Up and Running

WWFC produced a fantastic performance at the end of a testing week as they comfortably beat Woking & Maybury 3-0.

We were without a full matchday squad for today's game. Despite planning for Damo's stag weekend we were missing players for a variety of reasons including being let down by the postal service in trying to sign Naylor in order to bolster the ranks. Subsequently we had to use two more 'on the day signings'. It had been a frustrating few days, but the 12 players who showed were tremendous.

Our visitors had given us a hiding in a friendly only a few weeks earlier and although we had a paper thin squad that day, I am sure they were confident of a repeat.

However, today it was clear we wanted it more and the tone was set right from the off in a dominant display.

Tom Frost was first to go close as he saw his header cleared off the line from a Joey Stevens corner.

W&M have some quality attacking players, but our very much new look defence were giving nothing away.

We took the lead midway through the half. Giles Smith cut inside from the right and found Joey. When he was tackled the ball fell to impressive debutant James Bradshaw who passed to Frosty and he curled home a very cool finish from around 20 yards.

It could have been 2-0 from a corner, but Alex Zammit headed wide when well placed.

The second goal came 5 minutes before half time. James' tenacious work won the ball and he passed to Joey who laid off to Gilo on the right. His deep cross was intelligently nodded down by Simon Grout and Tobias Maher fired into the bottom corner via the post for his first of the season. It was Tob's 4th goal against W&M in three matches.

2-0 at half-time and we had limited W&M to only a couple of half chances. Jet lagged Zam, skipper Charlie Elliott, new signing Simon Martin and Richard Crosby had all been excellent with deputising keeper Luca Bertolone very calm in goal.

We expected W&M to improve after the interval. They changed shape to match up against us and did begin to have more joy as an attacking team.

That said the clear cut chances continued to fall to us. Tobes was seriously unlucky to see his goalbound volley well cleared off the line with the keeper totally beaten and Joey's low shot was denied bhy a good stop.

With just under 20 minutes to go we killed the game off. Gilo won the ball in midfield and found Tob who laid off to Joey on the right. Joey exchanged passes with James, got to the byline and his perfect low cross was clinically finished by today's stand in player/manager and substitute Oli Cochrane.

Gilo really should have added a 4th, but missed his first one on one chance in the best part of a decade with a terrible finish and Tob couldn't beat the keeper when well placed.

At the other end Luca B made a good save to deny their striker when in on goal and also saved two long range efforts.

It finished 3-0 and it was as close to a complete performance as you can get. From back to front we were great.

Match Stats:

Shots on target: WWFC 12-5 W&M
Shots off target: WWFC 10-7 W&M
Shots blocked: WWFC 1-7 W&M
Corners: WWFC 4-4 W&M
Clear cut chances: WWFC 10-3 W&M

Thanks to Luca for standing in for Damo, to James and Si for stepping up as 'emergency signings', to Zam for playing through that hefty bout of jetlag and Oli for managing/playing/scoring a goal.

The only downside is the news that James suffered a fractured arm while playing today which certainly puts a sour note on a fine debut for the club as he will be out for 6 weeks or more. Get well soon.

MoM - Richardy - as said we were good all over the pitch, but every now and then Rich has these displays where he is near on faultless and totally bosses games at the back. Made several blocks and tackles, dominated in the air and very good in possession.

Huge thanks to Lorry for running the line and to Harwood for filming. Much appreciated.