Aldershot Town 2-2 Woking AET (Aldershot win 4-3 on penalties): 19th March 2008
by Mick

Scorers
Joel Grant 12
Jason Norville 18
Anthony Straker 27
Marvin Morgan 54

After 27 minutes, I just knew it wasn't going to be Woking's day. When a left back who hasn't scored for his club in 44 matches rifles in a curling right footed shot to make it 2-1, against the run of play, you just know its not going to happen.

After the worst Setanta introduction ever, which looked like something a 10 year old would put on youtube, and Marvin Morgan interviewing his teammates on the team coach and almost falling over, Setanta finally got on to covering the actual match. Frank Gray went with his bizarre 3-4-3 formation first half with Pattison up front on the right of Morgan and Norville, leaving Lambu, Gray, Quamina and Bunce across midfield and Ruby, Hutch and Gasson at the back with Worner in goal.

The Cards started well enough when Ruby found an unmarked Gray on the run and he drilled the ball just wide after four minutes. Moments later and Marv was causing all sorts of problems for Winfield almost barging his way through (rather illegally) first and then robbing the defender and eventually swinging in a cross, which Norville couldn't quite get to. On 11 minutes, Pattison had a long-range effort deflected wide and Hutchinson almost capitalised from the corner before the Shots struck a blow.

On 12 minutes, they broke and Junior Mendes flighted the ball into Joel Grant who took the ball down well and ghosted past Quamina before drilling the ball low at goal, Worner got a touch but it was not enough to stop it going in. The Cards hit back quickly and after Lambu had fed Morgan who scuffed his effort wide they equalised on 18 minutes. An initial free kick was headed clear but Lambu was on hand to head it back into the danger zone and Norville turned and got a fortunate ricochet off Dean Smith which allowed him to tuck it past Jaimez-Ruiz in the Shots goal.

Having grabbed a deserved equaliser Woking went in search of the lead and Pattison fired over on 23 minutes before a Bunce corner was just headed away by Newman with Hutchinson lurking, and that brings us to the 24th minute. Anthony Straker was allowed to go past Pattison a little easily but I can't imagine he will score a goal like that again; a curling right footed long range effort that was too much to Worner. Shots 2 Cards 1 and they had only had two real chances.

Woking looked stunned after that and the Shots could have added a third before half time. Soares played in Grant on 29 minutes but Worner did brilliantly to make the save. Less than a minute later and Elvins produced a wicked cross which was met by Grant at the back post but Worner was on hand again to turn it away.

Soares guided the ball wide on 34 minutes while at the other end a looping header from Norville didn't quite find the corner. On 41 minutes, a long kick from Jaimez-Ruiz almost allowed Elvins to get clear but Worner came rushing out to kick it away but it only went as far as Davis who placed his attempt wide of the target.

Frank Gray changed things at half time by bringing on Sole for Lambu and going 4-4-2 and it proved to be a good decision. Woking started the better and on 54 minutes got a second equaliser. Quamina, Gray and Noville combined to find Pattison on the right who took on Straker, got to the by-line and fired in a low cross which Morgan got to ahead of Newman and turned home at the near post. The game was certainly proving a very entertaining affair and it really was end-to-end stuff.

On 59 minute, after Batt had replaced Ruby, Morgan fired a low drive that was spilled by the keeper' but neither him nor Sole could capitalise on the rebound. Moments later and Soares had a curling strike deflected over from outside the area before on 65 minutes, Gray had a low drive go just wide before a free kick went through to Hutchinson who turned the ball agonisingly wide from close range.

Soares and Gray both had efforts on goal, before Marum replaced Norville, and Mendes wasted a good chance by running into Gasson rather than hitting it first time with just six minutes left. A quick ball forward allowed Soares to hit a potshot but Ross was on hand to save and hold as the time ticked away. It was the Cards who had three great chances to win it right at the death.

First, Marum got in behind the defence, rounded the keeper' and managed to tuck the ball goalward only for Winfield to clear it off the line in the nick of time. From the resulting corner, Gray headed at goal but the keeper' was equal to it making a fantastic tip over. Finally, with moments left Morgan broke away and looked set to score only to hit a tame shot that the keeper' easily saved.

It was Aldershot who had the better of extra time and after Pattison had skewed an atrocious left footed effort well wide following a promising run, Grant looked like he had almost bustled his way through on goal only to be stopped by Pattison with the home fans wanting a penalty.

Marum had a potshot saved shortly after but in the 99th minute Hylton played in Mendes who flicked the ball over the inrushing Worner but also just wide of the far post. The Shots went close twice before half time of extra time when Davis had a powerful drive stopped by Worner and Soares had his long range effort deflected wide by Hutchinson.

The final fifteen minutes was less eventful with tiredness really kicking in but the Cards had two great chances when on 108 minutes, Hutchinson headed over from a corner and two minutes later Marum had a low attempt from a tight angle kept out by the keeper's legs. So it went to penalties and after seven confident takes from Donnelly, Gray, Davis, Sole, Hudson, Marum and Newman it was left, ironically, for Damian Batt, on loan from Stevenage, to produce a nervous kick that the keeper' made a smart save from.

It looked as if that would be it but Grant tried an outrageously cheeky chip, which Worner plucked out of the air to keep Woking in it. However, a weary looking Pattison blazed way over when given the chance to take it to sudden death. It was a cruel finish to a fantastic and tense game of football and despite the result it was a great performance by the Cards. It's easy to be critical sometimes but the team did the best they could, especially Morgan and Hutchinson who were both exceptional.

Woking (3-4-3): Worner; Ruby (Batt 52), Hutchinson, Gasson; Lambu (Sole 46), Gray, Quamina, Bunce; Pattison, Norville (Marum 80), Morgan.
Subs Not Used: Gindre, Green.
Booked: None.

Man of the Match: Tom Hutchinson - immense.

Moment of the Match: All of it. Especially the first half. End to end football at it's best.

Attendance: 1,629.

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