Academy Review - Week 25
Written by Ian Tilley & Holly Porter Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 10th February 2025
Wednesday 12th February
14:00 – Woking U19 v Dover Athletic U19; National League Academy – South Division
Woking College, Rydens Way
14:00 – Dartford Reds v Woking U17; National League Alliance – Division E
Princes Park Stadium, Dartford, DA1 1RT
Thursday 13th February
19:30 – Woking U21 v Abbey Rangers U21; Suburban Football League
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 3rd February 2025
Wednesday 5th February
Slough Town U19 1 – 0 Woking U19; National League Academy – South Division
Arbour Park Community Sports Stadium, Stoke Road
Report from Holly Porter
Slough Town inflicted the u19’s first defeat of 2025 at Arbour Park on Wednesday afternoon, with an early effort being all that was needed to settle the tie.
A 1st minute effort from Alizaie, taken from the edge of the box, was curled in at the far post after a well-worked move from Slough, giving the fourth-placed team an early advantage.
In a positive response from Woking, Pask went close in the 4th minute, with an effort which fired against the post, as the Cards looked to cancel the early opener.
In the 9th minute, Dryer put a promising ball into the box, which Kyle could not get a head to, and the follow-up shot from Scott did not have the accuracy to trouble Butcher.
The closest that Slough came to a second in the first-half was with a free-kick on 15 minutes from the edge of the box, which almost squeezed into the bottom right corner. Although goalscorer Alizaie’s shot may have already been destined to edge just wide from a deflection, Verga did well to get down to his left and meet the shot with his fingertips, which ensured the effort stayed out of the net.
Just moments after, Dryer went on a great run forward and nearly cancelled out Slough’s early lead. With incredible speed, his run saw him edge away from the tracking back defence, and a great touch saw him take the ball around Butcher, but the subsequent shot was fired into the side netting, and the search for the equaliser continued.
Yet another big chance to equalise fell in the 22nd minute, with an excellent through ball from Kyle which found the run of Dryer. Dryer aimed to slot past Butcher, but the effort across goal, bound for the bottom corner, was saved by the outstretched leg of the home keeper, and the scoreline remained unchanged.
The chances kept coming for Woking despite the early setback, with Pask the next to go close in the 28th minute. A great move forward from the Cards saw Pask’s shot fired over the bar, but, aside from the first minute of the game, Woking were creating the better chances by far. Moments later, Dryer had a shot which took a deflection and went wide, but Woking continued to create a threat throughout the remainder of the first 45.
The next big chance for the travelling side fell in the 35th minute when Kyle was taken down by Mather on the edge of the box. Pask took the free kick, which cleared the defence, but the effort went into the gloves of Butcher, having not created too much of a threat.
In the closing stages of the first half, Woking once again created a number of threats as they looked to get level before the break. In the 3rd minute of injury time, Kyle got himself touch tight with the keeper and got the first touch on the delivery. Butcher, however, was once again equal to the effort, this time getting his body in the way of the shot. Moments later, Dryer put a dangerous ball into the box, but it was deflected out with nothing from the corner that resulted, which left the Cards a goal down at the break.
Half-time: Slough Town 1 – 0 Woking
Woking began the second half in a positive fashion, with the majority of the play inside the Slough half, but unfortunately with no real threat created on Butcher’s goal. Another effort from Dryer came in the 52nd minute. He connected with the ball well, getting a strong shot away on the edge of the area, but, as with most of the first half, the shot was met by Butcher.
Slough grew into the second 45, with their first real chance of the half in the 55th minute. A counterattack for the home side ended with a miss-hit cross, which rolled across an empty box and was controlled by an unthreatened Verga.
Moments later, the home side came closer to a doubled advantage, with an over-the-top cross and a subsequent shot which went just wide having troubled the Woking defence.
Page went close to making the perfect start from the bench in the 61st minute, with a close-range shot which looked dangerous. The effort, however, was blocked by the keeper, and the Cards entered the final 30 minutes still with an uphill climb.
For much of the remainder of the half, despite a lot of good spells of possession for both sides, there lacked a wealth of clear-cut chances.
In the 73rd minute, Page played a great ball over the top of the box to Boxall, who hit the ball first time, but the shot was fired over the bar in Woking’s best chance in at least 10 minutes.
In the 78th minute, Scott took a free kick which was headed goalward, but fell straight into the gloves of Butcher, as Woking entered the last 10 minutes without having created the same wealth of chances that they did in the first 45.
Another free kick in the 88th minute presented yet another chance for the Cards to get themselves level, this time with Kyle set to take. The effort, however, took a deflection and, as with many chances in the 90 minutes, the ball fell into the gloves of Butcher in what was Woking’s last real chance of the half.
After a short spell of injury time at the end of the 90, Woking suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of that first-minute goal from Alizaie.
Reflecting on the game, Academy Manager Matt Winter said: “Disappointed, very disappointed. We’ve got an extremely frustrated and disappointed dressing room. Fair play to Slough and full credit to them, they capitalised early and scored a well-worked goal [...] First half I was really pleased, bar that first minute I thought we were excellent, and we created numerous opportunities, but we weren’t clinical. The message at half-time was more of the same, keep pushing, but we were a little bit flat the second half.”
Slough Lineup: Emerson Butcher, Horatio Fowler © (Seamus Atem 72’), Armani Church, Reece Mather (Pietro Saletti 77’), Aaron White (Balu Makumbi 46’), Chris Ozougwa, Mo Alizaie (Dante McEwan 62’), Alex Vick, Guy Davies, Noah Hay, Nnaemeka Anyanwu (Temi Olaleye 82’).
Goalscorer: Alizaie (1’).
Woking Lineup: Mikey Verga, Jack Lewis, Ryan Scott, Ollie Mason (Jermaine Junior Young 77’), Tom Gardner, Aidy Silverstein, Louis Pask (Jalil Page 60’), Leo Christophers (Henry McDonald 85’), Stanley Kyle, Lucas Boxall, Tom Dryer. Unused Substitutes: Charlie Sweeney, Harvey Brook.
Barking Whites 6 – 2 Woking U17 (Half-time: 4 – 0); National League Alliance – Division E
Barking Abbey School (Longbridge Campus)
Woking: James Moore, Jack Owen, Max Goldsworthy, Mason Drew, Pranish Gurang, Joe Scanlon, Will Ledbury (George Mattingley 60), Jack Tricker (Zackaria Rhioui 55), Frankie Bushby (Luca Di Manno 60), Tyrell Ejakita, Jojo Ampah.
Goals: Rhioui 70, Ejakita 80.
Thursday 6th February
Woking U18 0 - 3 Walton & Hersham FC U18; Isthmian League – Central Division
Knaphill FC, Redding Way
Report from Ian Tilley
This result moved Walton & Hersham to the top of the league table, and leaves Woking hoping for an unlikely series of results in other teams’ fixtures if they are to get back in to contention. Hopefully, competing in a stronger league will stand this season’s first years in good stead for the years ahead.
Woking started competitively, looking to press high, and impose themselves on the game. But the first sign of what was to come came as soon as the fourth minute. Joe Fisher being played in but shooting wide of the Woking goal.
Two minutes later Woking were under pressure again, James Hall winning the ball from Joel Jennison-Leppa and setting up Fisher, who this time hit a good shot on target, only to be foiled by an equally good Jools Lacey’ save.
Woking did have chances of their own. A crisply hit Amario Malhotra corner finding its way straight through the six-yard box without any of his teammates attacking it. Hayden Vally delaying his shot for just a fraction too long and lifting it high in an attempt to beat the defensive block. And a fine 20-yard strike from Louie Boyle hitting the crossbar.
But amongst these chances was another opportunity for Fisher, a long ball (a tactic which caused the Woking defence problems on a number of occasions), finding its way through to the Walton forward, who looked sure to score, but was again wide of the target with his shot.
Although JJ Young (an Academy second year) was prompting his colleagues with his progressive passing from midfield, a clear-cut chance could not be fashioned, and the Walton coach’s encouragement to Fisher to keep trying because the next one would go in was soon to come true.
On 24 minutes a defence-splitting pass from Ryan Danso put Fisher through on goal and this time he made no mistake, finishing low and hard from 10 yards, giving Lacey no chance of making a save.
Woking responded well, a Roshan Kigozi cross put Walton on the defensive, and then a good winning tackle and pass from Malhotra set Seyi Akinwalere up to bring a, albeit comfortable, save out of Shaw Simler. Whilst good play from Jalil Page threatened Walton until Oscar Dempster made a good covering challenge.
Woking were not overrun, but looked vulnerable to long balls played over their defensive line, and could not gain enough forward momentum to find an equaliser before half-time.
Half-time: Woking 0 – 1 Walton & Hersham
Captain Boyle drove his team forward as they sought to start the second-half in the ascendency, and fired in a firm shot from the edge of the 18-yard box which went narrowly over. But as the half went on neither side could mount any sustained pressure, although on 61 minutes Danso forced Lacey in to a good save at his near post.
On 68 minutes Walton doubled their lead. Jack Kimber hit a free-kick well and it was deflected on to the cross bar, before falling to Harry Foxon who drilled home a low shot from 10 yards. Kigozi responded with a good, dribbling run, but shot over, and matters were to get worse for the Cards.
On 74 minutes Danso, capping off a good evening’s work, was on hand when Lacey’s save saw the ball spin up in to the air, to run in and knock it over the line. Five minutes later it looked like being 4, but James Hall saw his shot go narrowly wide.
Woking tried changes to personnel and individual positions, but Walton were as likely as the hosts to get the next goal, and were able to see out their victory in relative comfort, emphasising the greater strength of the Central Division.
Woking: Jools Lacey, Louie Boyle ©, Ollie Rigby, Joel Jennison-Leppa, Joe Frawley, Amario Malhotra, Roshan Kigozi (Frankie Bushby 80), JJ Young (Will Ledbury 80), Hayden Vally (Jojo Ampah 55), Seyi Akinwalere (Jack Tricker 66), Jalil Page. Unused substitute: Aaron Zziwa (GK).
Walton & Hersham: Shaw Simler, Max Seddon, Oscar Dempster, Michael Donnelly, Ibrahim Nawaz, Ryan Danso, Liam O’Neill, Jack Kimber, James Hall, Harry Foxon, Joe Fisher (Jack Lay 58). Unused substitute: Joshua Shears.
Goals: Fisher 24, Foxon 69, Danso 74.
Referee: Kevin Batten, Assistants: Charles Sherred, Daniel Bright.
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:
Tuesday 4th February
Ellis Byrne, Central Midfield, 2nd year - Knaphill: Played the first 72 minutes of the 0 – 6 defeat at Hartley Whitney in the ADFA Saturday Senior Cup Quarter-Final.
Tom Dryer, Forward, 2nd year – Westfield: Came on as a 65th minute substitute in the 2 – 1 victory at Leatherhead in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4). Tom was significantly involved in both the equaliser and winner which turned the game around.
Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Played the full game in the 0 – 6 defeat at Hartley Whitney in the ADFA Saturday Senior Cup Quarter-Final.
Stanley Kyle, Forward, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Started on the substitutes’ bench for the 3 – 3 draw against Spelthorne Sports in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).
Tommy Seale, Central Midfield, 2nd year - Broadbridge Heath: Came on as a 79th minute substitute in the 0 - 2 defeat to Steyning Town in the Isthmian League - South East Division (Step 4).
Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Played the full game of the 3 – 3 draw against Spelthorne Sports in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).
Wednesday 5th February
Bob Honey, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Kingstonian: The match against Guernsey in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4) was postponed.
Saturday 8th February
Lucas Boxall, Midfield, 2nd year – Sheerwater: Came on as an 82nd minute substitute in the 2 – 0 victory over Tadley Calleva in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Sam Brittain, Midfield, 2nd year - Virginia Water: Made his debut, coming off the bench, in the 0 - 0 draw at Reading City in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division North (Step 5).
Tom Dryer, Forward, 2nd year – Westfield: The quality of Tom’s recent substitute appearances gave him a place in the starting XI for the 2 – 1 victory over Moneyfields in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4). Playing on the right side of the attack in a 3 – 4 – 3 formation, this was a performance of typical endeavour and flair, combined with his usual willingness to work back and support the defence. Tom opened the scoring, his first goal for Westfield, on 29 minutes - Jack Beadle played Tom in and from the corner of the six-yard box he powered his finish past the diving ‘keeper at waist height. A reorganisation on 70 minutes saw Tom switch to the left-side of the attack, and then, his work for the afternoon well done, Tom was replaced on 77 minutes.
Lui Edwards, Forward, 4th year – Westfield: Having started on the substitutes bench for the 2 – 1 victory over Moneyfields in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4), Lui was called in to action after 37 minutes, an injury leading to a reshuffle and Lui taking up his role as the spearhead of the attack. He nearly combined with Dryer to create a chance on 44 minutes, before the chance to shoot was closed down, created a chance for Beadle, and would play a significant role in Westfield’s winning goal. Moneyfields had equalised on 50 minutes, before Westfield won a free-kick on 55 minutes. Lui was called on to take it and his beautifully flighted ball was knocked down by Kyle Bailey and knocked in, on the slide, by Billy Nutbeam.
Bob Honey, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Kingstonian: The match at Badshot Lea in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4) was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Stanley Kyle, Forward, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Came on as a 76th minute substitute in the 0 – 1 defeat at Balham in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).
Oliver Mason, Central Midfield, 3rd year – Ascot United: An unused substitute in the 3 – 4 defeat against Horndean in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4).
Henry McDonald, Centre Midfield, 3rd year – Sheerwater: Came on as a 76th minute substitute (with the score at 1 – 0) in the 2 – 0 victory over Tadley Calleva in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5). Henry quickly made an impact, scoring the goal on 80 minutes which gave the Sheers’ victory.
Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Came on as a 57th minute substitute (with the score at 0 – 0) in the 2 – 0 victory over Spelthorne Sports in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Byron Mitchell, Forward, 2nd year – Sheerwater: Came on as a 66th minute substitute (with the score at 1 – 0) in the 2 – 0 victory over Tadley Calleva in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Louis Pask, Midfield, 2nd year – Camberley Town: Came on as a 29th minute substitute (for an early injury) in the 0 – 0 draw at Abbey Rangers in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Tommy Seale, Central Midfield, 2nd year - Broadbridge Heath: Was not involved in the 0 - 0 draw at Herne Bay in the Isthmian League - South East Division (Step 4).
Aidy Silverstein, Central Defence, 2nd year - Hamble Club FC: Awaiting information on Aidy's involvement in the 4 - 1 victory at United Services Portsmouth in the Wessex League - Premier Division (Step 5).
Harry White, Goalkeeper, 2nd year – Sandhurst Town: Played the full game in the 0 – 1 defeat at Balham in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).