Woking under-18s came from behind to end the year with a 2-1 win against Sutton United in the National League Alliance.

“After the setback, the resilience from the boys to get back to the level we expected was excellent,” reflected academy coach George Doré at full-time. “Then we managed the game really well.”

In a game where Woking wanted to start fast and assert their dominance, they suffered an early blow when a ball split the defence and allowed Sutton to slot home in the third minute.

After conceding, the Cards controlled much of the first half, with most of the play unfolding in Woking’s attacking third.

With Sutton failing to clear their lines in the 12th minute, the hosts nearly got themselves level. Will Ledbury’s delivery into a crowded penalty area saw Zack Rhioui’s effort blocked, with Timothy Francis hitting the bar with his follow-up. Rhioui then attempted to score again, but this time his effort rose over the crossbar.

The 27th minute saw a clearance upfield for Woking and a poor touch from Sutton’s defence, playing the ball in behind perfectly for Francis. He chased it down and rounded the goalkeeper but dragged his shot wide.

Woking drew level before half-time, with Ledbury’s free-kick from the edge of the penalty area being pushed back into the box by Sutton’s keeper, allowing Joel Jennison-Leppa to slot home a close-range 40th-minute effort.

Rhioui almost put Woking ahead in the 45th minute, as he tried to guide the ball in at the near post, but he hit the outside netting, and nothing separated the teams at the break.

The second half began in a similar fashion to the first, but this time the early goal fell to the hosts. Once again it was Ledbury’s delivery that caused the problem for Sutton, this time with Louie Boyle heading home at the back post in the 48th minute.

Ledbury continued his influence as the game reached the latter stages, with an effort that almost felled the underside of the crossbar in the 68th minute, but instead left the woodwork shaking.

A 77th-minute corner saw Jennison-Leppa recover the ball at the back post, doing well to then find Francis in the goalmouth, but the forward’s first touch fed the ball into the arms of Sutton’s number one.

Woking hit the crossbar once more before the game came to a close, this time as Frankie Bushby struck from the edge of the area in the 89th minute. Moments later Bushby took a free kick which flew narrowly over the crossbar.

In the sixth minute of additional time, Ledbury looked to sign off his superb performance with a goal, but his effort from close range was fired over the framework.

The full-time whistle followed, with the scoreline failing to reflect the attacking threat that the hosts posed throughout the game, but confirming a win in the academy’s final game of 2025.

Elsewhere in the academy, the first years, playing as Westfield, drew 1-1 at home against Aldershot in the Allied Counties Youth League - West Division on December 15. On the same evening the under-17s won 1-0 on the road against South Park in the Isthmian Youth League - Central Division.