ACADEMY BULLETIN: Week Twenty One

Upcoming Fixtures – Week commencing 26th January 2026 

Wednesday 28th January 

11:30 – Woking U19 (EDS) v Maidenhead United: National Academy League – South Division 

Woking College, Rydens Way 

19:45 – Guildford City v Woking U18: Surrey Floodlit Cup – Second Round (Round of 16) 

Spectrum Football Ground Parkway, Guildford GU1 1UP 

Thursday 29th January 

19:30 – Woking U17 v Bedfont Sports: Isthmian League – Central Division 

Knaphill FC, Redding Way 

For up-to-date information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy ‘X’ page. 

Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website. 

The Academy website is wokingcitc.org 

 

Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing 19th January 2026 

Monday 19th January 

Westfield (represented by Woking U17) 1 – 1 Camberley Town; Westfield won 4 – 2 on penalties: Surrey Floodlit Cup – Second Round (Round of 16) 

Westfield FC, Woking Park 

Report from Ian Tilley 

This was a rather disjointed game, littered with free-kicks, and wanting for more quality. There were glimpses of Westfield’s passing game, but too often they were easily thwarted. 

Clear-cut chances were limited or missed, Allan not being worked hard enough by Al-Nawab’s shot from eight yards after 11 minutes, the first example of this. 

Camberley seemed the more likely to score, Westfield’s defence relieved to see an unchallenged Al-Nawab header go wide on 23 minutes. The visitors goal, after 30 minutes, came from a Westfield free-kick, gathered and quickly released by West in Camberley’s goal, the chance to clear his ball down the middle misjudged by the covering defenders, and Milchev-Szczepaniak running through and slotting past the advancing Allan neatly. 

Westfield responded well, Callow prompting intelligently and Mansour getting a shot away. Munden claimed the equaliser on 38 minutes, Hurp’s free-kick was punched out by West and the ball broke to Munden whose shot from 22 yards was powerful enough that the touch the retreating West made was not enough to keep it out of the net. 

Manly and Bailey were called upon to be diligent in their defending, but there was no real further goal threat as we went to the break. 

Half-time: Westfield 1 – 1 Camberley Town 

The second-half, if anything, was even more disjointed than the first. Another band of rain, getting heavier as the half progressed, certainly not helping matters. 

Mansour did bring a straightforward save out of West on 69 minutes, but Westfield did look like a team that had not played a competitive fixture for a month. 

The most likely source of a goal appeared to be a Camberley header, with more than one chance going begging. They came closest on 90+2 minutes, with an effort that bounced onto the outside of the post. But penalties would be required to break the deadlock. 

Westfield soon had the initiative, Camberley going first, and Allan diving to his left to save from Ewing. Although Stedman and Dinctop scored for Camberley, Manly, Hurp, Bailey and Munden all took excellent penalties, and when Milchev-Szczepaniak’s spot-kick cleared the grass bank behind the goal Westfield’s boisterous celebrations could begin, their previous defeats in penalty shoot-outs put behind them. 

Against an older Camberley side, which included a number of players with Combined Counties League experience, Westfield go through to a quarter-final tie at Cobham, with Woking also still in the competition and due to play their last 16 tie at Guildford on Wednesday. 

Westfield: Joshua Allan, Alex Jefferies, Luke Manly ©, Byron O’Donnell, Will Hurp; Ben Bailey, Harvey Johnson (Dylan Hosali 88); Jaden Mansour, Joe Callow, Harry Munden; Zack McColl-Eljanfali (Arthur Pereira 82). Unused substitutes: Calum Collins (GK), Caleb Trickett. 

Goals: Munden 38. Penalties: Manly, Hurp, Bailey, Munden (4 out of 4). 

 

Walton & Hersham 1 – 2 Woking U17: Isthmian League – Central Division 

Elmbridge Xcel, Waterside Drive 

A great result for the First Years which was Walton & Hersham’s first league defeat of the season. Woking took the lead on 54 minutes through Gurang, only to be pegged back within two minutes. The winner then came through Richards on 76 minutes. 

Woking: Jack Roles, Alfie Moult, Casper Hammond, Sonnie Leedham, Daejharn Wells; Finn Salman ©, Alfie Gales (Nathaniel Flemming 71); Max Thomas, Will Richards, Pranish Gurang (Logan Jacques 59); George Loader. Unused substitutes: Adriel Gondwe, Harry MacFadyen (GK), Jack Kelly. 

Goals: Gurang 54, Richards 76. 

 

Wednesday 21st January 

Woking U18 2 – 1 Boreham Wood: National League Alliance – Division F 

Woking College, Rydens Way 

Report from Ian Tilley 

Woking started well, in the wind and rain, with Ledbury and Sam already threatening before the hosts had the lead on four minutes. Bushby took the free-kick to the right of the penalty area, and Mattingley timed his run across his marker perfectly to flick the low cross deftly past the Wood ‘keeper from eight yards. 

Although it was rather inevitable the game would be scrappy given the conditions, Woking were creating chances, with Ledbury a constant menace both when dropping deeper to build play and when joining the attack. Mattingley and Bushby generally had the upper hand in midfield, and whilst the visitors did cause some defensive scrambles for the Cards, Drew’s volley narrowly over from a corner on 23 minutes suggested another Woking goal was imminent. 

It arrived on 34 minutes, Francis intercepting an ill-advised pass 30 yards out, running in on goal and calmly rounding the ‘keeper, before passing neatly into the net. A fair reward for his constant endeavour leading the attack. 

Half-time: Woking 2 – 0 Boreham Wood 

The visitors were to have the better of the second-half. MacFadyen called into action on 52 minutes when Ledbury was caught in possession on the edge of the area and the ‘keeper was quickly out to thwart the danger. Then Baverstock had to make a good covering challenge with Woking still lucky that the final shot was wide. 

Both Gondwe and Owen had pressed forwards well from full-back and more enterprising play from Owen did lead to Francis getting a shot away, but the pressure on Woking would grow. Rhioui and Sam’s work rate in the wide positions had been notable throughout and it was no surprise when Sam succumbed to a mixture of cramp and muscle fatigue on 66 minutes. 

Woking were stretched, with substitute Zand influential, and MacFadyen was called on to make two further good saves. The introduction of Hosali bought more composure and quality to Woking’s passing out of defence, and Mattingley did hit the side-netting, but Wood would halve the deficit on 79 minutes, a rather scrappy, scrambled effort from Bartlett adding more pressure to the situation. 

However, Woking were to hold on to three very well earnt points, with the bonus of MacFadyen, Gondwe, Hosali, Johnson, Sam and Hurp all having taken their chance to step-up from Year One. 

Woking: Harry MacFadyen, Adriel Gondwe, Mason Drew, Kai Baverstock (Dylan Hosali 73), Jack Owen; George Mattingley, Frankie Bushby © (Harvey Johnson 81); Zack Rhioui, Will Ledbury, Kameron Sam (Will Hurp 66); Timothy Francis. Unused substitute: Jack Roles (GK). 

Goals: Mattingley 4, Francis 34. 

 

Slough Town 2 – 1 Woking U19 (EDS): National Academy League – South Division 

Arbour Park, Stoke Road 

Report from Holly Porter 

A damp Arbour Park hosted Woking EDS for the second time this season, following a dramatic 3-3 League Cup draw in December, which saw a penalty shoot-out upset for the Cards. 

In the only change to the starting lineup, Mezenner earned his first start of the season, with the usually ever-present Boxall fit enough only for the bench. 

The opening stages of the clash saw most of the play unfold in the middle of the park as both teams attempted to settle. Despite this, Slough looked the more dangerous, with Wilson and Cotton forced into early defensive blocks. 

Narrow margins saw both teams miss in the opening 10 minutes, firstly as Verrell George’s 8th-minute effort hit the side netting for Slough. Straight back down the other end, it was Trickett who dragged his shot narrowly wide. 

Throughout the remainder of the first half, positive play unfolded for both sides, but little could trouble 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, dived to his right to deny. 

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 Verga in the final clear-cut chance before the break, confirming a goalless first half. 

Half-time: Slough Town 0 – 0 Woking 

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. 

In almost the perfect response, Travin’s close-range effort once again looked dangerous, but Honey reacted 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, the closest being Patterson’s 79th-minute effort, which fell narrowly wide. 

Frustratingly, it was Slough that could capitalise, with substitute Troy Russell taking aim from just inside the box, with his 84th-minute effort flying in on Verga’s right. 

In an emerging theme, Honey was to deny Travin once more with a top save, this time in the 88th minute, to stop a close-range effort that seemed destined for the back of the net. Moments after, Dryer glanced a header just wide as the Cards continued to search for a goal. 

Woking did manage to get one back, with a well-worked move down the left side seeing a ball delivered into the goalmouth, which was turned in by 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 continues. 

“We came in with lots of confidence, particularly off the back of the last two results”, reflected academy manager Matt Winter. “We started the year really well, and unfortunately, we weren’t able to back it up today.”  

Woking: Mikey Verga, Bailey Cotton, Josh Solecki, Yousef Mezenner (Lucas Boxall 65’), Kemall Wilson, Joel Jennison-Leppa, Denis Travin, Quincy Patterson ©, Joden Trickett, Kooshan Hayati, Jayden Hudson-Odoi (Tom Dryer 57’). Unused substitutes: Freddie Greenstreet, Sammie Saward (GK), Jack Lewis. 

Goalscorer: Boxall (90+3’). 

 

Thursday 22nd January 

Woking U18 P – P Binfield Reserves: Suburban Football League – Premier Division 

Match postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Knaphill FC, Redding Way 

 

Loan (Dual Registered Players) watch 

Tuesday 20th January 

Sam Saward, Goalkeeper, EDS – Horley Town: Played the full game in the 0 – 1 defeat to Tadley Calleva in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5), the goal coming on 90+1 minutes. 

Saturday 24th January 

Tom Dryer, Forward, EDS – Westfield: Played the first 53 minutes of the 4 – 1 victory over Farnham Town in a Friendly played at Sheerwater. Played well, as a centre-forward, and set up the first goal, dropping into midfield to gain possession, turning and gaining ground, before playing in Knight with a slide-rule through ball. 

Jack Lewis, Defender, EDS – Knaphill: Came on as a 28th minute substitute in the 2 – 3 defeat to Cobham in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5). Jack worked hard against a very strong opponent, and pressed forward when he could, including a run which led to the corner which set up the second goal. 

Sam Saward, Goalkeeper, EDS – Horley Town: Played the full game in the 3 – 1 victory over Guildford City in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5). 

Joden Trickett, Forward, EDS – Abbey Rangers: Came on as a 65th minute substitute, with Abbey 1 – 2 down, in the 2 – 2 draw at Corinthian Casuals in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5). Joden scored the equaliser on 76 minutes, meeting a free-kick with a fine glancing header beyond the ‘keeper’s reach and right into the bottom corner. 

 

League fixture (home) details for the 2025/26 season 

EDS, National League Under 19 Academy South Division. Midweek, daytime, at either Westfield Football Club or Woking College.