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| Forest Green Rovers 2 Woking 1: 21st March 2008 Scorers Woking fans left The New Lawn amazed at how their side had come away with nothing from a game in which the Cards asserted themselves well and were probably the better side. The Cards created themselves a chance straight away using the revolutionary tactic of not giving it away from kick-off: Gez Sole, one of two changes from the starting line-up on Tuesday, putting in a classy cross but Pattison's header going just wide. Forest Green then began to exploit the weak defence of Woking's right side and Ross Worner kept the scores level with a solid save. Then, with the rain teeming down and blowing straight into the faces of the travelling fans, Sole hit a good free-kick from 25-yards out that was only just saved by Terry Burton diving low to his right. Woking then began to control the game, putting in a number of crosses and dictating the pace of play. However, Woking came away from this spell of pressure with nothing to show for it and very nearly went behind when Ishmael Welsh left Damian Batt for dead putting in a classy through ball to the much feared Stuart Fleetwood who, one on one with Worner, had his shot magnificently saved by the 18 year-old plucking it out of the air to his left. Jason Norville then had a golden opportunity to score his fourth goal for the Cards when he collected Matt Gray's formidable through ball but took an age, one on one, to strike it; Jamie Pitman plucked the ball from Norville's boot before he could shoot. From the subsequent clearance, Danny Bunce made a hash of controlling the ball and allowed the Rovers winger to put in the perfect cross for Adriano Rigoglioso who hit the ball home on 30 minutes. Woking then resumed their control and, with just five minutes to go until half time, Sole was hauled down on the edge of the Forest Green box to the left of the goal. Damian Batt calmly slotted the subsequent free kick around the wall and into the Rovers goal. Ross Worner then made a sublime save on the stroke of half-time, one on one with the Forest Green striker: Jay Gasson having given the ball away needlessly. The Cards also made a bright start to the second half with Jason Norville winning an early corner and Marvin Morgan's header being saved, his only on-target shot all day. Forest Green then began to apply pressure to a Woking defence sitting far too deep with a number of crosses being headed away by the centre-backs in true Woking style. Around the 65th minute, Amy Rayner made her most controversial decision of the match by letting Rigiglioso get away with just a yellow card for a late and high lunge from behind on Damian Batt, needless in the circumstances. Woking almost took the lead when Gez Sole took the ball standing still outside the box on the left hand side and simply hit it and it very nearly beat Burton who had to make a good save. Forest Green were beginning to attack and, when Batt was beaten by pace for the fourth time along the wing, Rovers almost took the lead through Rigoglioso's volley but Worner showed his safe hands once again. Woking then brought on Liam Marum for Jason Norville and soon after Gez Sole was clear through on goal when he was one again bundled to the floor on the edge of the box. Batt, assuming the role of free-kick specialist, then curled a lovely shot around the keeper who fumbled but pounced on the loose ball. Just seconds later, Woking were yet again awarded a free-kick but this time Tommy Hutchinson slotted home a trademark header over the keeper only for the ball to be tapped home by a Card, who shall remain nameless (ahem Marv - Ed), who was offside. FGR then had their greatest opportunity when Rigoglioso tried to pass into an open goal following Stuart Fleetwood's pass, but he had his slow rolling shot stopped on the line by Worner. The game appeared to be petering out for a draw with Stuart Fleetwood being caught offside several times but, with just four minutes left on the clock, a mistake from the Card's instrumental skipper let Fleetwood get hold of a long ball and slot it home past the unlucky Worner. This was Fleetwood's 30th goal this year and was enough to secure a win for the Gloucestershire side and condemn Woking to their 5th straight defeat. Woking (4-4-2):
Worner; Batt, Hutchinson, Gasson, Bunce; Pattison, Gray, Quamina, Sole; Norville (Marum 68), Morgan.
Man of the Match: Ross Worner - two fabulous saves and very unlucky to concede two. Moment of the Match: Nick Gindre's half-time shot hitting one girl, the back wall of the stand and a chair before finally landing on top of one poor lady's pasty, chips and cups of coffee! Attendance: 1,143 (142 from Woking). |
