Academy Review - Week 31
Written by Ian Tilley & Holly Porter Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 24th March 2025
Wednesday 26th March
12:00 – Eastleigh Blues v Woking U17; National League Alliance – Division E
Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh SO16 2PA
14:00 – Woking U19 v Aldershot Town U19; National League Academy - South Division
Westfield FC, Woking Park
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 17th March 2025
Tuesday 18th March
Hartley Wintney U21 2 - 1 Woking U21; Suburban League Cup Plate - Quarter-Final
Hartley Wintney Memorial Ground, Green Lane
Report from Ian Tilley
With a National League South game to come the next day, this was an opportunity for those selected to start this game to show why they should be taking part in those National League South games.
Whilst Woking selected from their Academy squad, Hartley Wintney took the opportunity given by their being no age limit in the Suburban League to field some older players, and this would prove sufficient to tip the balance in their favour.
Woking conceded an all-too-familiar early goal, Jack Woodyer’s corner headed in from the near-post corner of the six-yard box by Harvey Chogugudza, his accurate aim into the bottom corner beating Aaron Zziwa, who would be justified if he asked if the marking could have been tighter.
Woking did have their share of the attacking play in the first half, coming closest when a turn and shot from the best part of 30 yards by Tommy Seale was tipped over the bar by Dylan Hawkins (who trains with the Woking squad whilst he attends Woking College).
Woking’s wide forwards, Harvey Brook and Louis Pask, were creating problems for the home side’s defence, but it was Hartley who would double their lead shortly before half-time. With the final touch coming from a George Turner header, as he lay virtually on the goal-line and deflected home James Beauchamp’s shot, it was hard to see how he was onside, but the goal stood.
Half-time: Hartley Wintney 2 – 0 Woking
Woking changed to a back three for the second-half, looking to get James Orton and Louis Pask forwards more from wide positions. The impact was felt within two minutes, Orton setting up Brook for a shot on target.
On 51 minutes Woking had pulled a goal back, Tommy Seale won a free-kick just over twenty yards out, and Pask hit a fine drive across Hawkins in to the top corner, the ‘keeper getting a hand to it, but unable to keep it out.
Both sides were then to have chances, Beauchamp hitting the post for Hartley, before Woking hit the woodwork twice. Charlie Sweeney heading against the bar from a free-kick, and then Brook hitting the post, half way through the half, after being put in by a fine through ball from Stan Kyle.
Woking continued to press, making changes to personnel and positioning, in search of an equaliser to take the game to penalties. But Hartley were equal to the task, with substitute Adam Angus particularly fired up with some decisive interventions.
So, Hartley go through to play either Marlow or St Albans City in the semi-final, whilst Woking’s players will be looking forward to the opportunities to show their qualities in the rest of the South Division season.
Hartley Wintney: Dylan Hawkins, Toby Doyle (Adam Angus 73), Archie Sheppard, Dillon Gordon, Bilal Kharkowa, Jacques Bourienne-Roberts, George Turner (Luke Saunders 89), Jack Woodyer ©, Harvey Chogugudza (Charlie Sanderson 83), Renaldo Narcisse (Joshua Silk 73), James Beauchamp. Unused subs: Joshua Brownhill, Toby Bonfield, Karl Hawkins (GK).
Goals: Chogugudza 4, Turner 45.
Woking: Aaron Zziwa, George Galea-Elston, Aidy Silverstein, Charlie Sweeney, James Orton (Roshan Kigozi 73), Tommy Seale (Ryan Scott 73), Amario Malhotra (Tom Gardner 87), JJ Young, Harvey Brook, Stan Kyle ©, Louis Pask. Unused subs: Joel Jennison-Leppa, James Clarke.
Goal: Pask 51.
Referee: Ian Skull
Wednesday 19th March
Dartford U19 3 - 4 Woking U19; National League Academy - South Division
Princes Park Stadium, Dartford
Report from Holly Porter
Fresh after a week off, another trip to Kent was on the cards for the u19s, who were looking to bounce back after a loss to Maidstone last time out.
Woking started the game well, with an early chance for Mitchell which saw him turn in the box and get a strong effort away, but the keeper was equal to it in the first real chance of the half.
The remainder of the opening 10 minutes was very end-to-end, and certainly a taste of the action-packed first half that was about to unfold. In the 5th minute, Dartford went close to taking the lead through their first corner of the game. The delivery into the goalmouth was punched out by Honey, with a rebound that could have gone anywhere, but eventually, the threat was eliminated. In the 9th minute, Boxall troubled the home keeper with a first-time shot from close range, but it was kept out and the scoreline remained level.
In the 15th minute, the away side won a free kick just inside the Dartford half, which was eventually played across to Boyle on the far side, but his effort fired over the bar. Straight back down the other end, Dartford went close with a strong effort in the penalty area, but Honey did well to get down to dive to his left and push the ball out and, despite plenty of attacking play from both sides, the search for the opener continued.
The search ended just minutes later, with a well-worked piece of play from the Cards, which ended with Lewis’ delivery being met by Boxall’s first-time volley into the back of the net from close range in the 19th minute.
With momentum, the Cards doubled that advantage just 2 minutes later. This time it was Smith who etched his name onto the scoresheet, with a great effort which squeezed in at the near post.
Dartford were able to bounce back quickly, however, and showed their threat once again in the 24th minute with a free-kick from just outside the box which floated just wide of the top right-hand corner.
Just 4 minutes later, they reduced Woking’s lead to one, with an effort from outside the box which squeezed into the bottom corner.
The Cards looked to quickly restore their two-goal advantage and went close with a Boxall free-kick in the 31st minute. The effort did well to clear the wall but floated just over the bar in a strong chance.
In the 34th minute, Dartford cancelled the early lead with a deep cross into the box from midway into the Woking half, which was headed in at the back post as the teams drew level once again.
This did not stop the Woking momentum, however, with Christophers the next to open up in front of goal. His 38th-minute shot was well-blocked by the Dartford defence, who threw their bodies in front of the effort but did not clear the threat entirely. In the same phase of play, Smith picked up the loose ball and did well to beat his man, but the effort flashed across goal and out of play.
Moments before half-time, Dartford took the lead for the first time in the fixture, with an effort across goal which hit the inside of the back post to cross the line 3 minutes into injury time, and left Woking with a big second-half task.
Reflecting on the first half, Academy Manager Matt Winter stated that: “Both teams attacked well and defended poorly”, in a quick turnaround for the home side.
Half-time: Dartford 3 – 2 Woking
Dartford started the second-half with several strong moves forward, firstly with a free kick which looped towards the back post, but the contact was not enough to trouble Honey, who caught and held the ball well in the 49th minute. In the 54th minute, Dartford passed through the midfield with pace and found an opening in the box, but once again it was easily collected by Honey.
The closest that Dartford came to a two-goal lead was in the 56th minute, with an effort which clipped the outside of the back post, with no one there to take the rebound shot.
It was Mitchell who put the Cards back on level terms, when he turned, broke into the box, and rifled one into the back of the net to wipe the late first-half goal from Dartford with just under half an hour of play remaining.
Pask nearly made an instant impact from the bench, with a first-time shot in the 67th minute. The effort from inside the penalty area, however, rose and hit the crossbar, with the follow-up effort being well met by the Dartford defence.
Nothing could keep out Boxall’s 70th-minute strike, however. His effort from range fell to the underside of the crossbar and rolled down the inside of the net in what was to be the strike that won the game.
The game itself, however, was far from over. Woking almost restored their two-goal lead when Christophers looked set to slot the ball into the bottom right corner in the 72nd minute. The home ‘keeper, however, did excellently well to get down to the effort and keep it out of the net.
Gardner put the ball into the back of the net in the 81st minute with a perfect header from a free-kick, but the young Cards were forced to continue with just the one-goal advantage as the flag went up for offside.
In the closing stages, it was Dartford who looked the more likely to score and Honey who was the wall that denied them. In the 83rd minute, an excellent double save saw the first effort saved with his feet, before he got his body in the way of the second shot, which kept his side in front.
In the 90th minute, Honey was there again, this time with a dive to his right which saved a back post header, and took the sting out of the Dartford attack, which left the young Cards with all three points on the road.
Matt Winter reflected on the game, saying: “The first 20-25 minutes was excellent, we played really well, we defended properly [...] We created good chances, we took our goals well, and I think we maybe got overconfident with ourselves and when you do that in this league you get punished. We had some harsh words at half-time because, to concede three in the manner that we did - not just the manner of the goals but also being 2-0 up in a game away from home - was disappointing, frustrating, and we had those conversations but the second half, obviously, was much better.”
Woking: Bob Honey, Jack Lewis (Louis Pask 63’), Tom Gardner ©, Harrison Stevens, Ryan Scott, Louie Boyle, Leo Christophers, Henry McDonald (Jermaine Junior Young 86’), Jayden Smith, Lucas Boxall (Stanley Kyle 80’), Ben Mitchell (Jojo Ampah 75’).
Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch:
Tuesday 18th March
Sam Brittain, Midfield, 2nd year – Virginia Water: Played the full game in the 2 – 0 victory at British Airways in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division North (Step 5).
Saturday 22nd March
Sam Brittain, Midfield, 2nd year – Virginia Water: Played the first 82 minutes of the 3 – 2 defeat at Egham Town in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division North (Step 5). Sam scored the goal which put Virginia Water 1 – 0 ahead in the ninth minute.
Stanley Kyle, Forward, 2nd year – Camberley Town: Came on as a 79th minute substitute in the 1 – 3 defeat to Horley Town in the Combined Counties League - Premier Division South (Step 5).
Oliver Mason, Central Midfield, 3rd year – Ascot United: Came on as an 81st minute substitute in the 1 – 5 defeat to Farnham Town in the Isthmian League - South Central Division (Step 4).
Henry McDonald, Centre Midfield, 3rd year – Camberley Town: Played the first 89 minutes of the 1 – 3 defeat to Horley Town in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Byron Mitchell, Forward, 2nd year – Sheerwater: Came on as a 75th minute substitute in the 2 – 1 victory over Tooting and Mitcham United in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).
Louis Pask, Midfielder, 2nd year – Camberley Town: Came on as a 66th minute substitute in the 1 – 3 defeat to Horley Town in the Combined Counties League – Premier Division South (Step 5).