Woking’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) maintained their unbeaten home record with a 6-2 victory against Wealdstone.

“We know the quality we have in the group,” said academy manager Matt Winter. “To win as convincingly as we did was particularly pleasing.”

On the front foot from the get-go, Joden Trickett and Jalil Page saw shots blocked in the first minute, with Page then opening the scoring in the second. It was an excellent pass that saw him through on goal, where he calmly slotted past the keeper.

Woking continued to look dominant, but Wealdstone were able to level in the 11th minute, with a close-range effort, struck back across goal, which nestled in the far corner.

Gifted the opportunity to retake the lead on 18 minutes, Page received a goal kick from Wealdstone’s keeper and found Trickett, with the latter seeing his effort saved.

Trickett made no mistake moments later, as he chased down a forward ball, rounded the oncoming keeper, and, from an awkward angle, managed to direct the ball into the far corner in the 19th minute, his 15th goal of the season for the Cards.

Woking looked the more likely to score throughout the remainder of the first half, but they were forced to wait until the first minute of injury time to get their third. It was Jack Tricker who, with fine skill on the edge of the penalty area, created space for himself just inside the box, from which he slotted home to increase the half-time advantage.

Following the restart, it took the Cards just six minutes to further extend that advantage, courtesy of Trickett’s second of the afternoon. The forward did well to win the ball back on the edge of the penalty area and remained calm to slot home, making it four.

The fifth came from Quincy Patterson, with a dangerous drive forward seeing him take the ball around several players who tried to dispossess him, and then strike in off the far post on 74 minutes.

Moments later, a strike came in from the visitors, which proved awkward for Woking’s shot-stopper Aaron Sings, with the keeper doing well to tip over the bar. The effort from the resulting corner, however, could not be kept out, with Wealdstone making it 5-2 on 76 minutes.

Ultimately, the game had long been won by the Cards, but there was one more goal in the tie. The goal came after excellent play from Bailey Cotton, who drove out of defence and struck the post with his effort. There to tap home was Jojo Ampah, who adjusted well to keep his 88th-minute effort down, leaving Wealdstone well beaten.

Elsewhere in the academy, on Monday, April 13, the EDS lost 4-2 on the road against Sutton in the National League Academy South. Also on April 13, the first years, playing as Westfield, lost 4-2 at home against Eversley & California in the Allied Counties Youth League West Division.

The first years, as Westfield, were in league action again on Thursday, April 16, as they lost 2-0 away from home against league leaders Hartley Wintney. Also on April 16, the under-18s won 1-0 at home against Metropolitan Police in the Suburban League Premier Division, with Will Richards’ 84th-minute strike, following his 83rd-minute introduction from the bench, stealing the victory.

By Holly Porter