Venue: Kingfield
Tuesday 1st November, 7.45pm kick-off
Conditions:
Pitch: Soggy after a pre-match downpour
Scorers: Padraig Amond 84
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Jamie Andrews 30, Ben Richards-Everton 40, Ewan Clark 45, Jamie Reckord 61
Woking: Ricky Korboa 86, Rohan Ince 87
Referee: Lloyd Wood
Yeovil Town:
Substitutes: Gime Toure (for Chiori Johnson, 62), Will Dawes (for Malachi Linton, 62), Sam Perry (for Ewan Clark, 82). Will Buse (not used), Ollie Hulbert (not used).
Woking: Ross, Moss, Cuthbert, McNerney, Casey, Ince, Anderson, Kellerman, Korboa (for Vokins, 90), Clarke (for Roles, 69), Amond (for Bilongo 90+3). Substitutes (not used): Wady Roberts.
Match Report
Yeovil Town remain in the National League relegation zone after a late winner from Padraig Amond saw El Sarllico go the way of the former Glovers’ boss.
It was a case of third time lucky for the Irishman who was denied by the impressive Grant Smith in a one-on-one opportunity and moments later the keeper kept out a tame penalty, but with six minutes remaining the big money summer signing was on hand to tap home the winner.
Another blank in front goal means Mark Cooper’s men remain the lowest scorers in the National League with just 13 goals in 17 games and that was what cost us – again.
First half
The first 15 minutes did not offer much from either side finding out a pitch which was drenched by a downpour just ahead of kick-off, despite it being relatively dry in Surrey come 7.45pm.
Ricky Korboa forced the first save – albeit a fairly routine one – out of Grant Smith in the visitor’s goal after 14 minutes but, against a side on a good run of form, they managed to hold their own and rarely looked like they were being too threatened.
As the game approached the half-hour mark, there was a little sustained pressure from Yeovil, but did not do a great deal to threaten Craig Ross in the hosts’ goal.
Winger Ewan Clark did suffer some rough treatment winning a number of fouls which referee Lloyd Wood not picking up on any…..until debutant Jamie Andrews picked up a yellow for a 30th minute foul on the dangerous Korboa, who we struggled to contain.
Yeovil began to find their way in to the game as it progressed towards the interval, however, there was little in the way of quality from either side. Scrappy to put it politely.
It took a moment of superb defending from Max Hunt to clear from the middle of a sea of Woking players in first half injury time and then again rose highest to had another ball in. For a player who was completely out of favour under previous manager, Chris Hargreaves, he will have got plenty of confidence from that impressive piece of defensive play.
Half time: Woking 0 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
The scrappiness continued as the second half got underway along with the lightweight feel to the Yeovil frontline alongside
But, with ten minutes of the second half gone, the game sprang in to life. Woking striker Padraig Amond found himself one-on-one with visiting keeper Smith, who got a leg out to deny the Cardinals’ big money summer signing. Once again, Smith showing the quality he has displayed all season.
The defensive slip was the first blip in an otherwise controlled display from the visitors, but on 59 minutes a clumsy tackle by Owen Bevan on Jermaine Anderson saw a second penalty in three days awarded against the Glovers. It looked as if Anderson was going to take it only for Amond to grab the ball off him and his poor spot kick was saved by Smith.
With FC Halifax Town, the second lowest scorers in the National League, postponed due to the poor weather, Mark Cooper chucked on Gime Toure and Will Dawes in place of Chiori Johnson and Malachi Linton in an attempt to improve his side’s woeful attacking performance this season.
The response saw the game turn in to a real end-to-end affair but without much to trouble either Smith or Ross in the opposing goals.
But, with six minutes remaining, the defensive solidity which had been a hallmark of the visitors’ performance deserted them and gifted Woking the lead. They hesitated as Jack Roles’ ball fizzed in to the box and AMOND was at the back post to turn the ball home. When your luck’s not in, it’s not in.
Smith, a player who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side if ever there was one, pulled off a smart stop to deny Jim Kellerman in second half injury time.
Don’t score goals, you don’t win football matches.