New Woking manager Jermain Defoe picked up the first win of his reign as the Cards thrashed Morecambe 5-1 in the National League.

Goals from Harry Beautyman, Aaron Drewe, Olly Sanderson (2) and Sam Ashford gave the Cards all three points in front of a crowd of 2,992 at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

After a tight start to the match, the Cards took the lead in the 12th minute from their first attack of the afternoon. Matt Ward showed good feet down the right before crossing into the box, and Sanderson did well to keep the ball alive before Beautyman emphatically fired his finish into the right-hand corner of the net past Morecambe keeper Jamal Blackman.

Woking nearly doubled their advantage two minutes later when Kian Pennant pounced on a loose ball and drove into the box before firing his low left-foot shot across goal just wide of the far post.

The Cards went close again on 32 minutes when Jake Forster-Caskey clipped a free kick over the top to Ward, whose shot was deflected onto the roof of the net.

The Shrimps nearly got back on level terms in the 35th minute when Gwion Edwards cut in from the left and hit a swerving right-foot shot from 25 yards out which Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen pushed behind for a corner.

The Cards doubled their advantage on 37 minutes when Drewe's inswinging corner from the left-hand side beats Blackman and went straight into the back of the net.

Woking nearly scored a third two minutes later when Steven Turner's well-weighted through ball sent Ward in on goal, and Ward drove forward into the box before hitting a low shot which was well held by Blackman.

Morecambe pulled a goal back in the 41st minute when Jack Nolan's cross from the right-hand side of the box hit the far post and nestled in the back of the net.

The Shrimps almost got back on level terms in the 45th minute when Edwards cut in from the left and hit his swerving right-foot shot over the bar.

The visitors created the first chance of the second half on 52 minutes when Nolan whipped an inviting free kick into the box which Liam Hogan was just unable to get on the end of it.

The Cards nearly restored their two-goal advantage four minutes later when Forster-Caskey clipped a lovely ball over the top to Ward, whose right-foot volley went just over the bar.

Defoe made his first substitution of the afternoon in the 64th minute, with Joe Gbode replacing Pennant.

The Shrimps nearly got back on level terms on 67 minutes when Nolan hit a swerving left-foot shot from just outside the box which Jaaskelainen did well to parry away from danger.

Morecambe went even closer two minutes later when Edwards’ powerful effort from the edge of the box stuck the underside of the crossbar and bounced away to safety.

Defoe made a double change on 75 minutes, with Dale Gorman and Jamie Andrews replacing Forster-Caskey and Turner.

Andrews made an immediate impact two minutes later when Morecambe failed to deal with his ball in behind, and Sanderson latched onto the loose ball and chopped onto his right foot before clinically drilling his finish past Blackman into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Defoe made another double substitution in the 83rd minute, with Tommy Taylor and Ashford replacing Beautyman and Ward.

Woking made it 4-1 on 90 minutes when Morecambe coughed up possession just outside their box, and Ashford produced a composed finish past Blackman into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The Cards should have scored a fifth in stoppage time when Sanderson found himself through on goal, but he put his finish wide of the right-hand post.

Sanderson made amends and scored his second of the afternoon in the 93rd minute when his right-foot finish found the roof of the net to make it 5-1.

Woking comfortably saw out the closing stages to make it one win and two draws from Defoe’s first three games in charge. The result confirmed Morecambe’s relegation from the National League.

Next up for Woking is a home game against Solihull Moors in the National League on Tuesday, April 14 (7.45pm kick-off).