Academy Review - Week 15
Written by Ian Tilley & Holly PorterUpcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 25th November 2024
Wednesday 27th November
19:45 – Woking U18 v Rising Ballers Kensington U18; FA Youth Cup - Second Round Proper
The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield
Thursday 28th November
19:30 – Woking U18 v Chipstead U18; Isthmian Youth Football League – Central Division
Knaphill FC, Redding Way
For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy X (twitter) page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 18th November 2024
Wednesday 20th November
Woking U17 5 - 1 Dartford Reds; National League U19 Alliance – Division E
Woking College, Rydens Way
After starting the season well Woking needed this result to help establish themselves as a mid-table side who are looking up, rather than down. This was a stronger performance from the Cards, who recovered well from falling behind after 7 minutes. Dartford’s goal was well worked, Miller Smoker’s long throw was a danger throughout, and on this occasion was flicked on by Ola Thompson and finished by Gurp Benning with a very impressive overhead kick from the corner of the six-yard box, giving James Moore no chance of making a save.
Woking responded well, Jack Tricker playing in Brian Rai whose low shot called on Ethan Rook for a diving tip wide, before Rai headed Frankie Bushby’s corner at the Dartford ‘keeper. Woking equalled on 12 minutes, Callum Mathieson showing real quality as he dribbled through from 30 yards and once in the penalty area fired across Rook in to the top corner.
There were no further goals in the first-half, although some good blocks were required from Woking to keep the score level, and Smoker’s shot from the edge of the area on 43 minutes was not far off target. Salomon Roebuck prompted his Dartford teammates forwards well, but they could not turn their dominance in to goals.
Half-time: Woking 1 – 1 Dartford
Whilst Woking went to the changing room for their half-time instructions, Dartford took a more relaxed approach talking in small groups with their teammates. It was interesting to see how the second-half then played out. The early exchanges did not suggest that Woking were going to be such emphatic winners, indeed when the Cards survived back-to-back goalmouth scrambles it looked like Dartford would soon restore their lead.
As Dartford adjusted to their first substitution of the afternoon, Woking took the lead. On 57 minutes Vally was played in down the left-wing, and his excellent pull-back was dispatched into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area by Mathieson.
Whereas the first Dartford substitution seemed to disrupt them, Woking’s introduction of Jojo Ampah, with Vally playing slightly deeper, saw Woking make the most of taking the lead and helped them to push home their advantage. Woking continued to apply pressure, and the referee spoke to a clearly rattled Dartford to calm them down.
On 69 minutes Woking doubled their lead. Gurang Pranish can sometimes overplay, but on this occasion his hold-up play was excellent, and the tricks on the ball and astute pass a joy, with Mathieson turning about 12 yards from goal and once again firing unerringly into the top corner. A hat-trick of most accurate finishes.
Dartford came close to halving the deficit within a couple of minutes, but were ruled to have strayed offside. Ampah joined Vally and Mathieson in further promising attacking play and Woking looked to be in control, although a lapse in concentration at the back did allow George Allen to get a shot in which Woking were pleased to see go over.
Joe Scanlon and Gurang went off for well-earned rests as Woking looked to see out the game, but the scoring was not yet over, with Mathieson claiming his and his teams’ fourth. Dartford failed to clear their lines and a turn and shot on the edge of the area produced a familiar outcome, this time beating Rook into the bottom corner.
With 5 minutes of additional-time played it looked like proceedings were complete, but there was time for one more goal, Mathieson and Ampah were involved in the build-up and when the ball broke free off a defender Jack Tricker finished accomplishedly, a just reward for a fine display in the demanding left-wing-back position.
Eleven minutes of additional-time did see Fred Hayes shoot wide for Dartford as they persevered to the end, but what looked like it could be an even contest had finished rather one-sided, and Woking can look forward to continuing to work on improving their standing in Division E.
Woking: James Moore, Max Goldsworthy (Mason Drew 88), Ollie Rigby, Joe Frawley, Joe Scanlon (George Mattingley 83), Pranish Gurang (Luca Di Manno 77), Brian Rai (Jojo Ampah 57), Frankie Bushby (c), Jack Tricker, Hayden Vally, Callum Mathieson. Unused sub: Aaron Zziwa (GK).
Goals: Mathieson 12, 57, 69, 87, Tricker 90+5.
Referee: Colin Campbell.
Woking U18 2 – 1 Bromley U18, After Extra-time, score at 90 minutes, 1 – 1.
FA Youth Cup - First Round Proper, Replayed Game
Bromley FC, Hayes Lane
With the original fixture completed outside the rules of the competition, the FA ordered a replaying of the first round tie against Bromley, this time at Hayes Lane. The original match ended with Bromley triumphing 4-2 in extra-time, but making one extra substitution than the competition permits.
Woking had a dream start to the game, going a goal ahead in the first minute. This came in the form of an own goal, as the Bromley defence attempted to pass the ball amongst themselves. It was George Rees’ pass that was out of reach for goalkeeper Harry Haines, with the ball rolling into the back of the net to give the travelling side an early advantage.
Action at both ends continued throughout the first 15 minutes, with Bromley looking set to equalise in the 10th minute with a Yuvi Mann cross being headed narrowly over the bar by George Evans. Straight down the other end, Jalil Page shot from the edge of the box, but the ball was claimed well by Harry Haines.
Rounding off the first 15, Louis Pask put a fantastic low cross into the box, which was met with a first-time shot from Lucas Boxall but, again, Haines claimed to stop Woking from doubling their advantage.
Bromley throughout the fixture had intensity to their attack and looked threatening on the break. Perhaps most notably in the first-half when Jacob Farr lost the ball in the middle of the park, with George Evans, who scored a hat-trick in the first game, charging forward but hitting the side netting.
Involved again, on the half-hour mark, Farr picked up the ball in what looked to be a promising move for Woking, but the cross hit the roof of the net, extinguishing the threat for Bromley. The captain had another opportunity to add to his side’s advantage in the closing stages of the half, driving into the box and striking a shot which curled narrowly wide.
Woking came close at the end of the first half through Boxall, after Tommy Seale had played a great ball into the channel, and Jalil Page flashed a promising ball across the face of goal, but the ball ended up just out of the no.10’s reach, leaving Woking with just the one goal lead at half-time.
Half-time: Woking 1 – 0 Bromley
Bromley came out the stronger of the two sides in the second half, with high intensity and a break forward seeing Mann shoot just over the bar as they searched for their equaliser. And it didn’t take them long to find it, with a brilliant effort from 35 yards from Dawid Przybylo flying past Verga in the 49th minute to cancel out Woking’s early lead.
Bromley kept the intensity up, creating a number of chances in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, with a nervy moment for Woking as the home side flashed a corner across the face of goal, and Verga having to claim another shot from range in quick succession.
Woking were denied the majority of possession in the opening stages of the second 45, but, as throughout the game, did well to combat the Bromley attack. On the hour mark, a couple of big chances for the travelling side could have seen their lead restored. Firstly, Boxall’s shot from the edge of the box was met by Haines, stopping Woking’s first real chance since half-time. Moments after, Louis Pask went close to slotting the ball into the near bottom corner, but again Haines was equal to it, keeping the scoreline level.
In the 61st minute, Evans was only a fraction away from putting Bromley in the lead for the first time on the night, but his header was off the post. Shortly after another Bromley effort from Mann, this time from 25 yards, clattered the woodwork, and with the ball bouncing around in the goal mouth, it made for a nervy moment before Evans headed over the bar.
In the 74th minute, the home side did, for a second, take the lead. Evans received Jedd Hobbs’ pass neatly and did well to turn inside a crowded box and place a shot past Verga, but the goal was ruled out and the search for a winner continued.
Despite a late flurry of chances for Bromley, including a goalmouth scramble which Woking eventually cleared, Evans heading wide in the 89th minute, and both Evans and Mann shooting across goal, but wide, in stoppage time, the scoreline could not be settled in the given 90, meaning
an extra 30 minutes was on the cards.
End of Normal Time: Woking 1 – 1 Bromley
The first half of extra-time saw a promising spell from Woking, with substitute Sam Brittain putting a promising ball into the box in the 98th minute, which could not be converted. It was Brittain that, late in the first half of extra-time, was sent off after bringing down Dawid Przybylo when he was through on goal. The free kick was awarded just outside the box, which Mann stepped up to take. A big save from a diving Verga denied Bromley the lead, and when Mann hit the bar with another chance it was left to the final 15 for a winner to emerge.
Half-time in Extra-time: Woking 1 – 1 Bromley
A dramatic final 15 minutes saw a number of shots from Bromley, with Verga being equal to them all, including a double save from Zhechko Zhelyazkov. It was a moment of brilliance as the game looked even more likely to be settled on penalties that sent 10-man Woking through to the second round. In the 113th minute, Leo Christophers won the ball and pressed forwards before switching the ball across the field to substitute Seyi Akinwalere, who picked up the ball on the left-hand side, drove into the box, and put an incredible shot into the far top corner to re-establish the Woking lead.
After the celebrations for Woking ceased, the side managed the rest of the game well, despite being a player down, to keep their FA Youth Cup hopes alive. With the last chance of the game, Bromley earned a free kick close to the edge of the area, which both Brody Cockerill and Haines stood over. Haines stepped up to take it, firing way over the bar, and indeed over the stand, meaning, after 240 minutes of football played across two fixtures, Woking advanced to the second round of the FA Youth Cup. They now go on to host Rising Ballers Kensington at The Laithwaite Community Stadium on Wednesday 27th November in the next round of the competition.
Woking may have ridden their luck, but the coaches’ tactics as they set-up to both counteract the strengths Bromley had shown in the original game, and to exploit their sides own strengths, combined with the application of the side to their tasks, earnt a well-deserved win.
Woking: Mikey Verga, Harrison Stevens (Joel Jennison-Leppa 94’), Dillan Davies, Jacob Farr ©, Jack Lewis (Louis Boyle 97’), Leo Christophers, Tommy Seale (Seyi Akinwalere 97’), Roshan Kigozi (Sam Brittain 63’), Louis Pask, Lucas Boxall, Jalil Page (Stanley Kyle 83’). Unused substitutes: James Orton, Harry White (GK).
Goals: OG (George Rees) 1’, Seyi Akinwalere 113’.
Red Card: Sam Brittain 104’.
Bromley: Harry Haines, Nathan Patten, Charlie Paye ©, Kaya Mahmut, George Rees (Naison O’Neill 75’), Yuvi Mann, Alfie Hilden, Jedd Hobbs (Jed Borders 83’), Tade Ibrahim (Zhechko Zhelyazkov 67’), George Evans (Samuel Hards 91’), Dawid Przybylo (Brody Cockerill 106’). Unused substitutes: Rex Porter (GK), Archie Cassidy.
Goal: Dawid Przybylo 49’.
Attendance: 166.
Referee: Teddy Osborn.
Assistant Referees: Harry Yellen, Joe Alborough.
Fourth Official: Ryan Hetherington.
Dover Athletic U19 P - P Woking U19; National League U19 Academy – South Division
Dover Athletic FC, Crabble Athletic Ground
Match postponed due to replaying of FA Youth Cup First Round Proper fixture versus Bromley.
Thursday 21st November
Woking U21 P - P Cobham U21; Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Knaphill FC, Redding Way
Match postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:
Monday 18th November
Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: Played the full game of the 1 – 0 victory at Binfield in the Isthmian League - South Central Division.
Saturday 23rd November
Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: Played the full match in the 1 – 1 draw against South Park (Reigate) in the Isthmian League - South Central Division.
Bob Honey, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Kingstonian: The match at Binfield in the Isthmian League - South Central Division was postponed.
Henry McDonald, Centre Midfield, 3rd year - Petersfield Town: The match at Saltdean United in the Southern Combination - Premier Division was postponed.
Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Came on as an 87th minute substitute in the 0 – 0 draw at Tooting & Mitcham in the Combined Counties - Premier Division.
Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Played his third full league game for Sandhurst in this week’s 1 – 6 home defeat against Jersey Bulls in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South. Harry previously played on 16th November in the 3 – 1 victory at Alton, and on 19th November in the 0 – 2 home defeat to Redhill.