Woking let it slip again

Aug 20 2008 Surrey Herald

BLUE SQUARE PREMIER Burton Albion............................ 3 Woking....................................... 2

Basement boys Woking were left looking up at all their rivals, after a third successive defeat on Saturday confirmed them as the only club in the division without a point.

Matches away to promotion favourites Torquay and then Burton Albion were always going to be tough, but a sad record of seven goals conceded in three games, two of which they led, makes very bitter reading for new head coach Kim Grant.

There was just one change from the midweek defeat against Torquay United, with Goma Lambu coming in for the injured Joel Ledgister.

Burton had the early pressure and after 15 minutes a free kick was clipped in by John McGrath and John Brayford hit the inside of the post only to be judged offside

Woking scored scored against the run of play, when Patrice Konan found

Liam Marum with a direct ball and he played it in to Matt Pattison who took his time and picked his spot.

Moments later and a big error in the heart of the Burton Albion defence allowed Giuseppe Sole to pounce and he lashed the ball into the back of the net to put Woking 2-0 up.

Woking started the second half positively, Liam Marum forcing Kevin Poole into an early save and Matt Pattison putting a long-range effort just past the post.

However, after a promising start, Burton pulled a soft goal back on 58 minutes. John Brayford swung the ball in and substitute Marc Goodfellow nipped in between Worner and his defenders and nodded the ball home.

Things went from bad to worse for Cards when Brayford danced into the box and after skipping around a number of challenges was brought down by Abdou El Kholti.

Pearson stepped up and sent Worner the wrong way to make it 2-2 on 65 minutes.

Woking's misery was completed when Andrew Corbett's cross was headed into the back of the net by Goodfellow in the 84th minute - and Woking couldn't recover.

"The boys are gutted, but we've said that three times in a row now," said frustrated assistant manager Phil Gilchrist.

"At 2-0 up at half-time we had given ourselves a good base. But the lads just got a bit edgy and we could not contend with them.

"The lads moaned about the penalty, but I'm more concerned with the fact we should have stopped him before he got into the box." WOKING (4-1-4-1): Ross Worner: Patrice Konan, Tom Hutchinson, Colin Miles (Paul Lorraine 77), Danny Bunce, Paolo Vernazza, Goma Lambu, Giuseppe Sole, Matt Pattison (Adekunle Salau 82), Abdou El Kholti, Liam Marum (Manny Williams 66). Subs Not Used: Nick Gindre, Charlie Moon.