Woking smash 6 past hopeless Dover

Woking Vs Dover
Monday 25th August 2014
Venue: Kingfield
Kick Off: 3pm

Written By Declan McCarthy Twitter: @dec11mcc
Picture by David Holmes

On a wet bank holiday at Kingfield, it was Woking vs Dover and both side’s would have been going into this game with high hopes after Adam Newton’s 81th minute equaliser vs Welling on Saturday and Dover winning at home against big spenders Eastleigh.

Team News:

Woking had a change in formation in today’s game leaving the traditional 4-4-2 for the 4-4-3 with Sole, Morgan and Rendell as a front three. Gary Hill made four changes in his starting line-up for today’s game Vs Dover and the most noticeable change was dropping Aaron Howe to the bench bringing in Jake Cole for his first competitive game for Woking. Newton came back into defence, while Keiran Murtagh and Giuseppe Sole also made the team meaning Joey Jones and Theo Lewis would make way for the bench and John Goddard did not feature in the team after coming off against Welling with a suspected injury.

First Half:

Woking kicked off in horrible wet conditions but once again the pitch looked brilliant at Kingfield and it was the home team who started well, Dean Morgan picked up the ball on the left wing and used his bags of tricks to beat his man, crossed low and Rendell who was running onto the ball under great pressure and was unlucky not to get more on the cross and his shot went wide. It was a positive start from the cards. But it was Dover who scored early but it was dismissed by referee Mark Pottage who felt Nathan Elder was causing an obstruction on goalkeeper Aaron Howe and shortly after from a dover free kick, almost the same thing happened again with Elder jumping well but once again into Howe and giving the ref no choice to blow his whistle for a free kick.

Shortly after Josh Payne stepped up and took a well crossed corner and it was Rendell at the near post who flicked on the ball to Sole who pounced on the ball into the back of the net giving the home side the lead, after this the Woking attacks became a fashion with another set-piece from Payne who passed the ball to Morgan and then crossed brilliantly into McNerney who was under a lot of pressure from defenders all around, heading over and should have done better but the momentum was really with Woking now.

Within ten minutes Woking were at it again and it was Murtagh who played an attacking ball between the Dover defender’s to Newton who pulled back the ball to Sole who finished neatly. Not long after the 2nd the 3rd goal was scored and it all started with Morgan on the left hand side and after a bit a fine trickery he beat his man and crossed low which found Sole who smartly flicked back and set up Murtagh, who slipped but still managed to pass it to Rendell and from 12 yards he slotted home.

Although 3-0 down, Dover still put the pressure on and it was Jake Cole to the rescue as Dover broke through and got a good shot away, with Cole diving to his right and palming it out for a corner.

On the 30 minute mark Dover struck back with Stefan Payne getting a bit of luck shooting hard and low getting a big deflection on the edge of the 18 yard box skimming into the back of Woking’s net. There was not much at all Jake Cole could have done to prevent that one. 3-1 at this stage.

Woking went into half time in a very upbeat and positive mood, this was to continue into the 2nd half.

Second Half:

In the second half Woking played decent football and really did control the midfield and from playing so well Woking got there 4th it was Giuseppe Sole with the assist and Rendell with the goal. It was a nice bit of play from the Woking midfield and Sole was picked out with space and took his time and showed real composure by getting his head up and passing across the 6 yard box to his striker partner Rendell.

At this stage of the game Dover went to plan B and it really showed, they really played on their set pieces and not really playing football, but they did created chances with Orlu coming close but not really troubling Howe (who was no in place for Cole as he limped off after pulling his calf)

Just before the hour mark a penalty for handball was awarded and after winning the penalty Rendell stepped up and scored. 5-1. Gary Hill made a few changes at this stage of the game and changed his formation with Clarke and Payne coming OFF the pitch, introduced to the game was Jones and Lewis. Woking were playing well and creating chances, with Morgan receiving the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box and with a nice shimmy took on his man and slotted a great little ball in-between the Dover athletic central defender’s to Rendell who got back in an onside positon and received the ball, turned well and shot hard and low into the corner. 6-1 A real great finish.

Payne, Lewis and Murtagh were a 3 in midfield with Morgan playing off Rendell and Sole which really helped the team when it came to the final 3rd of the pitch. Opportunity’s came and went for Woking with Murtagh coming close from a set-piece on the edge of the box.

Dover however really were their own worst enemy as they never really caused substitution Howe a problem until the 84th mintue when Payne caused a problem at the back and broke through running onto a back pass that went wrong, he lined up the shot, and it was a diving header from Joe Mcnerney who cleared the shot of the line and kept the lead at 6-1.

Dover once again created problems with set pieces and a great delivery from Nanetii was met with a good header from Dover’s Yado Mambo, but Howe met the header with an even better save of the line.

Full-Time- 6-1

Overall:

Woking showed true quality in today’s performance and showed everyone that we are not a route 1 team, changing tactics throughout the game. Giuseppe Sole was very impressive, looked sharp and in total control when on the ball. Another player that impressed me was Dean Morgan, taking on his man and when he moved into a CAM role 60 minutes in, he really showed his ability to move the ball around and played a key role in this match.

Next up for Woking is Wrexham away.

MY MOTM: Giuseppe Sole.

Attendance: 1454