After that epic FA Cup battle with Bolton in midweek, County return to crucial National League action this weekend with an away trip to Woking, looking to move above The Cards in the league table.
The heroics in that crazy 5-3 win against the League One side on Wednesday night earned Dave Challinor his first win as County manager, and now he will have his sights set on picking up a first three points to get our league campaign back on track.
Despite a promising performance against an in-form Bromley side last Saturday, that last-gasp equaliser for The Ravens means County slipped down to 11th, below Saturday’s opponents, and five points off the play-off places with a game in hand.
Earlier that afternoon Woking got a much need victory, just their second in six games, away at struggling Southend United to climb into the top ten, sitting above County on goal difference after 14 games each.
Tickets for this game are available to buy online via Woking’s club website. For more information, click here.
Our Opponent:
Like County, Alan Dowson’s Woking FC are now in their third season back in the National League having won promotion via the National League South play-offs in 2018/19.
After a promising first season back in the fifth tier for the Cards, that saw them secure a 10th place finish despite their part-time status, last season was a much less memorable one for the Surrey side.
Struggling to find their best form in the opening months of the season, Woking looked to be heading for a relegation battle in the first-half of last season, sitting just four points above the relegation zone in 18th after 20 league games.
The complexion of their entire season was soon to change however when the National League North and South null and voided their season, removing the threat of relegation and securing Woking’s place in the National League for the 2021/22 season.
As a result, Woking made the decision to place the majority of the squad on furlough, with a view to saving money in preparation for the Summer, and to secure the financial future of the football club.
As a result, however, the club’s form took a complete nosedive, winning only one of their final twenty league games – including a run of ten straight league defeats, that came to an end with a 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park. They eventually finished the season in 20th, two points above the bottom three.
The only positive taken from their season came with an impressive run in the FA Trophy, but even that ultimately ended in defeat as they were beaten 1-0 in the semi-final by National League North Hereford.
Some impressive recruitment over the Summer has meant Dowson’s side are a different proposition this season though, with the likes of former Brighton midfielder Rohan Ince and striker Inih Effiong offsetting the losses of Matt Jarvis and Kane Ferdinand.
Their most impressive bit of business, however, has been the addition of striker Tahvon Campbell on a free transfer. The forward scored just once in 15 appearances on loan at Halifax from Cheltenham last season, but has been in inspired form so far this campaign with ten goals in his first 14 games for the Club. Only Chesterfield forward Kabongo Tshimanga has more in the National League this season.
That form in front of goal has helped the Cards stack up some impressive results so far this season, at one point beating promotion contenders Chesterfield, Notts County and Dagenham all within the space of a week.
That run of results had lifted them as high as 8th with games in hand after picking up 15 points from their first eight games, but recent defeats to Grimsby, Maidenhead, Yeovil and Bromley have stalled that early season momentum.
Match Stats:
- Woking have proven to be difficult opposition for County in the past, with our 4-1 win at the Laithwaite Community Stadium last season our first and only victory in seven meetings against the Cards.
- Like County, Woking have proven to be better on their travels so far this season, picking up just nine points from six home games this season, compared to twelve points won away from home.
- Scott Quigley has scored five goals in his last four games for County – the last player to score in five straight games for the club was Luke Beckett.
