Opposition Insight | Woking

By Brad Saxton | Image courtesy of Woking FC

Ahead of this weekend’s Vanarama National League encounter, we take an in-depth look at our opponents, Woking. 

Current Form

The Cards head into this weekend’s fixture in fine form, as they currently sit in 6th place in the Vanarama National League table.

They’ve only lost two of their opening ten fixtures in the league this season, having also secured four wins and four draws.

They’ll be hoping to extend their current unbeaten run to seven games, following three wins and three draws during that run.

On Tuesday night, The Cards were forced to settle for a point at home to Ebbsfleet United, having led at half-time following a penalty from midfielder Jim Kellermann.

Manager

Darren Sarll is the current man in charge of Woking, having been appointed as the club’s manager in March 2022 following his departure from Yeovil Town.

Following his first full season in charge of the club last season, he guided Woking to a 4th placed finish in the National League, but his side bowed out of the playoff eliminators following a home defeat to Bromley.

Previous to his role at Woking, he also guided Yeovil to the National League playoffs in the 2019/20 campaign, followed by a mid-table finish the following season. He also spent two years as manager of EFL side Stevenage Borough between 2016 to 2018.

Ahead of his decision to move into football management, Sarll developed a playing career within non-league football. After coming through the youth system at Ipswich Town, the former midfielder went on to play for the likes of Hitchin Town, St Albans, Chelmsford City and Hemel Hempstead Town.

Top Scorer

Ricky Korboa is the club’s current top scorer, having netted three times in seven games this season.

He opened his account for the season in their 2-0 win over Dorking Wanderers on Bank Holiday Monday in August, before scoring a brace in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Hartlepool United.

The former Northampton Town and Sutton United player has just entered his second season as a Woking player, having scored one goal in seventeen appearances last season for them.

Korboa is level on goals scored this season with fellow forward Reece Grego-Cox, who has also scored three goals this season. He hasn’t played for the club since the 15th August against Rochdale, where he netted a brace in a 3-2 win against the recently-relegated side from League Two.

One To Watch

Luke Wilkinson is a face who has come up against the Minstermen over recent years and will be one player to watch out for at the weekend.

The 32-year-old no-nonsense centre back originally came through the youth ranks at Bristol City, but has since then gone on to feature for the likes of Dagenham and Redbridge and Luton Town in the Football League.

Wilkinson has worked under Darren Sarll for the last few years, after first working under him during his time at Stevenage. Since then, Wilkinson has worked under Sarll at both Yeovil Town, and of course Woking.

Bringing an ariel threat in both penalty boxes, the 6ft 2in defender has scored 41 goals in just short of 500 career appearances.

Previous Head-to-Heads

The Minstermen did a league double over Woking last season, securing 2-0 wins both at the LNER Community Stadium and the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Prior to these fixtures, City took four points from Woking during the 2016/17 season. City secured a 4-1 win at Bootham Crescent in August 2016, where goals from Richard Brodie, Yan Klukowski, Jake Wright and Aidan Connolly secured an impressive win for the Minstermen.

Later that season, a Jon Parkin goal rescued a point for City in April 2017, who had gone behind nine minutes earlier following Gozie Ugwu’s penalty.