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| Croydon 0 Woking 4: 5th December 2007 Scorers The Cards got their Surrey Senior Cup campaign off to a solid start with a comfortable 4-0 win against Croydon in a game where they never really got going. Two early goals from front two Liam Marum and Giuseppe Sole set them on their way and the result never looked in doubt despite Croydon having a few chances. In fact, the home side had the better start, keeping hold of possession well and going close about five minutes in when a cross flew dangerously across Gindre's six yard box. Frank Gray went with a strong line up with Hutchinson coming back into the side alongside Gasson, with Bunce and Ruby making up a back four. Lambu, Gray, Quamina and Green made up a four-man midfield as the Cards stuck with 4-4-2. It took just thirteen minutes for them to go a goal up with their first real effort of the game. Both Sole and Marum forced the keeper' into smothering at their feet before Lambu got clear on the right and cut the ball into the area. It was behind Gray, and Marum could only draw a hashed clearance from a defender before Sole fired it into the back of the net from just inside the area with the aid of a deflection. It wasn't long before the Cards were celebrating again, hitting another hopeful long ball forward and allowing Marum to capitalise on some poor defending, jinking into the area past two defenders and taking his time to get a shot away. The keeper' got a touch on it but it wasn't enough to stop it looping over him and into the back of the net to give Woking a 2-0 lead just 20 minutes in. On the half hour mark, Quamina went down following a strong challenge and went off injured (hopefully not too badly) being replaced by Kevin James and moments later a short corner was headed goalwards by Hutch only to be cleared off the line. Croydon had the better of the rest of the half and really should have scored before half time. A great ball opened up the Cards defence but the final effort went woefully wide and Bunce had to make a superb challenge to keep the Trams (there nickname apparently, I assume because they have a tramline going past the ground…) at bay. In the 35th minute, Woking were caught knapping and the dangerous Neil John got clear but being closed down by three Cards players he rushed his shot and ballooned it hopelessly over from a long way out. Gray made changes for the second half bringing on Joe Gatting for Sole and he had two attempts in the opening five minutes of the half. He first did well on the edge of the area forcing a save from the keeper' with a neat turn and shot and then in the 50th minute he met a Green free kick at the back post to force an even better save though he should really have scored. In the 56th minute, Marum had a great chance to make it three when he went clean through following a missed defensive header but he put it wide of the post with the goal gaping. Eight minutes later and he made up for that by winning a penalty following a marauding run, luckily for Gatting who missed a desperately easy finish on the six-yard box just as the whistle went. It was Gatting himself who took the penalty and easily converted by sending the keeper' the wrong way and to put Woking 3-0 up after 65 minutes. As Croydon tired Woking had more chances, substitute Izedin Harusha looked dangerous replacing Green and forced a good save from the keeper' from inside the area on 74 minutes. Gatting should have got his second of the game on 81 minutes when a terrific Ruby cross gave him an excellent chance to head him but he diverted it wide. Shortly after and a roaming run from Lambu brought a poor finish which was easily saved before Gasson added a fourth in the 88th minute in the aftermath of a free kick. James found Gray out wide with a great ball and he had plenty of time to deliver a neat cross which missed Hutchinson but found Gasson on the six yard box who finished with a very fancy flick which he was rather proud of. All in all an interesting match not helped by a terrible view from one of these silly stadiums with an athletics track round it so the action is so far away. Nobody did particularly badly or well and in truth having taken the early lead nobody really looked bothered at the game was pretty much won. I believe the win means a home tie against Walton Casuals on the 23rd January so there we go, we're still on for the triple….ahem… Woking (4-4-2):
Gindre; Ruby, Hutchinson, Gasson, Bunce; Lambu, Gray, Quamina (James 30), Green (Harusha 72); Marum, Sole (Gatting 45).
Man of the Match: Liam Marum - was lively up front though really does need to start finishing one-on-ones. Moment of the Match: Jay Gasson's cheeky flick for goal number four and chants at the end of 'Frankie give us a wave', quickly followed by 'Boring, boring Frankie', I'm guessing he didn't wave... Attendance: Nove very many. |
