Woking’s Elite Development Squad protected their unbeaten home record with an impressive 3-0 victory against Maidenhead United.

The win saw the Cards complete the league double over Maidenhead, who were sent back to Berkshire still looking for their first point on the road this season.

“It’s something that’s not necessarily talked about, but it’s a really good record to have,” said academy manager Matt Winter. “The three points are really pleasing.”

Several chances fell to the Cards before the opener. The hosts nearly scored in the 12th minute when Kooshan Hayati received the ball in the goalmouth, but when he attempted to bring the ball down on his chest his touch directed the ball too close to Maidenhead’s goalkeeper.

Quincy Patterson was denied by a diving save moments later, with the Maidenhead shot-stopper then forced into further action from the resulting corner, punching away to deny Joden Trickett a back-post header.

The Cards were then awarded a penalty after Denis Travin was brought down in the box after an excellent touch. Trickett, who has a flawless record from the spot this season, stood over the 22nd-minute penalty, and sent the Maidenhead keeper the wrong way with an excellent shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

The hosts thought they had doubled their advantage in the 31st minute, after a well-worked move saw Jayden Hudson-Odoi tap home from the goalmouth, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

A golden opportunity for Maidenhead to equalise followed, with the visitors winning a free kick in a promising position in the 39th minute, but the effort was hit high over the bar.

The Cards continued to push for a second, with Trickett smacking the post with his effort on the turn in the 42nd minute. Travin followed it in, but the visitors were able to clear before he could tap home the rebound.

The hosts did double their advantage just before the break. A good move forward saw Hudson-Odoi thread through to Travin, who took his effort well from the centre of the box in the 45th minute to give the Cards a commanding two-goal cushion at half-time.

Woking looked likely to add to the scoreline throughout much of the second half. Trickett did well to square the ball to the arriving Patterson in the 56th minute, but his effort went over the bar.

Tom Dryer played an excellent ball through the Maidenhead defence to Lucas Boxall in the 67th minute, but Boxall’s effort went wide. Boxall went close again in the 78th minute when his initial effort was saved before his follow-up narrowly missed the top left-hand corner.

Boxall did get his goal soon afterwards in the 80th minute, helping Trickett’s delivery over the line to score in consecutive games for the first time this season.

Maidenhead nearly got on the scoresheet in the first minute of injury time when an effort struck back across goal narrowly missed the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The full-time whistle followed soon afterwards, as Woking ran out comfortable 3-0 winners and picked up another three points on home turf. Maidenhead suffered their fifth consecutive defeat.

Elsewhere in the academy, the under-17s beat Bedfont Sports 5-3 at home in the Isthmian Youth League Central Division on Thursday, January 29.

By Holly Porter