Woking's National League Cup campaign continued with a goalless draw against Southampton U21 on Tuesday night. The BBC reported the stalemate at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, a result that does little to lift the mood around a side currently 23rd in the National League with just four points from six games.
Craig Ross's side set up in a 3-5-2 formation, with goalkeeper Craig Ross between the posts and striker Dan O'Brien captaining the team. The match was a physical affair, with Woking committing 21 fouls to Southampton's nine. Defender David Odusina picked up a yellow card in the 21st minute, followed swiftly by midfielder Charlie Turner just four minutes later. Southampton's only booking went to Samuel Akachukwu in the 24th minute.
How did the managers use their squads?
Both managers made significant changes at half-time. Craig Ross introduced three fresh faces, replacing the booked Charlie Turner with Rohan Syla, defender Rohan Ogie with Chinonso Okoli, and captain Dan O'Brien with Liam Dulson. Further substitutions saw striker Jayden Ayres make way for Alfie Marquis in the 72nd minute and defender Tunji Akinola replaced by Harvey Wilson with six minutes remaining.
For Southampton U21, managed by Adam Lallana, the changes came slightly later. Akachukwu was withdrawn for Jay Little in the 52nd minute, while a double change on 69 minutes saw Sam Gathercole and Sillah Dibaga replaced by Tyler Hawe and Kian Bailey. The final switches saw Sam McMullan and Jayden Sewell make way for Kian Anderson and Tobi Gbajumo in the 79th minute.
What do the match statistics reveal?
Woking edged possession with 57% but were out-shot by their youthful opponents. Southampton U21 registered 13 attempts to Woking's 11, though the Cards put more on target, testing goalkeeper Josh Moody seven times. Both keepers were kept busy, each making four saves. The teams were level on corners, each earning seven, and the offside count told a story of Woking's disciplined line, as they were not caught offside once.
This result adds to a mixed bag of recent form for Woking. Their league campaign has been a struggle, with a recent 1-0 loss to Hartlepool United contributing to a run of LDLWL. They have scored just four goals all season while conceding ten, leaving them with a -6 goal difference. You can see their challenging standings position for yourself.
What is Woking's current situation?
The draw in the cup does not alter their difficult league predicament. Woking now sit 12 points behind early leaders Boreham Wood. Finding a consistent source of goals will be essential if they are to climb away from the relegation zone. The team's upcoming fixtures will be critical in that battle.
Despite the lack of goals, there were positives in the defensive shape and the game time given to squad players like Liam Dulson and Alfie Marquis. Referee Callum Jones oversaw a competitive but fair contest. Woking's next task is to translate their cup resilience into much-needed league points, starting with their next National League fixture. The full details of the squad involved are available on the club's squad page.
