Woking slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Forest Green Rovers in the Enterprise National League on Saturday afternoon.

Cards boss Neal Ardley made just the one change to the line-up from Woking’s previous league game at Yeovil Town, with Jake Forster-Caskey replacing Jack Turner, who dropped to the bench.

The visit of a Forest Green Rovers side who arrived unbeaten under Robbie Savage provided the Cards with a tough test in their tenth league game of the season, and a squad which included prolific goalscoring midfielder Nick Haughton and former Woking loanee Harry Cardwell on the bench suggested the strength in depth they have, while Cian Harries is yet to make an appearance this season after signing for a fee from the Cards in January.

After an end to end start to the game, Josh Kelly created himself an opportunity by bursting down the right-hand side, but his last touch before pulling the trigger let him down, and Abraham Kanu was able to clear.

This would prove costly just a minute later when a well worked move was finished off by Jayden Clarke, whose first time finish gave Cards keeper Tom Norcott no chance after the Woking defence were caught napping. Kanu’s afternoon would come to an end shortly afterwards as a corner for the Cards was headed away by the defender but he was seemingly injured in the process.

The rest of the first half passed without incident as Woking were unable to get going, barring a chance for Harry Beautyman when great work from Tariq Hinds found him unmarked in the box, but his header went agonisingly wide and the Cards trailed 1-0 at half-time.

The visitors would double their lead just before the hour mark when a corner was half cleared into Isaac Moore’s path, and his effort at goal was flicked in by Tom Knowles from a few yards out.

Woking tried to get back in the game with some attack minded substitutions, but Rovers might have wrapped up the points when good play from Kyle McAllister saw him tee up Kairo Mitchell, who fired over.

Then came an even bigger chance for the visitors when Mitchell’s shot was well saved by Norcott but straight into the path of Tre Pemberton, who blazed over with the goal gaping.

Woking substitutes Matt Ward and Josh Osude combined in added time for the latter to fire against the post, but Forest Green were deserving of their clean sheet and a comfortable away win.

A tough day for Woking, who host a struggling Sutton side on Tuesday night (7.45pm).

The Cards face a difficult trip to Boreham Wood in the Enterprise National League on Saturday afternoon (3pm).

Woking will also be on the road next Tuesday night (September 30) in the Enterprise National League, when they will travel to Solihull Moors (7.45pm).

Woking: Norcott, Drewe, Tunji Akinola, Odusina, Richards, Hinds, Andrews, Forster-Caskey (Timmy Akinola 63), Beautyman (Ward 63), O’Brien (Osude 69), Kelly.

Substitutes not used: Jaaskelainen, Okoli, Turner, Effiong.

Forest Green Rovers: McNicholas, Pemberton, Inniss, Kanu (Moore-Taylor 16), Knowles, Mendy, Whitwell, Moore (Kengni 88), McAllister, Clarke (Balagizi 69), Mitchell (Walker 88).

Substitutes not used: Pagel, Haughton, Cardwell.

Goals: Clarke (10), Knowles (59).

Attendance: 2,513.

By William Bewsey