Woking 2-0 Maidenhead United – Wilkinson helps Woking ease past miserable Magpies

Woking bounced back from Tuesday night’s defeat at Oldham with a comfortable win against Maidenhead United. Goals on either side of half-time from Padraig Amond and Luke Wilkinson were enough to seal the three points for The Cards.

The hosts started on the front foot from minute one and were nearly ahead when Rhys Browne got behind the defence, but his effort went just wide.

Browne, back from suspension, was in again moments later when he managed to beat two players with a fantastic bit of skill on his way towards goal, to win a corner for his side. Despite the resulting cross being cleared away, he showed a lot of energy on his return to the matchday squad.

It was all Woking for the first half an hour and a goal was imminent. Surely enough, it arrived when skipper Josh Casey delivered a beautiful cross from a corner which found the unmarked Amond, who headed home past Alexis Andre Jr. That was his eleventh goal in all competitions, making him the current top goal scorer for Woking so far this season.

HT: 1-0

In the second half, Woking remained the better side and nearly doubled their advantage when Ricky Korboa’s cross from the left-hand side found Browne, but his effort was just deflected away from goal.

Maidenhead’s only shot on target came when Sam Barratt’s free kick from the right-hand side was punched away by Will Jaaskelainen.

The Cards kept their foot on the gas and were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out. Wilkinson stepped up and with some luck on a deflection, his strike flew into the top right corner to send Kingfield into bedlam. Some way to announce yourself back from injury.

Substitute Solomon Nwabuokei had the game’s final chance when his superb powerful strike from outside the box smashed the bar, which was left shaking several minutes later.

FT: 2-0

Woking manager Darren Sarll said after the game, “There were some really good passages, especially in the second half where we got a bit of flow and momentum and I was really pleased with that.”

He further went on to say, “It’s the first time we’ve won having to be the team that has the ball and has to break the team down. They [Maidenhead] didn’t threaten us once all game.”

Attention will now swiftly turn to next Saturday’s massive fixture at home to fourth-place Chesterfield, which will be live on BT Sport. #COYCards

Woking Starting XI: Jaaskelainen, Moss, Wilkinson (90), Cuthbert, Casey, Lofthouse, Ince, Kellermann, Korboa (76), Amond, Browne (85)

Subs: Ross, Sass-Davies (90), McNerney, Nwabuokei (76), Dackers (85)

Maidenhead Starting XI: Andre Jr, Asare, Barratt (73), Nathaniel-George (70), McCoulsky, Ferdinand, Odutayo, Leathers (64), Eweka, Massey, Adams

Subs: Beckwith, Acquah (70), Smith (64), Panayatiou (73), Walsh

Attendance: 2,671

Man of the Match: Luke Wilkinson