We did well up until extra time!

Woking 1 Cheltenham Town 5 (AET): 28th November 2005
by Mick

It's supposed to be the bigger teams that take these sort of competitions less seriously, yet the visitors only made two changes to the side that won at Bury on Saturday where as the Cards made nine changes, only Liam Cockerill and new signing Paul Watson remaining in the team. Rawle, Evo, Sells, Blackman, Sam, Karim, Jimmy, Ruby and Clint all being given a chance to shine and force themselves a place in the side for the massive game against Northwich on Saturday.

Cheltenham dominated for the most part, there was a clear step up in class between the two sides but it took a while to show and when it came to finishing in front of goal it was the Cards who won the battle. Against the run of play a free kick from Paul Watson was expertly delivered to the back post where Aggrey rose and headed back across goal for Blackman to make the crucial touch and divert it into the net.

Jimmy Aggrey continued his attacking antics from another set play this time finding enough space at the back post to produce a curling effort into the top corner much to everyone's surprise, it's not exactly the thing you expect him to pull off. However, an offside flag dampened the moment. Cheltenham continued to run the game and the impressive Gillespie and Odejayi gave Ruby and Aggrey a tough time. They battled bravely, Jimmy a wall at times almost impossible to get round but on the occasions when the frontmen did they weren't going to be caught leaving the giant ambling behind. Odejayi should have scored having pulled away and got clear but he took too many touches and waited too long allowing Ruby to catch him.

Steve Evans was forced into a defensive midfield position and he along with Watson produced some imperious defending to keep Cheltenham at bay who despite the possession rarely looked that threatening against a rather makeshift Woking defence. After a few corners and a lot of pressure Woking did wake up a little before half time with Rawle shooting awkwardly wide but 1-0 was a little unfair on the visitors at the break.

After ten minutes of the first half, a crucial five-minute spell changed the game. At one end, Mark Rawle twisted and turned his way past three of four defenders before passing to an inrushing Evo. The midfielder failed to control the moving ball and it trickled between Liam and goalkeeper before rolling wide of the post. Moments later and Cheltenham finally got the break through from a very route one move. A long ball forward was flicked on by Odejayi who got up above Aggrey and it was met gratefully by Gillespie who had lost Ruby and he calmly lobbed it over the stranded Davies who was caught between goal and ball. In truth, it was always coming and deserved.

With fifteen minutes left GC threw on McAllister and Richards in an attempt to go for it and they did make an impact as the Cards looked more threatening at the other end of the pitch. However, it was a break at the other which resulted in a penalty, Davies taking down the inrushing Odejayi just inside the area. However, after being booked he guessed Grant McCann's penalty throwing himself to his left and making an impressive block.

The Cards held out despite some close shaves and absolute sitter of a header being missed in about the 93rd minute and extra time ensued. The Cards had to defend a succession of corners in the first half of extra time and after Davies had neatly tipped over Gavin Caines strike the resulting corner resulted in a bit of a mess, the ball pinging everywhere before falling to Jamie Victory who gratefully hammered it in.

In the second half of extra time the Cards fell apart conceding three more goals to give the scoreline a somewhat unsatisfying feel, which wasn't really deserved. Substituted Brian Wilson was the star of the show coming off the bench to score two, finishing a one-on-one very neatly by sliding it under Davies and converting a cross by side footing it into the roof of the net. However, the pick of the bunch and goal of the night came from Craig Armstrong who managed to get himself a mere half a yard of space before smashing in an unstoppable drive from 25 yards at a slight angle, giving Davies no chance.

However, if you forget the collapse in extra time, it was a positive result and performance from a Woking reserve side against a league two first team and although the LDV Vans mini run is over it leaves us to concentrate on more important things such as the massive FA Cup tie on Saturday, the biggest game of the season so far against a very good Northwich side at Kingfield. They shouldn't be taken lightly but hopefully if the Cards are at their best they will make it through to the 3rd Round draw and that would be excellent for the club. Come on Cards, please play like you can, a result on Saturday is vital!

Woking (4-4-2): Davies; Watson (Murray 102), Aggrey, Ruby, El Salahi; L Cockerill (McAllister 76), Evans, Selley, S Cockerill, Blackman (Richards 76); Rawle. Subs not used: Jalal, Jackson.

Man of the match: Steve Evans

Attendance: 883

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