PREVIEW | Woking (A)
THE DETAILS
Woking v Wealdstone
Vanarama National League
Laithwaite Community Stadium
Saturday 22nd January, 3:00pm kick-off
TICKETS
Tickets for Saturday's National League fixture are £18 Adults, £13 Concessions, £10 Next-Gen (16-22 years old) and £5 U16s. Tickets can be purchased in advance HERE.
The game is segregated with Stones fans housed in the Chris Lane Terrace and also some seating in the Seymours Community LGS Stand.
THE CONTEXT
Wealdstone meet Woking at the Laithwaite Community Stadium this weekend off the back of their first victory since November in a sticky 2-1 win over basement side Dover Athletic. The Cardinals meanwhile had two week's rest after being disposed in the FA Trophy and also having their league game against King's Lynn Town postponed. The two sides met on the opening day of the season with a newly formed full-time squad by Alan Dowson coming out 2-1 victors at The Vale after a dominant first half performance.
TEAM NEWS
Stuart Maynard has seen his side boosted by players returning from injury and suspension over the new year and he looks set to welcome back top scorer Josh Umerah this weekend after he missed the victory over Dover Athletic last weekend. Connor McAvoy has missed the last two matches after extending his loan until the end of the season but could be back. Andrew Eleftheriou and Rhys Browne remain injured, although the latter is nearing a return.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Stuart Maynard: "They're full time so they've had all of last week and this week to work on us and the extra preparation does help in these big games. It's a game we're looking forward to, it's a lovely a stadium, a big, expansive pitch which suits us so we're looking forward to going there, it's going to be a good game. I've known Dowse (Alan Dowson) for years, he's doing a great job at Woking and he's in a good position over there where they are sat in the league. They've had some disappointing results lately but this league is relentless, you could easily, no matter who you are, go four or five on the bounce without winning."
FORM GUIDE
Stones:
Dover Athletic (H) 2-1 W (Stevens, Charles)
Boreham Wood (A) 1-0 L Needham Market (A) 2-1 L (Buse)
FC Halifax Town (H) 0-1 L
Bromley (A) 3-2 L (Umerah, Cook)
Woking:
Aldershot Town (H) 2-3 L (Kretzschmar 2)
Dover Athletic (H) 3-2 W (Kretzschmar, Effiong 2) Aldershot Town (A) 1-1 D (Kretzschmar)
Yeovil Town (A) 3-1 L (Campbell) Boreham Wood (H) 0-2 L
WHO TO WATCH FOR?
Max Kretzschmar: After a summer of much promise at Kingfield with lots of ins and outs as the Cards made the transition into full-time football, Woking and Alan Dowson again had to call on the ever reliable Kretzschmar who has been a key player once more this season and is in red-hot form with four goals over the three-game Christmas period. The midfielder has already matched his combined tally of his previous two National League seasons with Woking and scored both the goals that won the Surrey side the season opening game at The Vale back in August.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Played - 27
Won - 16
Drawn - 3
Lost - 8
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Aug 2021 - Stones 1-2 Woking (Umerah)
May 2021 - Woking 2-4 Stones (Hughes, Gondoh 2, Lo-Everton)
Mar 2021 - Stones 0-1 Woking
May 2019 - Woking 3-2 Stones (Grant, Stevens)
Jan 2019 - Woking 0-2 Stones (Allarakhia, Pratt)
Preview by Chris Woods