WOKING secured a Vanarama National League play-off place for the first time in their history thanks to their 1-1 home draw against Southend United on Easter Monday.

The result, in front of a bumper crowd, means that the Cards – who currently sit in third place in the table – are now guaranteed to finish no lower than seventh in what has been a monumental season. 

It was the hosts’ fourth game without defeat since they lost 1-0 to Chesterfield last month. But failure to beat the Essex side meant they ceded ground to the Spireites, who they now lead by just one point in the race to finish third and automatically qualify for the play-off semi-finals. 

Woking boss Darren Sarll said: “It was a poor game. I didn’t enjoy watching it at all, and I wouldn’t have thought the supporters enjoyed watching it. If you’re going to take any positive out of this result, it’s that our team, with its character, when it can’t win it, doesn’t lose. That’s been an important quality in the campaign as a whole.”

On this Saturday’s significant game against Notts County, Sarll said: “It will be very tactical and we’ll have to lift our standards in order to compete technically. But the players have been fantastic – and as much as they’re not allowed to feel too ecstatic about their achievement [sealing a place in the play-offs], it’s a huge achievement for the football club and a huge achievement for the players. 

“Unfortunately for them, I’m not allowed to dream like that, not just yet, and we need to ensure that standards are maintained and we have a really good performance this Saturday.”

For more on Woking FC, see the 13 April issue of the News & Mail.