By Scott Taylor
PADRAIG AMOND scored a hat-trick as Grimsby Town recorded a third straight win over Woking with a 3-1 victory at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Tuesday night.
Amond opened the scoring in the 15th minute, before the striker doubled his and the Mariners’ tally on the hour mark.
Bruno Andrade pulled a goal back for the hosts seven minutes later, but as the Cards were searching for an equaliser, Amond sealed his hat-trick with Grimsby’s third in the 86th minute.
Woking manager Garry Hill named an unchanged side from the 2-1 victory over Forest Green Rovers, with Daniel Carr leading the line in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
After a tame start to the game, the first real opportunity game in the 15th minute, when Andy Monkhouse set up Amond for his 27th goal of the season, and his best yet according to the Irishman.
A minute later, Omar Bogle had a great chance to double the visitor’s lead, but the onrushing Jake Cole denied him from close range.
In the 22nd minute, Woking were inches away from grabbing an equaliser, but Cameron Norman’s 25-yard free-kick smashed the outside of the post and was eventually cleared.
That was the closest Woking got to scoring in the first half, as Grimsby continued to attack the Woking goal. Omar Bogle had numerous chances to find the back of the net, but he failed to hit the target.
With four minutes left of the first half, Monkhouse had an effort cleared off the line by Chris Arthur as Woking ended the half under pressure, but still in the game.
The Cards started off the second half in much better fashion, with a change of formation allowing Norman to go to right-back, sending Jake Caprice further forward.
However, after both Andrade and Brian Saah missed chances, Amond punished them, latching onto a Craig Disley through ball to finish a fine counter-attacking move.
Joey Jones replaced Matt Butcher in the 66th minute, and the Woking midfielder immediately changed the game, adding more stability and balance to the side.
A minute after the former Yeovil man come on, Andrade pulled a goal back for the Cards. Caprice’s cross found Guissepe Sole in the area, and his mistimed over-head kick fortunately fell to Andrade, who volleyed home from close-range for his fourth goal of the season.
The Portuguese midfielder then went close in the 79th minute, but his shot was denied by goalkeeper James McKeown.
However, for the second time in the game, Grimsby grabbed a goal against the run of play. A long ball forward was flicked on by Bogle, and Amond fired it beyond the reach of Cole to complete a memorable hat-trick, as the clinical visitors scored with every real opportunity.
Woking will look to bounce back when Hill’s side travel to Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon.
Woking XI: Cole; Caprice, Norman (Poku 86′), Saah, Arthur; Murtagh, Ricketts; Andrade, Robinson, Butcher (Jones 66′); Carr (Sole 56′).
Grimsby XI: McKeown; Tait, Gowling, Nsiala, Horwood; East, Nolan, Disley, Monkhouse (Clay 88′); Bogle (Pearson 90′), Amond (Pitman 90′).
Attendance: 1,394 (233)
The Saturday Sports team will be back this weekend as Woking take on Lincoln City and Aldershot host Southport. Join us from 2pm with live reports from the two matches and local matches around Woking and Surrey.
Photos from David Holmes at Woking FC. You can view his full set of photo’s at Wokingfc.co.uk/gallery/