Gary Johnson’s men are on the road tomorrow when they head to the Laithwaite Community Stadium to face Woking.
Who’s the Boss?
Darren Sarll swapped Somerset for Surrey in a move which saw him depart Yeovil Town to take the helm at Woking at the end of March 2022. Sarll had been at Huish Park since June 2019, and boasted a win percentage of just under 50% during his time with the Glovers, also notably guiding them to the National League play-offs in 2020, as well as the Third Round of the FA Cup where his side bowed out respectfully following a 3-1 loss against Championship side Bournemouth.
After enjoying a playing career himself at a number of non-league clubs, Sarll moved into coaching in 2006, where he began coaching Stevenage’s reserve team, after spending time as youth team manager at Brentford and Rotherham, Sarll returned to Broadhall Way in 2015 to join the first-team coaching staff, where he went on to become the club’s caretaker manager, guiding Stevenage to League Two safety with only one loss in the side’s final nine games. Following on from this he was appointed permanently and spent just over two years at The Boro.
How have they been doing?
Woking started the season with two wins and three defeats prior to their visit here at Plainmoor in late August, where despite Ross Marshall giving United the lead, two James Daly goals and another from Jack Roles in seven minutes gave the Cards a 3-1 victory. Mixed results followed before a run of just one defeat (2-1 at home to Oxford United in the FA Cup 1st Round) in ten league and cup games followed, before a 2-0 home defeat against York City in mid-December. Since exiting the FA Trophy against Eastleigh, Woking have won their last four games in a row coming into this game, and sit in 3rd place on 52 points with a record of 16 wins 4 draws and 6 defeats in their 26 games played so far.
Player to watch
Reece Grego-Cox began his career at QPR, coming through the youth ranks before going on to make five appearances for the London club, while also having a loan spell at Newport while at Loftus Road. Upon his release from the R’s in January of 2018, Grego-Cox then had his first spell at Woking and in 18 games scored four goals, but was unable to stop the club from being relegated to the National League South.
A move to League Two Crawley Town followed for the winger, and in three seasons at the club he made over 60 league and cup appearances and scored six goals, while also having a loan spell at Barnet in February 2022, where he scored three goals in 13 games for the Bees. Following his release from the Red Devils at the end of the 2021/22 season, the 26 year old returned to Woking for this campaign, and is currently their top scorer so far this season with nine goals in 16 matches. He has also represented the Republic of Ireland at U17, U19 & U21 level, scoring four goals in 11 games for the U21s.
Played for both
Armani Little came through the ranks at Southampton and upon his release from the Saints signed for Oxford United. though after only making one league appearance he went on loan to Woking for the second half of the 2018/19 season, helping the Cards to promotion from the National League South through the Play-Offs.
Upon his release from Kassam Stadium, Little signed for United as the Gulls made a first time return to the National League in 2019/20, and he stayed for three seasons becoming a firm favourite with the Yellow Army, and helped the Club to reach the Play-Off Final in 2020/21 against Hartlepool United. The end of the 2021/22 season saw Little depart the English Riviera and sign for newly promoted League One club Forest Green Rovers, before he was recently loaned out to League Two side AFC Wimbledon.
Previous Encounter
Woking 0 – 1 Torquay United, 15th April 2022, Vanarama National League
Gary Johnson’s men made it four wins in a row following last seasons victory in Surrey, where a solitary Armani Little goal settled the tight encounter.
It was in the 19th minute that the deciding goal was scored, when a perfectly placed ball up the right-hand touchline from Ben Wynter was chased by Little who cut into the right side of the Woking box, and with Ross forced to choose between committing himself to prioritise stopping the former Cards man, or Lemonheigh-Evans alongside him, Little punished any momentary indecision by drilling his shot into the top left corner to give United the lead. In a dogged performance both in defence and attack, and with both sides having their chances, it was ultimately United who would see the game out to take the three points back home to the English Riviera.