Report – Woking 0 – 2 Wealdstone
Woking
0 - 2
WealdstoneWealdstone shock promotion-chasing Woking beating the Cardinals 2-0 at Kingfield.
First half goals from Crawley Town loanee Tarryn Allarakhia and Stones top scorer David Pratt were enough for the away side to run out with an exceptional three points.
The Stones started the brighter of the two sides and had their first shot on target inside one minute courtesy of David Pratt which Woking ‘keeper Craig Ross saved.
Pratt was one-on-one again with Ross at an awkward angle which the goalkeeper saved.
The away side broke the deadlock on the 11th minute when Crawley Town loanee Tarryn Allarakhia latched onto Christian Smith through ball to slot past Ross.
The Stones dominated the first 20 minutes at Kingfield and Wealdstone’s lead was doubled when Jake Sheppard’s header found Pratt who converted a low bicycle kick in the 22nd minute.
Woking had a short spell of positivity just after Pratt scored, Paul Hodges’ left-footed shot from the edge of the box went just wide of Stones shot stopper Jonathan North’s near post.
Four minutes later Woking could have been on the score-sheet. Top scorer Max Kretzchmar chopped the ball onto his right foot one-on-one with North but fired high off target.
That was the final chance the Cards had before the end of the half as Wealdstone gained a strong control on the game again.
Pratt had another great opportunity in the 30th minute when he almost controlled a cross from Reading loanee Ramarni Medford-Smith in the box but couldn’t chest it down and Ross collected comfortably.
Wealdstone dominated proceedings for the remainder of the first half, restricting Woking to minimal chances.
The home side came out of the blocks at the start of the second half, striker Harvey Bradbury came off the bench at the break and looked promising.
The Cardinals almost scored in the 62nd minute on the right hand side through good work by Paul Hodges but it went into the side-netting.
Only eight minutes later Stones midfield duo Godfrey Poku and Simon Mensah linked up well on the edge of the box with the latter attempting a great strike at goal which hit the bar.
Woking broke to counter on the left hand side with Nicky Wheeler and was fouled by Sheppard who received his second yellow card – the away side were down to ten-men with 20 minutes to play.
The Cards saw this as a way back into the game and began attacking much further up the pitch.
Only two minutes after Sheppard’s dismissal, Woking defender Ben Gearing won a strong header on target from a corner but was headed off-the-line by Medford-Smith.
Woking pushed again through Hodges and Wheeler on the wings but couldn’t open up a resilient Wealdstone.
Substitute Bradbury had a great chance in the 81st minute when a lofted ball found him in the six-yard box but somehow he couldn’t convert his header on target.
North was called into action a final time with five minutes remaining, it was Gearing again from a Woking corner which North spectacularly saved low to his right.
The home side were high up the pitch in the closing stages and it led to a chance for Smith to lay in Pratt in goal but Ross was called again to make a save in stoppage time.
Pratt was then allowed his lap of honour by Manager Bobby Wilkinson when he was subbed off for youngster Femi Azeez in the final minute.
Wealdstone move up to 10th in the table and leaves them three points behind a play-off position.
Wealdstone” North, Sheppard, Medford-Smih, Stevens, Okimo, Poku ,Allarakhia, Mensah, Pratt, Green, Smith. Subs Mitchell, Azeez (used) Monakana, McKeown,Paterson (not used)
Report by Dec O’Reilly
Steve Foster pics HERE