In Form Fax fight hard for point against fantastic Fergie and fellow Cards

Woking 2 Halifax Town 2: 29th October 2005
by Mick

What if Justin Richards ‘goal’ after just 17 minutes had counted?
What if Luke Oliver’s deft header had gone in rather than hitting the post?
What if Lewis Killeen hadn’t picked today to score a 30-yard scorcher?
What if the defence hadn’t fallen asleep and Oliver hadn’t lost Adam Quinn at the back post with ten minutes left?
What if Luke Oliver had redeemed himself by putting the ball in the net at the other end moments later?

It was that kind of day at Kingfield. One that left you asking ‘what if?’ to so many incidents because if any of them had happened the Cards would probably have got all three points rather than having to share with the Shaymen. Although, we could all pretend to be Jose Mourinho and claim that we won 3-2 as Justin Richards had scored a perfectly legitimate goal that doesn’t seem to have countered for some reason.

Don’t get me wrong, the Cards didn’t run rings round, or even outplay Halifax. They played well in fact, producing some good stuff at times and you can see why they are going for a playoff place. They had the better of the first ten minutes, controlling and dominating the play with striker John Grant giving Oliver and Nethercott some uncomfortable and nervy moments.

However, Woking fought back well and given more possession they looked the side more likely to do the damage. Both sides were tall in stature and were causing each other problems from set plays. Halifax had a corner only just cleared but it was a free kick won by Ferguson that resulted in the most danger. Jake Wright couldn’t handle Fergie’s pace for most of the afternoon and he was perhaps not lucky to get sent off after having to resort to some cynical fouls to stop him.

The kick found Stuart Nethercott at the back post and he got up above his man and found Richards running in who gleefully headed home. However, the referee adjudged Nethercott to have fouled when jumping and the goal was disallowed. It didn’t take long before the ball was put in the net legitimately though, Ferguson bursting past his man again and being fouled, on 22 minutes.

The free kick was worked for Karl Murray to hit and the chance seemed to have gone when the Halifax wall was given a lot of time to react but they didn’t take advantage and Muzza got to the ball first and somehow managed to find the angle to curl the ball round the wall and into the bottom corner to make it 1-0. Halifax seemed taken aback by the goal and the rest of the first half was more or less all Woking’s bar a couple of tame shots from outside the area which Jalal held comfortably. Woking continued to press and McAllister could easily have made it 2-0 but his shot from inside the area was tame and straight at keeper’ Butler.

Nethercott got up to meet an Evans corner and tried to head it back towards Oliver, the ball passed agonisingly past the post and his head. Ferguson had a tame header stopped, Evans had a long range free kick fairly easily saved and Neil Smith fired a power volley from 30 yards way wide, but you had to appreciate the enthusiasm. However, the best effort was from a launched throw from Smudger, which Lukey met at the near post and flicked it towards goal. It was just too far in front of an in rushing Richards and then bounced agonisingly off the post and out before being hammered clear.

The second half was a more even affair, Halifax much more in the game and it was a cracking goal that got them back into it just six minutes in. Lewis Killeen picked the ball up in midfield, got himself some space before letting fly and the ball curled away from Jalal and hit the back of the net. It was a fantastic goal, the best of the game and you can’t really fault the defence for letting it in. The Cards put the pressure on down the right with a succession of throws and they took the lead again on 64 minutes. Steve Ferguson continued his impressive run of form by getting up above his man to head home a Justin Richards cross after some enterprising head tennis saw the Conference goal scorer get the ball on the right side of the area.

Halifax came back strongly, John Foster had a long range effort tipped over the bar by Jalal and a header whistled past his post as the home side tried to hang onto the lead. The dangerous Grant was substituted for Darren Mansaram and the Cards brought on Rawle and Blackman for McAllister and, a supposedly injury hit, Ferguson. As the minutes ticked away a corner was given away and was only just headed clear by Richards, the next corner was headed away again but the defence seemed slow to react and the ball was delivered by Mansaram to the back post where Quinn rose above Oliver and looped a header over Jalal and into the net.

Both sides had chances to nick a winner. Smith headed over from a corner getting up well but not quite over the ball enough to direct it downwards. With time running out a long ball forward saw Butler fumble it under pressure from Rawle, and Oliver had the chance to make up for his earlier error but sliced it wide. Mansaram headed wide near the end but a draw was probably a fair result though the Cards may feel a little bit aggrieved that they were not leading by more than just the one at half time.

Halifax are a decent side and I’m sure they will be up there come the end of the season. Smith and Ferguson were both tremendous though the latter probably just about edges the man of the match award for his headed goal. However, Smith was fantastic, running around like a man possessed, his passing seems improved, his play enthusiastic and its hard to believe he’s in his 30’s given the energy he put in. Murray was equally effective, putting in some strong challenges and scoring another great free kick. Overall, it was a good display and with a little more luck, finesse in front of goal and concentration the Cards would have won all three points.

Woking (4-4-2): Jalal; El-Salahi, Oliver, Nethercott, Jackson; Evans, Murray, Smith, Ferguson (Blackman 78); McAllister (Rawle 78), Richards. Subs not used: Aggrey, L Cockerill, Davies

Man of the match: Steve Ferguson

Attendance: 2054

return to beck's bias