Woking offer tougher challenge after Gulls’ progress

TORQUAY UNITED

WOKING at home looked like a pretty good draw when the balls were plucked out of the velvet bag last month, but the Cards will undoubtedly pose the biggest threat to the Gulls' run so far in Saturday's FA Cup first round proper tie at Plainmoor.

Lymington

Town

(7-0), Brightlingsea Regent (3-0) and Winchester City (4-1) have all been dispatched with the minimum of fuss, but National League South promotion rivals Woking look just as strong as when they took a point from a 2-2 draw here six weeks ago and they still lie third in the table.

If anything, they might be stronger, for manager Alan Dowson has all the players who deservedly led 2-0 at half-time that day, and he has strengthened with a couple of lively attacking signings and one former Torquay man in defence. Dowson recently added ex-Gulls and Truro City centre-half Ben Gerring to his squad, after Gerring had a short spell with Billericary Town at the start of the season.

Gerring has slotted into a back-four alongside the promising Jack Cook, keeping out the experienced Ian Gayle, but perhaps the player to watch back there is left-back Josh Casey - as good in attack as he is in defence, the team's captain and surely destined for better things in the future.

Dowson brought six of his former Hampton players with him when he joined Woking and one of them, Max Kretzschmar, has scored seven goals from midfield so far, including one at Plainmoor.

With Oxford United loanee Harvey Bradbury injured, Dowson played veteran ex-Barnet, York and Dundee United striker Jake Hyde on his own up front in September, and a good job he did there too.

But Dowson may be more adventurous in Saturday's tie, especially now that he has signed pacy former Norwich, Southend and Maidstone forward Jamar Loza, who can play as a striker or winger.

He has other striking options in former United targetman Duane Ofori-Acheampong and Paul Hodges, but perhaps Woking's strongest suit in their midfield roster.

As well as Kretzschmar, they have two quality wingers in former Hull City youngster Greg Luer and Nicky Wheeler, local boy Charlie Hester-Cook is making rapid strides and Tobi Edser has made an instant impact since his recent loan signing from Nottingham Forest.