After The Lambs midweek defeat on the road to Yeovil Town, Andy Peaks squad made the trip to Surrey to take on Kingfield Stadium. Earlier in the season Marine had knocked Tamworth out of the FA Trophy and they also put Woking to the sword in the same competition seven days prior to the two side’s meeting at the Kingfield Stadium and the home defeat had cost Woking boss Neil Ardley his job in the process.

Under Interim manager Craig Ross The Cards had returned to Enterprise National League action, drawing with Boston United in midweek to put them on 39 points in 16th, 6 points behind The Lambs in 10th ahead of kick off.

Much publicised problems with the home pitch had caused a number of postponements in recent weeks, so this was The Cards first home game for six weeks and went ahead after no less than three pitch inspections in the previous 24 hours.
Peaks made two changes to the side that ran out at Huish Park with Daniel Isichei and Tom Tonks coming in for Ben Acquaye and Ryan Howley.

Woking kicked off the game with the Lambs attached the instantly recognisable seated stand end of the stadium but it was the home site who signalled their intentions inside the first minute with a couple of wayward efforts that didn’t trouble Singh.
And at the other end on 3, Lynch tried a shot but was equally as off target.
Wood was on target with his header, under pressure from Rye in the left of the box, and singh collected at height as the home crowd urged an early opener.
On 6, Tonks was able to launch a long throw into the box from the right and it came out to Digie who tried a shot but found the way blocked by the home defence.
Singh was called into action again on 7 when Beautyman connected with a cross from the right with a swivelling mid air half volley which the Tamworth keeper was equal to, and Tamworth responded with Lynch advancing down the left and into the area but Kurtaran was found to be offside from the pass.
Ward struck low from the right channel on 10 and Singh dropped towards his left hand post to smother it, and Jasskelainen took Tonks’ throw on 13 with consummate ease.
On 15, Woking pushed upfield from the back and O’Brien fancied his chances with a right footed half volley which looked good but didn’t trouble Singh as it dropped into the terracing behind him, but a minute later when Sanderson latched onto the second ball, after O’Brien’s header had not been cleared , he make no mistake with a low strike inside the far post. (1-0, 16 mins)
A foul by Mols on Andrews on 18, 30 yards out and in a central position set up Syla with the freekick which he slammed into the wall and Digie dealt with the rebound and Woking regained possession with Andrews and Richards combining to take it past Rye but the latter was unable to get a cross in.
Tonks’s throw on 27 was punched away by Jasskelainen and fell to Isichie and then Kurtaran but both found Cards in their way as they threw bodied in front of their strikes.
He got another opportunity to send the ball in from the right on 30 and Digie met it at the back of the box with his head but couldn’t keep it down and it went high over the target.
Lynch found Tonks in the box on 31 and the midfielder chested it down but had it nipped off his toes as he shaped to shoot and when Mols was caught by O’Brien on 34 Kurtaran sent the right sided freekick into the area and although Woking cleared The Lambs maintained the pressure ending only when Cullinane-Liburd was sheidled from connecting with a cross into the far, right, post.
The home side broke on 37 when Ward found Andrews advanced over the halfway line who in turn found Drewe in the right of the box and it took a sliding intervention from Bates to prevent his shot crossing the line before Singh could smother it.
Tonks sent another couple of throws into the danger area soon after and it was worked to Isichie on the left who forced Jasskelainen into his first telling save from a Lambs attack, on 39.
Lynch forced a corner on the right on 43 and Digie got his head to it but couldn’t get it on target and it skipped out past the far post and as two minutes added time was shown Andrews forced a home corner off Bates, which Drewe sent into the area and although Odusina connected his powerful header whistled into the home fans on the terrace and there was just time for Cullinane-Liburd to flick the ball on into the path of Lynch just before the whistle blew but his sweeping shot was booted away by the keeper.

HT: 1-0
 
The Lambs restarted the match and did their utmost to press their hosts back in the opening exchanges.
Mols was tripped by Beautyman after his first touch from a Singh ball upfield, and Kurtaran lined up the deadball from the right channel around 25 yards out, and although his strike was on target it was straight into the waiting hands of Jaaskelainen.
Mols picked up a booking for hindering the progress of Ward on 52 and Andrews struck the freekick, 20 yards out, at Singh into a similar way to the one that his counterpart had taken a minute or two prior.
Singh was beaten on 55 though when an Andrews pass went over the top of the Lambs defence and allowed O’Brien to run onto it in the left of the box and he directed his volleyed shot with the inside of his boot into the far corner from the left of the box (2-0, 55 mins)
A Ward cross from the right wing on the hour was headed away from Sanderson by Digie, for a home corner on the right, and Rye headed it away from the near post but only as far as Andrews who whipped it back in and Okoli was inches away from connecting with it at the far post.
The Lambs made two changes and reshaped the formation before Singh restarted and Woking took advantage of the break to regain possession and head for goal. From a corner on the right Creaney headed it away but it was worked back and fell to Andrews into the box who picked his spot with an angled right footed strike, clearing the top left corner by just a short distance.
The Lambs got one back on 69 when a long Tonks throw bounced and Mols was able to head it back towards the near post catching Woking hesitating and it allowed Creaney to steal in and volley home into the roof of the net from 6 yards, for his first goal of the season. (2-1, 69 mins)
The scores were nearly level on 70 when Creaney stole in and threaded it into the box for Lynch who flicked it away from Jasskelainen but the keeper pulled off a great stop to push it away from goal and prevent the equaliser.
There was a stoppage on 72 when two Woking players needed treatment for knocks to the head. Syla who went down in the centre circle got up fairly quickly and made his way to the touchline, but Odusina needed extensive treatment on the field before swapping his shirt and having tape applied to keep his bandage in place and play resumed, but Sanderson went down holding his knee in clear pain and needing more treatment.
From a Tonks throw on 80, Digie’s headed dropped for Cullinane-Liburd in the area and his snap shot from 12 yards could have levelled the tie but it curled wide of the left hand post.
Ward then had two bites of the cherry on 82 with low shots from 18 yards and the first rebounded off the Lambs defence to give him another try, while the second one went straight at Singh.
He did find the back of the net on 85 though, picking up the ball on the right before cutting across the box and lifting it over the dive of Singh to restore the home advantage (3-1, 85 mins)
Due to the extensive stoppages in the second half, twelve minutes added time were shown and when Kurtaran and Andrews tangled in the midfield the freekick went The Lambs way and from the ensuing play Tamworth kept the pressure on and nearly pulled a late one back but Creaney’s shot from the right was helped on towards goal, but not enough.
Acquaye tried a speculative strike from 18 yards on the angle towards the far corner as the clock ticked on 100 minutes but it was easy for the keeper and despite a last push The Lambs were left empty handed at the final whistle.

Woking
Jasskelainen, Andrews, Beautyman (Hinds 90+1), Drewe, O’Brien (Turner 84), Odusina, Okoli, Richards, Sanderson, Syla (Akinola 90+7), Ward (Pennant 90+7)
Subs: Foster-Caskey, Ross
YC: Drewe 81, Sanderson 90+6
RC: (none)

Tamworth
Singh, Rye, Cullinane-Liburd, Digie, Fairlamb, Bates (Creaney 62), Tonks, Isichie (Acquaye 63), Kurtaran, Mols, Lynch (Reindorf 90+4)
Subs: Cockerill-Mollett, Curley, Hollis, Milnes
YC: Mols 52
RC: (none)

Attendance: 1857 (160 from Tamworth)

Referee: Mr. Declan Bourne