CARDS OFF THE BOIL FOR DOYLE
MICHAEL Doyle’s reign as Woking boss began with a hard-fought goalless draw against Maidenhead United at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.
The Dubliner oversaw his first game in charge since replacing Darren Sarll but came up against stubborn resistance from a Maidenhead side who stretched their unbeaten run to eight matches.
Doyle said: “The conditions weren’t great with the wind and it was a bit scrappy. We dominated the game and looked like a team that was trying to win.
“We looked to threaten on set pieces, but ran out of energy in the end. The lads kept going and tried different things like trying to get on the ball and dominate a bit more which they have done previously. I’d love for us to go on and get better.”
Doyle’s men started with intent with Rhys Browne and Dennon Lewis combining together to deliver a cross that was just out of reach for Luke Wilkinson.
Moments later, Padraig Amond and Lewis showed similar cohesion in finding Jim Kellermann at the far post but his effort went just wide of the post.
Woking went close again with Lewis at the heart of their best work, although he scuffed his left-foot shot wide.
Magpies goalkeeper Craig Ross superbly kept out Browne’s goal-bound effort but Lewis couldn’t convert the rebound.
Maidenhead, however, were certainly not just passengers and went, arguably, the closest to breaking the deadlock when Sam Barratt – who rejoined the club permanently from Barnet this week – floated over a dangerous free-kick that saw Chanka Zimba flick the ball into the path of Will De Havilland but his strike bounced off the woodwork to safety.
Barrett then tried his luck from distance but his curling shot skimmed over the bar.
Doyle’s side regained their tempo at the start of the second half. Fullback Dan Moss blasted a low-driving shot from outside the box that went inches wide, before another chance fell to Browne, who cut past his target man but also missed the target.
But it was the Magpies who almost nicked it in stoppage time – substitute Shawn McCoulsky firing an effort straight at Woking goalkeeper Alexis Andre Jr.
Maidenhead assistant manager Ryan Peters said: “We showed character when we weren’t able to be as fluent as we have been - we were able to defend and come out with a draw.
“Throughout the 90 minutes, there are one or two chances that you provide them with and the idea is that Craig Ross has to make it harder for them to score. We need to make sure we hit the tally of 52 points to survive in this league.”