Woking move into playoff spot with draw at home to Welling

Woking 2-2 Welling United
Vanarama Conference
Kingfield Stadium
4th April 2015

Woking moved a step closer to the playoffs with a point a home to a gutsy Welling United, who more than deserved their point, however it still leaves them lingering around the drop zone, six points from safety.

The Cards looked poised to pull off another of their familiar comeback victories when they turned over a half-time deficit to lead 2-1 with a Scott Rendell penalty and Yemi Odubade’s close-range strike, only for the relegation battlers to snatch a 2-2 draw with 13 minutes remaining.

Woking feel behind early, in the 9th minute, when former loanee Ross Lafayette headed home. It was an all too familiar scene, with Woking again conceding from a set play this season.

Welling were good for their lead throughout the first half, but nearly conceded when a poor goal kick was knocked straight back through the defence and Scott Rendall was through on goal, only to see his attempted lob come to nothing. It was a let off for Welling, who managed to see the half out and take their lead in with them.

In the second half Woking took the game to Welling and were rewarded when Gallagher tripped Odubade in the box. Rendall duly dispatched the penalty, although goalkeeper Henly will be disappointed he wasn’t able to pull of the save.

It wasn’t long until Woking went on to take a 2-1 lead, with Odubade finishing well from close range after unselfish play inside the box from Rendell, after good work from Betsy and Goddard.

However, Welling weren’t finished and after a corner was only half cleared, a quick thinking first time cross was headed home well by Tashan Adeyinka for 2-2.

There was still time for more drama, after Rendall put the ball in the back of the net only to have the linesman’s flag wipe the strike out for offside.

However, 2-2 was a fair reflection of what was an entertaining game. Both teams now have tough fixtures on Easter Monday, with Woking travelling to Dover and Welling with a home tie against Woking’s playoff rivals Eastleigh.

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North Ferriby United stun Wrexham to win The FA Carlsberg Trophy

North Ferriby United 3-3 Wrexham (North Ferriby win 5-4 on pens)
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Final
29th March 2015
Wembley Stadium

Goalkeeper Adam Nicklin was the penalty saving hero as North Ferriby United stunned Wrexham by coming back from two goals to win the FA Trophy on penalties.

Louis Moult and Jay Harris strikes had given the Welsh side a commanding 2-0 lead by the hour mark and Wrexham never looked like relinquishing that lead, but Liam King’s penalty gave United hope and substitute Ryan Kendall equalised late in normal time.

Kendall’s header then made it 3-2 before Moult’s stunning strike set up a shoot-out, which Ferriby won 5-4.

North Ferriby’s forays into the Wrexham half were rare, which made the final ten minutes of normal time all the more special. However, they dominated the rest of the game from that point and deserved their win.

Jason St Juste, who opted to miss St Kitts and Nevis’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against the Turks and Caicos Islands so he could feature at Wembley, caused problems for the Wrexham defence early in the second half and Coughlin had to save at the winger’s feet before Blaine Hudson cleared the danger.

Jennings should have made it 2-0 after he rounded Nicklin but his shot was cleared off the line.

However, it wasn’t long before Jay Harris made it 2-0. The midfielder found himself unmarked on the right flank and hit a shot from the edge of the area that beat Nicklin at the near post.

With Wrexham in control North Ferriby were awarded a penalty with 15 minutes remaining, which captain King struck high into the roof of the net to give his side a lifeline.

The goal gave Billy Heath’s side confidence. With four minutes left, St Juste’s cross from the left wing was met by Kendall to level the scores, and Coughlin then had to tip over Clarke’s curling effort in the final moments just to keep Wrexham alive into extra time.

North Ferriby started the additional period as they had finished the 90 minutes and the impressive St Juste’s deflected cross found Kendall, whose downward header beat Coughlin to give North Ferriby the lead for the first time.

Substitute Andy Bishop was denied by Hone’s perfectly timed tackle before Moult rescued Wrexham with a stunning strike two minutes from the end of extra time to take the game to penalties.

Then in sudden death, Nicklin saved Steve Tomassen’s penalty to cap an incredible comeback by the East Yorkshire part-timers and secure their first FA Trophy.