A preview from Woking

This preview is from the Official Woking Website and was written by Brian Caffarey.

WOKING v HEREFORD UNITED
7.45pm on Tuesday 19 April 2005

Saturday's dramatic win against Accrington Stanley has set up a terrific game against the Bulls on Tuesday evening. What a great way to round off our home league campaign! The Cards are level on points with fifth-placed Morecambe with only two games to go. A win against the Bulls would set up a fantastic final game up at the Shay Stadium on Saturday. The Bulls for their part, have virtually ensured their play-off place: they need only one point from their final games to make absolutely certain. Make sure you're at Kingfield for this unmissable game.

WOKING

The Woking players must still be on a high after their heart-stopping injury-time winner against Accrington Stanley on Saturday. Gary MacDonald's brilliant header will stay in the memory for a long time, as will the eruption of emotion around Kingfield as the ball hit the net. In truth, it was no more than the Cards deserved after a wonderful second-half performance against a team who, mysteriously, seemed content to hold on for a draw, even appearing to waste time towards the end.

Glenn and the lads will know that, whatever the mathematics may say, they have to win again on Tuesday to keep their play-off hopes alive. That is a tall order against a Bulls side who have won more games away from home than any other side and who happen to have a very good record at Kingfield. But it's certainly not beyond the Cards, especially if they play with the conviction, passion and skill they showed on Saturday. Although the Bulls won at Halifax on Saturday, they didn't have it all their own way, with the Shaymen hitting the woodwork twice. We also showed at Edgar Street that we're perfectly capable of rattling them with our pace and power.

Glenn will focus, as always, on what his own side are doing but the rest of us will also have our ears open for the games involving Aldershot Town and Morecambe since, in practice, we have to displace one of the two if we are to claim a play-off place. It doesn't seem very likely that the Shrimps will slip up at home against Forest Green Rovers, who are in practice already relegated. Charlie Griffin would have to have a statue erected in his honour at Kingfield if he did pull off a big surprise! But the Shots have got a difficult trip to wounded Stanley. If we were to beat Hereford, anything less than a win for the Shots would see us leapfrog them, with only one game to go: at present our goal difference is one better than theirs.

Assuming there are no injuries from Saturday - and none seemed evident - Glenn's main decision is whether to start with Neil Smith at right back or continue with Simon Jackson, who came on as a second half replacement and whose extra pace proved useful both in defence and in attack. Glenn has indicated that he is opting for experience in the run-in - and Neil is a tremendous driving force - but against a very fluent Bulls' team it must be tempting to go for the younger legs this time. Otherwise, it must surely be the same team that started on Saturday.


THE BULLS' SQUAD

Most pundits predicted that the Bulls would find it hard to emulate last season's achievements when, playing some delightful attacking football, they finished only one point behind Chester, scoring 103 goals in the process: 15 more than the champions. In the play-offs, though, they were beaten by Aldershot Town, who had finished 21 points behind them, and eventually saw the Shrews, who had been 17 points adrift in third place, go up.

During the summer several key players were lured away by League clubs, including 25-goal Steve Guinan, who joined Cheltenham; midfielder Ben Smith, who departed, ironically, for the promoted Shrews; and goalkeeper Matt Baker, who headed off to Wrexham.

But Turner managed to sign some impressive replacements. Ex-Celtic keeper Jonathan Gould came on loan from Preston North End for several months before being replaced by ex-Morecambe and Halifax keeper Craig Mawson. The highly experienced Graham Hyde, formerly with Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol Rovers, filled the midfield vacancy, while up front Turner brought in two big name signings: Lee Mills, who was with Telford last season, and Adam Stansfield from Yeovil Town. At the back, Turner brought in Tamika Mkandawire, who played for the Bulls last season on loan from WBA, and Mark Robinson from Hartlepool.

Among players who remained from last season were the inspirational club captain, Tony James, at the heart of the defence; Rob Purdie, a fine attacking midfielder; and, of course, popular ex-Card Jamie Pitman. Tony James, however, has been out for the last few weeks with injuries.

Turner boosted the Bulls' play-off chances by bringing in two young strikers from Walsall, Daryl Taylor and Leroy Williams, partly to replace David Brown, whom we saw on Saturday playing for Accrington Stanley. Taylor's loan, however, had to be cut short as a result of injury.

Stansfield has been on great form for the Bulls, having notched 22 goals in all so far, including 19 in the Conference. He has been well supported by Danny Carey-Bertram with 13 goals and Lee Mills with 11.

On Saturday Turner started with Mills and Stansfield up front, with the lively Danny Carey-Bertram coming on in the second half. Danny Williams went off with a recurrence of an ankle injury and was replaced by Simon Travis. Macca may find himself having to subdue his ex-Stevenage team mate on Tuesday night. Jamie Pitman was rested, with Graham Hyde starting.

SEASON SO FAR

The Bulls started the season quite strongly in spite of home defeats to Stevenage and Halifax but then went six games, including our away game at Edgar Street, without recording a win. They hit another bad patch over Christmas, losing twice to Exeter City and also to Burton Albion and Dagenham and Redbridge. But their form since then has been excellent, with only one defeat (away to Morecambe) in the last 13 games. This run has included victories at Aldershot, Barnet, Stevenage and Halifax. They have won six of their last seven games, interrupted only by a draw against Carlisle. Their win at the Shay Stadium on Saturday came courtesy of a header from Tamika Mkandawire. The Bulls' last game is at home to Accrington Stanley: it could still be a nervous occasion for the Bulls if they lose on Tuesday and if other results go against them. They could still be caught.

OUR RECORD AGAINST THE BULLS

Our home record against the Bulls is considerably poorer than our away record. Indeed, we've won four, drawn twice and lost twice in our eight trips to Edgar Street but have won two and lost five of our home fixtures.

Last season we went down 1-0 at home to a late goal from Steve Guinan - one or our only two home defeats - but reversed the scoreline in the away fixture, with Steve Ferguson seizing on a hurried clearance to dribble the ball into an empty net.

In the away game this season back in October the Cards made an unlikely comeback from a 2-0 half-time deficit. The Cards went behind after 36 seconds and then went two down when Shwan Jalal failed to deal with a cross. A completely different Woking emerged after the break, pulling two goals back within eight minutes of the re-start with a fine shot from Justin Richards and a deft deflection from Karl Murray. In an exciting last half hour both sides spurned chances to win the game.

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