Academy Review - Week 28

Written by Ian Tilley & Holly Porter 

Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 3rd March 2025

Wednesday 5th March

11:30 – Woking U17 v Bromley U17; National League Alliance – Division E

Woking College, Rydens Way

14:00 – Maidstone United U19 v Woking U19; National League Academy – South Division

The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone ME14 1LQ

Friday 7th March

19:45 – Bromley U23 v Woking U21; Suburban League – Premier Division

Hayes Lane, Bromley, BR2 9EF

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.

The Academy website, where you can also find details of the Elite Development Squad launch, is wokingcitc.org


Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 24th February 2025

Wednesday 26th February

Woking U19 5 - 1 Maidenhead United U19; National League Academy – South Division

Woking College, Rydens Way

Report from Ian Tilley

This was a game that Woking should have been expecting to win, and they ultimately secured a victory, although the scoreline was a little harsh on a Maidenhead side which certainly gave the hosts some uncomfortable moments.

Indeed, the visitors took the lead after 4 minutes. A goal which followed a scramble where Mikey Verga in the Woking goal looked to have claimed the ball, only for the challenge on him to be allowed, resulting in Ethan Kitching being able to knock the ball in from a few yards out.

Of greater concern to Woking was an injury to the right side of the shin to Jacob Farr sustained in the scramble, Jacob left the field of play limping very heavily and supported by colleagues, it appears to be soft tissue bruising rather than anything more, and we wish him a speedy recovery. James Orton, who had started the previous Academy South game, came on as a direct replacement on the left side of the back four.

Woking sought to re-exert control and the game became rather locked in a midfield tussle. Although Woking were relieved to see the offside flag when Maidenhead had the ball in the net on 22 minutes.

As Woking became more dominant, they took the game to their opponents well, and the first clear chance came on 37 minutes. Henry McDonald, who had started ahead of Ollie Mason as Mason had played for Ascot United the previous evening, got an excellent touch on a Ryan Scott cross, and it looked like the ball was over Joseph Hybert before the ‘keeper got an excellent touch to tip it over the bar.

Tom Gardner was called on to provide defensive cover, but he was about to play a significant role in the game being turned around before half-time. Woking were to make the most of the time added on, largely for the treatment of Farr, and were level on 45+1 minutes. A neat passing move involving Orton and Jojo Ampah gave Leo Christophers the chance to hit an unstoppable shot from the edge of the penalty area past Hybert and into the roof of the net.

On 45+4 minutes the turnaround was complete. Scott delivering a pinpoint corner kick to the far post, where Gardner rose to power home his header.

Half-time: Woking 2 – 1 Maidenhead United

The Cards continued where they had left off, and extended their lead on 51 minutes. A fine cross from Jack Lewis, overlapping on the right-hand side, was met six yards out by Ampah, who hit the ball low and hard, earning a just reward for his persistent running in to good positions.

Maidenhead responded with a triple substitution, but it would be Woking who maintained the upper hand with a tactical change of their own. Louie Boyle coming on in a more forward position than usual, allowing Woking to play a more fluid style, along the lines of 3-4-3.

However, although Woking were largely in control, Maidenhead did have an opportunity from the penalty spot to half the deficit. Unfortunately for Soul Hale, who was having a strong game as an attacking full-back, his kick the bar, and was cleared by Gardner as it came back into play.

Woking maintained control, and as the visitors looked to be tiring, went forward in search of more goals. On 83 minutes they had one of real quality. A team passing move ended with Christophers playing the ball to Stanley Kyle, who put it on a plate for Lucas Boxall to hit a fine left-footed strike from the edge of the penalty area into the bottom corner.

Maidenhead did respond, Aidy Silverstein doing well to deal with the threat of Senna Anagho, but Woking were to put the icing on the cake on 87 minutes. Boxall broke up the opposition play and a great through ball from Kyle put Boyle in to finish across the ‘keeper and into the bottom corner, for the first year’s first national academy league goal for the club.

Silverstein nearly put the cherry on top in added time, acrobatically getting a shot away which Hybert did well to tip over the bar. A pleasing result as Woking look to end the season strongly, with a tough visit to second place Maidstone United next on the fixture list.

Woking: Mikey Verga, Jack Lewis, Tom Gardner ©, Charlie Sweeney (Aidy Silverstein 70), Jacob Farr (James Orton 8), Ryan Scott, Leo Christophers, Henry McDonald (Tommy Seale 76), Lucas Boxall, Ben Mitchell (Louie Boyle 54), Jojo Ampah (Stanley Kyle 70).

Goals: Christophers 45+1, Gardner 45+4, Ampah 51, Boxall 83, Boyle 87.

Maidenhead United: Joseph Hybert, Anton Watson, Ethan Kitching © (Finnley Viotto 52), Harry Pashley, Soul Hale, Nathan Long, Ethan Holliday (Jay Mason 52), Kian Mirnam (Rio McFarlane 73), Nuno Cook (Senna Anagho 73), Ryo Kanishiro (Joe Reid 52), Quaye Vine.

Goal: Kitching 4.

Referee: Lee Murphy.


Thursday 27th February

East Grinstead Town U18 P - P Woking U18; Isthmian League – Central Division

Postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at East Court College Lane, East Grinstead


Friday 28th February

Bracknell Town U23 4 - 1 Woking U21; Suburban League – Premier Division

Bottom Meadow, Sandhurst

Report from Ian Tilley

Woking have struggled for consistency in the Suburban League, and although Bracknell lie below them in the table, the return fixture saw Woking only secure a draw with a Louis Pask goal on 90+8 minutes, and this was to prove another difficult evening.

A concerning trend for Woking’s older academy players of conceding early goals continued in the second minute, Ryan Lopes finishing off a flowing move. The lead was doubled on 9 minutes, Zach Cox setting up DaQaio Stewart, with Woking again opened up more easily than they would like.

Woking were finding it difficult to threaten Bracknell’s goal, and on 27 minutes Brighton Morrison, who was controlling things in midfield alongside Zach Cox and Luka Smirnoff, nearly added a third, an audacious long-range lob going narrowly wide, with questions arising about who was meant to be marking him.

On the half-hour mark Jermaine Young and Louis Pask did combine to give Stanley Kyle a half-chance, but it was Bracknell who would score the next goal, to increase their advantage. Cox finding space to drive the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

The response of Woking’s management team was to make all 5 permitted substitutions on 40 minutes. On 44 minutes Calum Mathieson’s cross set up Henry McDonald for a shot which Nkenge Durham was equal to, but at least Woking had something positive to end the half with.

Half-time: Bracknell Town 3 – 0 Woking

Having made the 5 substitutions, the break gave Woking the opportunity to further reorganise, and they were much more the equals of Bracknell in the second-half, with the addition of an extra man, in McDonald, in centre-midfield subduing the influence of Morrison, Cox and Smirnoff.

It was now an evenly contested match, and Woking nearly had one back on 67 minutes. Ryan Scott’s corner headed firmly towards the top corner by Tom Gardner, only for Durham to tip over.

Bracknell then sought to strengthen their midfield, with Gavin Stagg coming on alongside Morrison, and the move looked to have them back in control, but it was Woking who would get the next goal on 85 minutes. A fine through ball from McDonald played in Mathieson, continuing his return from a 2-month absence with a hip injury, who ran in on goal and finished well with a low, hard shot from 15 yards.

But Bracknell would have the final word, a short corner routine setting up Giovanni Martino for an emphatic volleyed finish. Bracknell had seen the game out well, and there’s certainly work for the Cards to do, starting with addressing the unwanted pattern of conceding early goals.

Bracknell Town: Nkenge Durham, Nwaebube Iheaku, Malachi Henry, Jake Hunter, Julien Guzman, Brighton Morrison, Zach Cox, Luka Smirnoff, Oliver Henry, Ryan Lopes, DaQaio Stewart. Substitutes: Giovanni Martino, Gavin Stagg, Felicien Leger, Aidan McGuire, Razvan Roman.

Goals: Lopes 2, Stewart 9, Morrison 38, Martino 87.

Woking: Mikey Verga, Ryan Scott, George Galea-Elston (Tom Gardner 40 ©), Aidy Silverstein, James Orton (Jayden Smith 40), Louie Boyle, JJ Young, Tommy Seale, Louis Pask (Calum Mathieson 40), Harvey Brook (Henry McDonald 40), Stanley Kyle © (Seyi Akinwalere 40).

Goal: Mathieson 85.

Referee: David Cox.


Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:

Tuesday 25th February

Oliver Mason, Central Midfield, 3rd year – Ascot United: Played the full match in the 3 – 2 victory at Westfield in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4). Westfield led 2 – 0 in this match.

Louis Pask, Midfielder, 2nd year – Camberley Town: An unused substitute for the 2 – 1 victory at Chipstead in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5). Camberley had a man sent off on 36 minutes and scored their winner on 90+6 minutes.

Saturday 1st March

Sam Brittain, Midfield, 2nd year – Virginia Water: Came on as a 71st minute substitute in the 1 – 3 defeat to Edgware & Kingsbury in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division North (Step 5).

Stanley Kyle, Forward, 2nd year – Camberley Town: Came on as a 71st minute substitute in the 2 – 0 victory over Balham in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).

Oliver Mason, Central Midfield, 3rd year – Ascot United: Came on as a 65th minute substitute in the 0 – 3 defeat at Leatherhead in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4). Ollie came on when the score was already 0 – 3.

Ben Mitchell, Forward, 3rd year - Knaphill: Came on as a 71st minute substitute in the 2 – 1 victory over Epsom & Ewell in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5). Ben came on when the score was 1 – 1 (with Sid Cannon scoring the winner on 75 minutes), but was sent off for a second caution on 88 minutes.

Louis Pask, Midfielder, 2nd year – Camberley Town: Started and played 63 minutes of the 2 – 0 victory over Balham in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).