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| Woking 3 Histon 3: 29th March 2008 Scorers Earlier in the season the problem was that the Cards couldn't seem to put the ball in the net despite having a rock solid defence. A few months later and the opposite is true. With neither team having anything to play for I was wondering whether this might end up as a rather mediocre and dull affair but with both teams having the freedom to play it was a cracking game that either team could have won, although Frank Gray was understandably annoyed about throwing away a two goal lead. It took just four minutes for Woking to open the scoring. Matt Gray flicked a free kick into the path of Hutchinson who headed it goalward but Danny Naisbitt was on hand to tip it round the post. However, the resulting corner was played short and knocked back for Bunce to swing in a looping ball that Matt Ruby met at the back post and managed to get just enough power on to put it past Naisbitt and the defender on the far post. It took just two minutes for the visitors to hit back though. Gareth Gwillim curling in a free kick from a long way out to find Nathaniel Knight-Percival rushing in at the back post and he planted a header past Worner to equalise. Then Histon managed to put some pressure on, forcing several dangerous long throws before Pattison fired a 13th minute drive past the far post as the Cards retaliated. However, it was the visitors who enjoyed the better of possession and half chances, if only marginally. Daniel Wright latched onto a low cross, which Hutchison couldn't cut out but the Cards captain recovered well to block the opportunity with the help of Worner. Ruby also had to hook away a flicked on cross from inside the six-yard box as Histon looked more like scoring. Woking soon got back into the game though and after a lull around midway point of the half, they created some chances themselves. On 29 minutes, Bunce's free kick was met at the back post by Ruby but this time his goalward header was easily caught by Naisbitt. A couple of minutes later, after Morgan had been tripped right on the edge of the area, Bunce's free kick looked like it was going to hit the net until Naisbitt got a crucial fingertip on it to send it over. After Pattison had a header loop along the six-yard box Histon hit back with some direct football. In the 36th minute, a corner seemed to loop over Worner and into the back of the net although the referee deemed there was an infringement somewhere, presumably pushing or obstruction though it wasn't clear from the LGS. The Cards were let off again moments later when Worner fumbled in the area but somehow the ball was kept away. The match petered out a bit after that although Histon still threatened from some direct balls into the box. The second half started brightly though with Rob Nightingale fizzing an early long shot atrociously wide before the Cards turned the game around in a fantastic five-minute spell. Morgan turned brilliantly inside the area and flashed a low ball across the area before in the 52nd minute Woking struck. Sole won a 50-50 ball and it allowed Morgan to latch onto it and poke it into the path of Norville who did brilliantly to take it down with his right foot and lash it into the back of the net with his left. The spell continued when moments later Sole burst forward from midfield and fired a low drive at goal but Naisbitt did well to get down low to his right to save. The Cards put the pressure on with a couple of corners and Sole latched onto a loose ball after one of them and won a free kick on the edge of the box having been fouled. He was always going to take it and despite falling as he struck it, the ball curled up and over the wall and into the back of the net to give the Cards a two-goal cushion. Once again though they couldn't hold on and an unmarked Matt Mitchell-King headed Rob Nightingale's corner just wide before they equalised in the 61st minute. A cross in from the left side was missed by Gasson and allowed in Jack Midson who took the chance brilliantly, taking the ball down cleanly and striking it over Worner and into the net. Histon threw everything at the Cards and Ruby and Gasson had to make two last-ditch blocks to keep them in front. Then in the 70th minute, Pattison and Murray collided just outside the area and the referee gave the visitors a generous free kick. Gareth Gwillim stepped up and rifled a fierce effort goalward, which was deflected before flying past Worner and into the back of the net. Both teams went for it after that and Morgan had two good opportunities to put Woking back in front. In the 72nd minute, Morgan got clear down the right hand side of the area and struck an effort just over from a tight angle and moments later he latched onto a shocking backpass but he dallied on the opportunity for too long and was blocked off by defenders before the keeper' took the chance away from him. There were half chances for both teams after that but nothing clear-cut. Worner had to pluck a looping header out of the air and Sole whipped another free kick just over but despite the previous six goals, the scoring had ended. It was a decent performance from the Cards, especially in an attacking sense though the defending really must improve and it was very, very disappointing to throw away a two-goal lead. On the bright side, the shocking run of league performances seems to have ended and hopefully this can be maintained in the last few games of the season. Woking (4-4-2):
Worner; Ruby, Hutchinson, Gasson, Bunce; Pattison (Lambu 85), Gray, Quamina, Sole; Norville, Morgan.
Man of the Match: Giuseppe Sole - just pips Norville for me. A great free kick and a real danger on the left today. Moment of the Match: Gez's free kick, quality as usual, he even fell over doing it! Attendance: 1,310. |
