A battling draw with just ten men

Woking 1 Stafford Rangers 1: 25th February 2006
by Mick

Scorers
Neil Grayson 38 pen
Craig McAllister 69

As soon as the ball cannoned off Shwan Jalal's leg and out to his left into the path of Neil Grayson, you could tell what was going to happen next. Jalal made a desperate instinctive last attempt to grab the ball back from danger and missed completely catching Grayson instead who ended up on the grass. Not just a penalty and a sending off but suspension too. Clint Davies did his best to save the penalty but was simply wrong footed by the experienced Grayson who sent him the wrong way.

Despite all this had the referee or his assistant spotted a clear foul on Hutchinson to begin with as Grayson jumped into him to contest the aerial ball then the penalty would never have been given. The referee continued to be rather unhelpful to the Cards as Selley, Smith and Hutchinson were all booked over the course of the game for late slide tackles yet when Evans was scythed down in a similar fashion from behind the culprit was given no punishment, neither was Grayson when he buried Davies in the dying seconds when he had no desire to get anywhere near the ball.

Until that calamitous moment Woking looked in control despite missing Justin Richards, Karim El-Salahi and Chris Sharpling from Tuesday night. Ferguson moved up front and new signing Malik Buari started on the right but he didn't last long being taken off after pulling up with an injury as he pulled up having got away on thr right.

Chances were few and far between throughout the first half but the best efforts went to the Cards although Stafford did have a number of overly ambitious efforts from long range. One forced Jalal into a save but he took it comfortably where as for the rest he merely watched as they flew over the bar or rolled wide. Ferguson had Woking's best opening as a cross from the left found him unmarked in the area but he mistimed it completely and it ended up going out for a throw in.

McAllister should perhaps have done better too when he tried to meet a cross but the ball was gathered easily by the keeper'. After the sending off the Cards lost heart but after the break they came out more determined and put in a good performance. You would never have thought that the Cards were down to ten men, playing two up front still with a three man midfield. The team worked their socks off and capitalised on everything they could. A lot of corners and throw ins provided ample opportunity to attack and finally it paid off when Hutchinson's downward header allowed McAllister to pounce at the back post and thump it into the net.

The goal was richly deserved and despite being on level terms the Cards went for the winner and may have got it on another day. In the last few minutes Watson found Ferguson in the box but his header was well saved. Before the goal Ferguson had also capitalised on a loose ball but after taking on the defender fired just wide of the target. The defence held strong at the other end and a replay is in order, which can't help either team in terms of fixtures.

It was good to see a determined second half performance but a shame to see Shwan make such a costly error. However, he has been terrific this season so one mistake isn't too bad. The team worked extra hard especially the front two. Fergie was my man of the match running the length of the pitch in injury time to close down the keeper' showing his work rate, it was just a shame he didn't show a little more composure with his chances. Murray, Selley and Evo worked well in midfield and the central defence of Hutchinson and MacDonald held firm. However, the whole team deserves praise and more performances like the one in the second half today will see the Cards in with a shout of both the Trophy and a playoff place. Hopefully, the Cards can keep eleven men in the replay and pull through.

Woking (4-4-2): Jalal; Oyedele (Davies 38), Hutchinson, MacDonald, Watson; Buari (Selley 19), Murray, Smith, Evans; McAllister, Ferguson. Subs not used: L Cockerill, Townsend, Jackson

Man of the match: Steve Ferguson - gave everything he had and was unlucky not to get a goal.

Attendance: 2,038

return to beck's bias