Woking started their 2026 with a superb 4-0 win at home to ten-man Hartlepool United in the National League.

Gals from Olly Sanderson, Chin Okoli, Harry Beautyman and Ashley Boatswain fired the Cards to a thoroughly-deserved victory in front of a crowd of 1,833 at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

The Cards were quick out of the traps and created their first chance of the afternoon in the third minute. Josh Osude delivered a low ball in from the right which Hartlepool keeper George Evans parried straight to Aiden O'Brien, and O'Brien fired a shot goalwards which was well saved by Evans.

Woking took the lead on 11 minutes when Caleb Richards whipped in an inviting cross from the left and Sanderson steered his header into the top left-hand corner of the net past Evans.

The visitors had their first attempt at goal in the 19th minute when Jamie Miley tried his luck from distance with a long-range shot which was comfortably held by Cards keeper Will Jaaskelainen.

The Cards nearly doubled their advantage on 25 minutes when Beautyman passed to Osude on the right-hand side of the box, and Osude cut inside and hit a shot goalwards which was deflected behind for a corner.

Woking duly did go 2-0 up on the half hour mark when a lovely move ended with Beautyman entering the area and passing to Okoli, who clinically smashed his finish past Evans from close range.

Hartlepool were reduced to ten men in first-half stoppage time when Cameron John deservedly received a straight red card from referee Calum Walchester for a wild hack at Osude.

The Cards nearly scored a third before half-time when Beautyman got the ball with his back to goal just outside the box and spun sharply before firing a right-foot shot goalwards which was well held by Evans.

Woking were quick out of the traps at the start of the second half and almost scored a third in the 49th minute when Jamie Andrews cut inside onto his left foot in the box and hit a low shot goalwards which was parried away by Evans.

The Cards created another chance a minute later when Richards delivered a cross into the box to Sanderson, who hooked his right-foot effort on the turn just wide of the far right-hand post.

The visitors had an opportunity to pull a goal back on 67 minutes when a free kick eventually dropped to Reiss McNally in the box, who fired his volley well over the bar.

The Cards were soon back on the front foot and went close in the 70th minute when the ball dropped to O'Brien just outside the box, who fired his volley over the bar.

Woking boss Neal Ardley made a double change on 73 minutes, with Jack Turner and Tariq Hinds replacing O'Brien and Osude.

Turner made an immediate impact three minutes later when he delivered an excellent low cross in from the right and Beautyman deftly guided his first-time finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Ardley made a triple change in the 83rd minute, with Boatswain, Tom Dryer and Timi Odusina replacing Sanderson, Beautyman and Tunji Akinola.

Hartlepool’s ten men kept plugging away, and Danny Johnson hooked his effort over the bar two minutes later.

Woking scored their fourth of the afternoon on 90 minutes when Hinds got inside the box and cut the ball back for Boatswain to calmly roll his right-foot finish past Evans as the Cards deservedly picked up all three points to get their 2026 off to the perfect start.

Next up for Woking is a home game against National League North outfit Macclesfield in the fourth round proper of the FA Trophy on Tuesday, January 13 (7.45pm kick-off).