Following a hat-trick of home games, Gary Johnson’s side head to Surrey to face Woking tomorrow afternoon.
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 in March. 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.
Sarll also spent time as Watford’s Head of Academy before his move to Huish Park in 2019. Tomorrow’s game will mark Sarll’s first home game as Woking manager.
How have they been doing?
Darren Sarll’s Cards have won one and lost one since the former Yeovil boss took charge at the end of March. Last time out Woking slipped to a narrow defeat over third-placed FC Halifax Town, but one week earlier won 1-0 away at play-off chasing Boreham Wood. Woking currently sit 14th in the National League, 10 points below United.
Player to Watch
Inih Effiong is currently enjoying his second spell at the Laithwaite Community Stadium after he spent the first 6 months of the 2017/18 season with the Cards scoring 10 goals in 35 games, before departing for Scottish Premiership side Ross County.
The 6ft3 forward returned to Woking last summer and is the side’s joint current top goalscorer with 13 goals in the National League so far this season, including a brace in their 3-2 loss to Solihull on 26 March.
Effiong has also played for the likes of Chesham United, Dunstable Town, Arlesey Town, and enjoyed success with Biggleswade Town where he scored 39 goals across 2 seasons. A short stint at Barrow preceded his initial move to Woking. The 31-year-old departed Ross County to return to National League side Dover Athletic in June 2018 before finishing the 2018/19 campaign as the The Whites’ top goalscorer, and at the end of his two year spell at the Crabble, tallied 28 goals, which saw the experienced striker earn himself a move to League Two Stevenage where he made nine league appearances, scoring one goal. Loan spells at Barnet and Notts County preceded his permanent move back to Woking last May.
Played for Both
Throughout his career Brian Saah made over 200 appearances in the Football League for the likes of Leyton Orient, Dagenham & Redbridge, and Torquay. The 6ft2 centre-back arrived at Plainmoor in July 2011 from Cambridge where he had an England C cap, and was their club captain. Following two seasons at United where he made just shy of 80 appearances, Saah departed in a bid to move back closer to London.
After spending part of the 2014/15 season on loan at Woking, Saah made the move permanent in August 2015 and went on to make just short of 100 appearances for the Cards before his retirement in 2017.
Previous Encounter
Woking 0 – 2 Torquay United, 20th April 2021, National League.
An early double from Scott Boden and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans was enough to seal all three points for Gary Johnson’s side, as they reduced the gap at the top of the National League to just one point the last time United travelled to the Laithwaite Community Stadium.
Torquay wasted little time taking the game to their hosts, as they spent almost the entirety of the opening five minutes inside opposition territory. It wasn’t long before they created the game’s first chance either, as some marvellous footwork by Lemonheigh-Evans on the left preceded a inch-perfect cross towards Boden six yards out, however Craig Ross came to his side’s rescue with a fine double-save to prevent The Gulls taking a fourth minute lead.
Just as Woking threatened to make some inroads into the possession stats, a 13th minute free-kick from Jake Andrews provided them with another scare, as his delivery from 35 yards out wide on the left found the head of Sam Sherring, who headed narrowly over. The warning wasn’t heeded though, and barely 120 seconds later, the home side were 0-2 down.
First, a high ball lofted towards the edge of the 18-yard box forced goalkeeper Ross to act, however a communication breakdown saw the retreating Kyran Lofthouse collide into him, leaving Boden on hand to chip the ball into the unguarded net from 20 yards out. It was a calm, excellent finish.
Reeling from the setback, former Torquay centre-back Ben Gerring failed to deal with another ball over the top, presenting Lemonheigh-Evans with a one-on-one chance against the home custodian. Apparently unable to believe his luck, the Welshman remained cool enough to jink his way round Ross, before slotting home to double his team’s advantage.