Woking’s Elite Development Squad maintained their unbeaten home record after they came back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against Dagenham & Redbridge.

“We were well below our standards in the first half,” reflected academy manager Matt Winter at full-time.

“We did enough in the second half to win the game, but it wasn’t to be.”

Woking were dealt an early blow as left-back Sonny Parkes was forced off with an ankle injury in the fifth minute.

A second setback for the hosts arose in the 18th minute, as they fell a goal behind. A free kick delivery, which dropped at the back post, proved costly for the Cards, as Dagenham fired back across goal to break the deadlock.

The Cards’ deficit was doubled in the 36th minute when a crowded penalty area saw Woking keeper Sam Saward come off his line in an attempt to collect the ball, but the loose ball was fired home from the goalmouth.

The hosts pulled a goal back before the break, courtesy of Lucas Boxall. Dennis Travin’s shot from range forced a save from the Dagenham keeper, with the captain following it in to fire home the rebound in the 39th minute.

Jalil Page almost found the leveller on two occasions before the break, firstly with a 43rd-minute touch which almost guided the ball into the bottom corner, but the Dagenham goalkeeper recovered to make the stop.

Moments later, Freddie Greenstreet’s header hit the post from a set piece, with Page heading in the rebound, but the flag was raised for offside, and the Cards were forced to go in at the break trailing by a goal.

Woking started the second half brightly. Hayati’s cross found Page in the 52nd minute, but his header, which was almost tapped in at the back post by Travin, went just wide.

Greenstreet’s first goal of the season in the National League Academy put Woking back on level terms, after the defender struck home a corner ball from the centre of a crowded box in the 65th minute.

Woking went in search of a winner, with Boxall attempting efforts from range in the 73rd and 75th minutes, the first of which fell wide, while the latter went narrowly over the bar.

Travin then won Woking a free kick just outside the box in the 87th minute. Boxall passed the ball to Travin, whose effort flew over the bar.

The 92nd minute saw another set piece chance for Woking to take the lead, after Quincy Patterson’s long-range shot deflected out for a corner. The ball into the box was punched upwards by the Dagenham goalkeeper, almost falling perfectly for Boxall at the back post, but the bounce of the ball was too awkward for Woking’s captain.

Dagenham won a free kick in the 95th minute, but the set piece went wide of Saward’s goal and the points were shared.

Elsewhere in the academy, the first years, playing as Westfield, lost 5-2 at home against Knaphill in the Allied Counties Youth League West Division on Monday, December 1. On Wednesday, December 3, Woking won 2-0 on the road against Dorking in the National League Alliance.

By Holly Porter