CARDS NICK A POINT BUT HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO

IF IT’S been a long winter for Woking, there’ll be little solace to be found in spring on this evidence.

Substitute Charley Kendall came off the bench to score a dramatic equaliser for the hosts but they were, for large parts of this contest, very much second best to a Wealdstone side who showed plenty of substance.

Ironically, it was two former Cards who were the jokers in the Wealdstone pack as captain Jack Cook and Tarryn Allarakhia showed just what is being missed at Kingfield. Physicality, leadership and plenty of style.

Given the relegation furnace both clubs find themselves in, the tentative nature of the opening exchanges was of no surprise, 45 minutes punctuated by fleeting moments of quality.

Invariably, they came from Tanzanian international Allarakhia, the Stones playmaker causing havoc out wide in collaboration with Brandon Mason, and through the middle.

He was the most likely to break the deadlock in a half dominated by Wealdstone, with only a fine save from Will Jaaskelainen keeping Michael Doyle’s men in the contest.

And it was much of the same after the break, Woking unable to get to grips with not just Allarakhia, but a Wealdstone outfit which showed plenty of fluidity when on the ball.

Scott Cuthbert was in the right place to cut out a Nathan Ferguson header across goal as the visitors notably upped the ante, Allarakhia then bending one just past the post ahead of forcing another excellent save out of Jaaskelainen minutes later.

With the pressure mounting, the Woking defence eventually yielded. Lively thinking from Corrie Andrews allowed him to get to the byline, his flat, fizzed cross across the six-yard box diverted across Jaaskelainen and into the far corner by Ferguson.

Having been nigh on anonymous in front of an increasingly agitated home crowd, Woking, to their credit, rallied.

Curtis Edwards hit the post as a combination of urgency and, no doubt, shock went through the Woking side and they, somehow, found themselves level going into the final ten minutes.

Manny Oyeleke’s powerful surge down the right was made even better by the cross which followed, fellow sub Kendall forcing his header past Marcus Dewhurst.

“Given how we’ve performed when we’ve gone behind in previous games, the response today was excellent – and that’s the first time we’ve showed that sort of character since I’ve been here,” said Cards boss Doyle. “We’ve had to change the shape given the lack of bodies and while I know the supporters want to see wins, we’ve got to be patient with these boys.

“There’s a couple of chances we’ve had at the end to nick it but we’ll take the point.”