WOKING ARE SMOKING
Posh under cosh as Ward earns replay
THERE was a surreal atmosphere around the ground when the referee called time on this absorbing second-round tie.
Typically a non-League side who have just held a League One opponent would be cocka-hoop, especially when it earns them a ball in the thirdround pot alongside the Premier League giants.
Yet Woking looked deflated that their dominance had only yielded a replay at London Road a week tomorrow.
To be honest, Peterborough were fortunate to escape with that second chance. Woking will join AFC Fylde and Hereford in representing the non-League pyramid in tonight’s draw — and deservedly so.
Despite bossing possession and controlling proceedings, the National League play-off chasers were sliding out until six minutes from time after Ryan Tafazolli’s first- half strike.
It was at that moment that Nathan Ralph surged to the byline on the left and crossed. The ball found its way to Joe Ward at the back post and he slammed it home.
The stadium erupted in celebration. And nobody could argue it was undeserved.
‘It was strange in the dressing room afterwards,’ said Woking boss Anthony Limbrick. ‘ People were really down because we felt we deserved to win the game.
‘We dominated the game from start to finish, created the better chances and stopped them from playing.
‘We wanted to make sure we kept the Woking flag flying high. We have a great history of Cup runs. We’re still in the hat and that’s great.’
Peterborough were so poor that owner Darragh McAnthony has offered their 654 travelling fans free admission to the replay. Yet they led when Tafazolli poked home after Woking keeper Nathan Baxter saved Jack Marriott’s header on 24 minutes.
Woking should have levelled when Inih Effiong was wrestled to the ground in the box by Alex Penny, but Chez Isaac’s poor spot-kick was saved by Jonathan Bond.
‘I was disappointed with our quality, we lacked a little cutting edge,’ said Posh manager Grant McCann.