A goal in each half saw Woking’s Elite Development Squad slip to a 2-0 defeat away from home against Welling, a result which saw the hosts win consecutive home league games for the first time this season.

“We didn’t deserve to get anything out of the game,” said academy manager Matt Winter.

“The performance was below par, we conceded two poor goals on our behalf and looked really toothless going the other way.

“So, all in all, a difficult day.”

The opening stages saw chances at both ends, firstly as Malachy Mpoy drove forward for the Cards in the third minute, finding Lucas Boxall in the goalmouth, but the defence recovered before the skipper took aim. Moments later, Kemall Wilson headed from a corner, but his effort directed narrowly wide.

Back down the other end, a fifth-minute effort showed the hosts’ threat, with a strike hit narrowly over the bar.

The hosts then let fly on two occasions, both from range, just before the 20-minute mark, with the first being met by a diving Mikey Verga, and the second falling narrowly wide. Welling took the lead in the 21st minute when they got behind Woking’s defence and slotted home from just inside the box.

The closest the Cards then came to levelling before half-time was in the 33rd minute, with Boxall through on goal, but he directed his close-range effort wide.

Little then fell for the Cards, with Welling the closest to finding the net as the half came to a close, with a 43rd-minute attempt to lift over Verga seeing the hosts fire over the bar.

In the early stages of the second half, Welling found themselves behind the defence once again, but, on this occasion, the final product lacked the quality to beat Verga.

Called back into action, Verga did well to deny Welling in the 78th minute, with his defence losing possession in their penalty area, forcing the shot-stopper to dive to his right to get a strong glove to Welling’s strike.

The closing stages saw the hosts double their advantage, after a quick turn of play saw a sliding block from Freddie Greenstreet initially defending the 87th-minute threat, but, before the ball could roll out for a corner, the hosts were able to fire home from a tight angle.

Woking pushed until the end, with a 90th-minute ball across the goalmouth narrowly evading Jojo Ampah, followed by a well-hit strike from Mpoy moments later, an effort which the goalkeeper did well to claim, but ultimately for the Cards, a below-par performance saw them fall to a disappointing National League Academy defeat.

Elsewhere in the academy, the first years, playing as Westfield, drew 3-3 with Yateley United at home in the Allied Counties Youth League West Division on Monday, March 2, while the under-17s lost 3-1 away from home against Bedfont Sports in the Isthmian Youth League Central Division.

On Wednesday, March 4, the under-18s won 2-0 away from home against Sutton in the National League Alliance Division F. Also on March 4, Woking progressed to the quarter-finals of the Surrey Midweek Floodlight Cup, with a 3-0 win away from home against Guildford City.

Finally, on Thursday, March 5, the under-18s lost 3-2 at home against Aldershot Town in the Suburban League Premier Division.

By Holly Porter