County will be looking to stretch their recent unbeaten run to 14 games in all competitions this Saturday, as the next challenge in our title push sees us face Woking at Edgeley Park.
Tuesday night’s stunning second-half display against Bromley at Hayes Lane saw us extend our lead at the top of the National League table, as goals from Paddy Madden and Scott Quigley sent us three points clear of Chesterfield.
The Spireites are the only team that can mathematically overtake County on the day providing a swing in goal-difference – Paul Cook’s side are in action at home to 6th place Solihull Moors.
Woking were last in action live on BT Sport last weekend in a thriller against in-form Southend United. The Cards battled back from 2-0 down in the second-half to level things up, before eventually losing 3-2 thanks to a winner from former County loanee Harry Cardwell.
That result leaves Alan Dowson’s side 15th in the current standings after a disappointing recent run of form, 11 points above the relegation zone but 14 adrift of the play-off places.
Tickets for this game are still available to buy online. Buy yours today by clicking here, and help make it another bumper crowd at Edgeley Park to spur the lads on to another three points!
Since we last met:
When we last met Woking back in November at The Laithwaite Community Stadium, The Cards actually began that game above County in the league table on goal difference after a strong start to the season had them eyeing up the play-off places.
A Paddy Madden double in the first-half secured a 2-1 victory for County that day, the first National League win of the Dave Challinor era, as we moved above Woking into tenth.
The form of both sides since then could hardly have been more contrasting. Whilst County have won 14 of their 17 games in all competitions since then, losing just twice, the Surrey side have picked up just three wins in their last 13 to slump further and further down the league table.
The Cards were dealt a further blow in the January transfer window too with the loss of top scorer Tahvon Campbell to League Two Rochdale. The former Cheltenham man had been in fine form this season with 13 goals in the league, including one against County in that reverse fixture – only Michael Cheek and Kabongo Tshimanga had scored more.
To their credit the Cards haven’t exactly been short of goals from elsewhere this season – only five teams have scored more than Woking’s 42 so far, with seasoned striker Inih Effiong helping himself to ten of them. At the other end, however, only seven teams have conceded more than their 43 in 27 league games, with Dowson’s side struggling for consistency.
They can perhaps point to some misfortune over the course of the campaign too, despite their poor recent results. Of their 15 defeats in the National League, 11 of them have come by just a single goal, and none of them by more than two, as they continue to make life difficult for every side they face.
They can have reason to be confident coming to Edgeley Park as well. The side have a better record away from home than they do at The Laithwaite Community Stadium, picking up 17 of their 32 points on their travels, and the club have never lost at Edgeley Park in four previous visits.
One to watch:
Woking will be hoping to have key player Max Kretzschmar back fit for this game, having missed the last three games through injury.
The former Wycombe midfielder, now in his second spell at the Club, is a key presence in the middle of the park and has a real eye for goal, chipping in with 19 in 19 appearances so far this season, four of them coming from open play.
That tally already beats the seven he managed for the club last season, which included one at Edgeley Park back in May that helped the struggling side secure a 1-1 draw.
Match Stats:
- That 2-1 win at Woking earlier in the season was just our second ever against The Cards in eight previous meetings, both of them coming away from home. We have drawn one and lost three against them at Edgeley Park.
- Only Michael Cheek (15) and Kabongo Tshimanga (24) have scored more goals in the National League than Paddy Madden this season (13). The Irishman’s brace on Tuesday took his tally to 22 goals in 47 appearances for the club.
- Despite being right-footed, Scott Quigley’s goal on Tuesday night was just the second he’s scored for County with his right foot, with five of his nine goals so far being scored on his supposedly weaker left (two headers).
