister missed MacDonald's superb cross as they didn't seem to really want to lash it home, both should really have buried it. After that the game lacked any spark or inventiveness. The best chance Woking chance came after 70 minutes when McAllister found Richards on the run and set him through. He was begging for the ball back but Rico was greedy and although he did well to cut inside a defender his shot was easily blocked by the keeper' when he should have fed in Craig for a simple finish.

However, it the best chance to win it fell to Canvey's John Kennedy. He broke away down the right side of the area, sauntering past the defence on the "D" as they got in the way of each other and then proceeded to carelessly fire wide with the goal gaping. Even with four minutes add on, the win looked very much out of reach for either team and in truth neither deserved it. It was just so lacklustre.

The positives. McAllister was superb, Luke a class apart bar a couple of mistakes (though how long will he be here?) and Smith actually giving a 100% and really fighting for every ball. Shame he doesn't really have the skill or pace anymore. The negatives. Fergie and Evo both shone in fits and spurts but were largely anonymous and can do much better. Murray, worked hard but was usually ineffective, Richards had one of his poorer games, moody, selfish and futile.

The defence does look more solid although they do need to be more alert - the Canvey goal was careless. Not sure on Nethercott, fullbacks look most impressive. MacDonald is so much better at left back and he does get forward well for a primarily defensive player and ditto Jacko, although I would really love to see him have more confidence in himself and take players on, the boy is quick! However, most disappointing of all was the way we stood off them, they needed to press and get stuck in and rattle teams especially at home when we need to win games. Sometimes you need to fight out a result when your not playing well, not give them freedom to the pass the ball. Drawing to Canvey Island at home with that type of performance just isn't acceptable.

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

Man of the match: Craig McAllister

Attendance: 1,543

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