Woking’s Elite Development Squad opened the year with maximum points as they defeated Wealdstone 2-1 away from home in the National League Academy South.

Off to a fast start after the Christmas break, the Cards found themselves ahead within the opening five minutes. Battling in the box, Joden Trickett was brought down in attacking action, with a penalty kick instantly awarded.

A well-taken spot kick followed, with Trickett sending Wealdstone’s goalkeeper the wrong way with his fifth-minute effort, firing into the bottom right corner to take the lead.

A period followed where neither team could really exercise authority. In the tenth minute a close-range effort fell nicely for the hosts, with Mikey Verga doing well to save with his legs.

The 17th minute saw the scoreline levelled. Caught in possession, Woking lost out to Wealdstone’s attack, with Verga dispossessed, allowing the hosts to direct an effort into the empty net.

Woking reacted well, with Lucas Boxall attempting from range moments after the restart, but his 18th-minute effort could not be directed away from the Wealdstone number one. Shortly after, Trickett, also from range, tried his luck, but his shot took a deflection which dragged the effort wide.

The closest the Cards came to regaining the lead before half-time was with Boxall’s long-range effort, which smacked the outside of the post in the 31st minute.

A scramble in the box just before the break provided a golden opportunity for Woking to get ahead. Quincy Patterson’s free kick delivery proved troublesome to clear for Wealdstone, which allowed for several attempts in the box for Woking. While they couldn’t quickly clear their lines, the hosts did well to block Woking’s every effort, leaving the teams on level terms at the break.

The second half started in a similar fashion to how the first ended: with a dangerous Patterson free kick. This time, his delivery into the box was met by Trickett’s run, who attempted to direct the ball in at the back post. The Cards, however, were denied the perfect second-half start, with a 48th-minute save keeping the teams level.

Boxall, once again, almost netted from long range, this time in the 59th minute. The captain’s shot looked set to fall under the crossbar, but the keeper did well to tip the effort onto the woodwork. Trickett followed it in, but the keeper collected the loose ball before the number nine could tap home.

Leaving it late, the 80th minute saw Woking back ahead, courtesy of Tom Dryer’s 15th National League Academy goal of the season. The winger did well to skip past the Wealdstone pressure in the box, and got an excellent effort away from a tight angle. Met by a strong glove, the shot looked initially to have been saved, but the awkward bounce of the ball saw it fall in at the back post.

As the game drew to a close, Trickett went close to sealing the win, with an 88th-minute effort taking an almost favourable deflection, but Wealdstone’s keeper was there to collect.

Nevertheless, Woking maintained their lead, with the full-time whistle that shortly followed confirming all three points to be taken back to Surrey, while elsewhere in the academy, a busy schedule quickly turned quiet, with games falling victim to the weather.

By Holly Porter