STUMBLING BLOCK FOR SPITFIRES
WOKING battled against the odds to secure a goalless draw at the Silverlake Stadium therefore denting Eastleigh’s prospects of a play-off place.
The Cards lost on-loan striker Sam Ashford to a leg injury inside the opening five minutes and were down to ten men for the bulk of the second half after defender Tommy Block was sent off for a second yellow.
But they held on without undue difficulty as Eastleigh, despite mounting pressure, forced only one meaningful save out of returning Cards goalkeeper Craig Ross and grazed the crossbar on another occasion.
“The lads showed great character and dug in well
– I’m very pleased with the way they stood up,” praised manager Alan Dowson, celebrating the extension of his Woking contract until 2023.
“It was backs against the wall for long periods of the second half, but we knew with ten men we’d be living off scraps, yet in the end we broke away and almost snatched a victory.”
Dowson claimed Block “played the ball” for his initial first half booking and, when he took down Eastleigh’s Abdul Baggie on the left-hand touchline eight minutes into the second half – the Woking manager insisting referee Robert Whitton “couldn’t wait to send him off ”.
Whereas Woking were understandably pleased with a point, the outcome of the stop-start game did little to enhance Eastleigh’s play off hopes.
Spitfires boss Ben Strevens admitted: “It feels more like two points dropped than one gained and has left us adrift in tenth place, having played more matches than the other teams fighting for that seventh spot.
“We applied a lot of pressure in the second half, adjusting our shape to play with two wide men and three strikers, but despite having a man advantage we didn’t do enough to win.”
Chances were at a premium through a disjointed first half, with Eastleigh’s best opportunity coming when Cards’ centre back Moussa Diarra almost turned a cross shot from Joe Tomlinson into his own net.
Andrew Boyce blasted an effort over the bar, while Woking’s only effort came from the hard-working Sam Dalby, whose weak header was easily dealt with.
Block’s sending block revitalised Eastleigh and they almost clinched victory twice in the space of 90 seconds – Ben House forcing a fine save from Craig Ross from point-blank range, then Jack Payne graziung the bar from 20 yards.
Free-scoring striker Adam Marriott – signed on Friday from King’s Lynn Town after being furloughed since the end of February – came on for the last 20 minutes, but even he was unable to break the deadlock.