Woking’s Elite Development Squad fell to their first defeat of the year, as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Slough Town at a rainy Arbour Park.

“We came in with lots of confidence, particularly off the back of the past two results,” reflected academy manager Matt Winter.

“We started the year really well, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to back it up.”

The opening stages saw much of the play unfold in the middle of the park, as both teams struggled to settle. Despite this, Slough looked the more dangerous, with Kemall Wilson and Bailey Cotton forced into early defensive blocks for the visitors.

Both teams missed by a narrow margin in the opening ten minutes, firstly as a quick move out of defence for Slough saw Verrell George break into the box, but his eighth-minute effort hit the side netting.

Straight back down the other end, Denis Travin powered forward and found Joden Trickett on his left, but the number nine dragged his effort wide.

Throughout the remainder of the first half, positive play unfolded for both sides, but little troubled either goalkeeper. The biggest threat to Slough’s net fell in the 37th minute as Travin was able to brush off the defence to get his shot away. Former Woking Academy goalkeeper Bob Honey, however, met the effort with a diving save down to his right.

The 40th minute saw Dylan Griffen turn away from the Woking defence and get his shot away from inside the box, but he could not do enough to beat Mikey Verga in the final clear-cut chance before the break, with the score remaining 0-0 at half-time.

The deadlock was broken shortly after the restart, as George carried the ball into the box for the hosts, creating space to smash home in the 48th minute.

The Cards almost got themselves back on level terms shortly afterwards through Travin’s close-range effort, but Honey reacted well to keep his side ahead. In the other net, Verga then did well to tip George’s cross, which almost dipped under the crossbar, over the woodwork.

As the second half unfolded, the Cards looked the more likely to score, and they nearly equalised when Quincy Patterson’s 79th-minute effort went wide.

Slough doubled their advantage in the 84th minute, with substitute Troy Russell taking aim from just inside the box and seeing his effort fly in past Verga.

Honey then denied Travin with a top save in the 88th minute, when Travin’s close-range effort had seemed destined for the back of the net. Tom Dryer glanced a header just wide shortly afterwards as the Cards continued to push for a goal.

Woking did manage to get one back, with a well-worked move down the left-hand side seeing a ball delivered into the goalmouth and turned in by Lucas Boxall in the 93rd minute.

Time ran out, however, before the Cards could salvage a draw, meaning their struggle to create a run of form away from home continued.

Elsewhere in the academy, the under-17s beat Walton and Hersham 2-1 away from home in the Isthmian Youth League Central Division on Monday, January 19. On Wednesday, January 21, the under-21s won 2-1 at home to Boreham Wood in the National League Alliance Division F.

By Holly Porter