CLICK TO VISIT OUR NEW SITE

A VIBRANT and interactive new website for residents living in and around Woking, Chobham, Byfleet and Addlestone goes live on Monday next week.

With the address www.woking.co.uk the website, which is brought to you from the team that brings you the News & Mail and the Review, will be accessible from 11am on Monday morning.

Each day, breaking stories will be uploaded on to the site from the 10-strong editorial team, as well as sport and entertainment and features on travel, business and property.

A number of interactive features are also available at woking.co.uk including video, blogs, competitions, polls, and a Twitter feed.

Readers will be able to Facebook, Tweet, and email their favourite stories to friends and relatives with easy to use icons.

The website has been developed by Guildford firm Arcom IT.

“The News & Mail has been lacking a strong web presence since a major shake-up in regional media in Surrey in April,” said editor Colin Parker.

“Now the town and its surrounding villages and urban areas will have their own dedicated site through which they can access all the latest Woking news and sport, as well as larger breaking news from across the county of Surrey.

“This is an exciting development for the News & Mail and cements its place in the community as the best for news, sport, entertainment and business.”

He added: “Figures have shown that Woking residents are among the most web friendly and are also the most keen to comment on stories that affect them.

“We are sure you will find plenty on www.woking.co.uk to supplement our two newspapers.”

Work on the site first started in July this year as IT experts and the News & Mail’s editorial team planned www.woking.co.uk.

For companies wishing to advertise, each page on the website has three large spaces in which adverts will be placed.

To advertise on www.woking.co.uk, call the News & Mail’s advertising team on 01483 508777 for rates and packages.

Blue Square South

Woking 1 Eastleigh 1

THERE couldn’t be a more apt song title than Swing the Mood to describe the difference at Kingfield just seven days after the old stadium was bristling with FA Cup fever.

Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers topped the UK charts with that particular number in August 1989.

And Tuesday’s meagre attendance of 654 was the lowest league crowd to watch a Cards’ game at this stadium since 515 turned out for a clash with Walton & Hersham 21 years ago.

Never has the phrase ‘a week is a long time in football’ been more appropriate as Kingfield went from being a passion fruit bursting with flavour and vitality to a dried-up satsuma.

Boss Graham Baker admitted it was difficult for his players to lift themselves after being carried along on a wave of euphoria one week, only to be dumped in the surf the next, amid an eerily quiet atmosphere.

They had at least been lifted by a fine FA Trophy win at Dover but once again they failed to transfer decent cup form into the league.

Baker blamed the fact his men faded away so badly in the second half, as Eastleigh equalised Tom Jordan’s own goal and controlled the contest, on fatigue and the “colossal” month his players have had to endure.

“This was a different situation against a side who in the first half looked like they had come for a point,” he reflected. “We got the lead but then fizzled out to what I expected as this was a bunch of lads who just couldn’t go again. They are out on their feet.

“We’ve had some big games and while Eastleigh got on top in the second half, they haven’t had to play Brighton twice, Bromley and Chelmsford in a short space of time. You tell me who, in this league, has had those sort of fixtures this month.”

And Baker conceded that the players were affected by the pitifully low gathering. “Of course players want to play in front of a big crowd.

“It gives them a lift, adrenaline and confidence. It wasn’t going to happen though because Brighton was a massive game and also, it’s been an expensive time for supporters and at the back end of the month they are waiting for their pay cheques.”

Those who did turn out saw Woking perform well in patches in the first half but their effectiveness was nullified by a deep-lying Eastleigh who were happy to play on the break.

It was the visitors who had the better chances though, Tony Taggart unlucky to catch the top of the crossbar with a textbook volley from the edge of the box.

The striker was foiled again soon after, this time by Cards’ keeper Andy Little who was forced to save at his near post after Taggart had robbed Adam Doyle and surged along the byeline.

When Jordan inadvertently turned in Aswad Thomas’s cross from the left, it showed the benefit of making defenders face their own goal while trying to clear. But Woking never really got in behind the visitors’ defence again and generally chased shadows in the second half, Eastleigh free-flowing, with Richard Graham the chief tormentor.

Ten minutes after the break, Taggart made mincemeat of Adam Doyle as he shimmied his way into the box, the brilliant run going unchecked and the ball eventually finding Richard Gillespie who slotted the equaliser.

And Woking had Little to thank for a string of fine saves, the best when he somehow denied former Card Jamie Slabber from point-blank range with a stunning stop – the sort of miss Woking fans will remember all too well.

His men put in two heroic performances against Brighton in the FA Cup and followed that up with a superb 2-1 victory at Dover.

“Sometimes it’s easier to perform when you are the underdogs and there’s no pressure,” he maintained. “The players know from the Brighton performances they are able to compete against players of that calibre so I hope they can grow from that.

“I’d like them to start doing it in the league, beginning against Eastleigh. Hopefully they can do that.”

Baker aims to keep hold of Saturday’s two-goal hero Jerome Federico for a further month, the winger due to return to Wycombe after the weekend.

“I think the boy wants to stay and we want him to stay so hopefully we can sort something out when I speak to Gary Waddock, probably on Friday. “He’s a young lad and he needs games so I hope that Wycombe will think that his spell with us is doing him the world of good.”

Baker revealed that Lee Sawyer will remain on a month-to-month contract for his, and the club’s benefit, the midfielder believed to want to play at a higher level, having been training with Dagenham & Redbridge when Baker snapped him up.

“It suits both parties with that sort of arrangement and we’ll review it monthly,” reckoned Baker. “We need to see where we are as a club, and he is in his development, and take it from there.”

Baker confirmed his assertion earlier in the season that contracts at Woking will be sparing next season, when the financial situation bites still further with Chris Ingram’s withdrawal of funding. “They’ll be one or two on contracts but those that are will be on short-term ones,” he said.

The Cards have managed to avoid the Blue Square Premier big guns in the draw, which is still regionalised, after Jerome Federico’s double at the Crabble secured Graham Baker’s side a gutsy triumph in the final qualifying round.

Federico struck twice in as many minutes in the first half on Saturday as Woking led 2-0 at the break before Ben Hunt’s penalty reduced the deficit and Andy little was forced to save late on from Adam Birchall.

The Cards host Eastleigh in the Blue Square Premier on Tuesday evening.

FA Cup 1st Round Replay

Woking 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 2 (aet, 1-1 at full time, Woking lost 3-0 on penalties)

NOT since Woking’s third-round replay in this competition against Coventry City in 1997 has Kingfield rocked in such a way as on Tuesday night.

Amid a crackling atmosphere in a near full house, Woking showed a worldwide TV audience just what is meant by the magic of the FA Cup with a simply stunning performance against a side 85 places above them in the football ladder.

In a week when Audley Harrison did a disservice to heavyweight boxing, the Cards more than punched above their weight against Gus Poyet’s side, the former Spurs and Chelsea star unable to believe what he was seeing from the dugout.

Just how cruel football can be was highlighted by the nature of Brighton’s knockout blow inflicted on the hosts in a one-sided penalty shootout.

Barely able to lift his tired limbs, Elvis Hammond saw his penalty – Woking’s third – saved, while substitutes Ola Sogbanmu had earlier hit the post and the normally nerveless Craig Faulconbridge had fired over the top. Brighton scored three of their four.

A superhuman effort from the Cards over 210 minutes of a compelling First Round tie, climaxed in heartache after three disappointing spot kicks.

That will matter little for a younger generation of Cards’ fans who may never have experienced a night like this.

They – along with Poyet and his players – will not forget how close Woking came to causing a huge upset.

Graham Baker’s tactics of allowing Brighton to have the ball while they strung two banks of players across the pitch, with Hammond up front, once again worked a treat. But that was because the players carried out the instructions to the letter.

It is hard to remember a time in recent years when every Woking man played his part quite like this.

Hammond was a willing runner and held the ball up superbly. Joe McNerney and Adam Doyle were immense in the heart of a warrior-like defence.

Aswad Thomas and Ricky Anane ran themselves into the ground, Moses Ademola was a huge threat, while Mark Ricketts and Jerome Maledon were simply magnificent in the middle of the park – Maledon’s gazelle-like, indefatigable runs in the second half and during extra time quite spellbinding.

From the moment Jerome Federico missed the game’s first chance, skying a super opportunity at the far post, Woking were energised with belief.

Matt Sparrow poked Brighton in front 12 minutes after the break. But Woking bounced back and Hammond’s low cross was turned into his own net by Gordon Greer.

Sogbanmu nodded over and Hammond side-footed wide in a dramatic ending to the 90 minutes before Sogbanmu’s header from fellow sub Charlie Turnbull’s corner gave Woking the lead at the end of the first half of extra time – only for Elliott Bennett to smash an instant leveller.

Brighton left-back Maurico Taricco was then sent off by card-happy Roger East in his first game in six years and it was the League One leaders who clung on for the final 15 minutes.

Then came Woking’s despair after what had been a thrilling, rollercoaster ride of scintillating, thrill-a-minute football in front of 4,193 fans, although how another 2,000 could have squeezed into the ground is anyone’s guess.

And it’s hard to imagine on this evidence how 6,500 packed into Kingfield to see Woking v Swansea in 1978, when there was no Leslie Gosden Stand and not much Chris Lane ‘terrace’ to speak of.

“I’ve played at Kingfield when it’s packed to the rafters and it’s a great place to play when it’s rocking,” said proud Cards’ assistant boss, Jimmy Dack.

“”If we had kept them at bay and held on to a 2-1 lead in the first half we might have done it but Brighton scored too soon after we went in front. You could see our boys were dead on their feet for the penalties.

“The reason the Brighton boys are pros is because they strike the ball crisper and they see situations a bit better. But I can’t fault our lads and although I haven’t seen Brighton’s games, they probably haven’t had a harder one than that.

“They put their best players in and showed how much they wanted to win this game and we still took them to the well.”

Boss Baker was hugely satisfied with his men and added: “They’ve done me, the club and the fans proud. They were magnificent. It was a classic cup tie that had everything. And the crowd was bouncing, it was a special night. There were so many positives.

“In the end the penalties were too much for us but we had Ola sticking his hand up to take the first one which showed the sort of character we have in the side.

“Now we have to make sure we don’t go out of two cups in a few days, at Dover on Saturday.”

Blue Square South

Woking 2 Chelmsford City 2

GLENN PENNYFATHER still sees Woking as challengers for a top-five spot after Graham Baker’s side somehow stole a point from his side.

The Chelmsford boss was fuming after Woking were handed what he called a ‘get out of jail free card’ when Craig Faulconbridge thumped a penalty equaliser five minutes into stoppage time.

And he didn’t rule 14th place Woking out of the equation despite his men handing out a football lesson without managing to finish the hosts off.

“There’s not one stand-out side to be honest,” he said. “This season whoever can put a run together and be consistent will go up and beyond. It’s one of these leagues and will go down to the wire.

“I think Woking have got every chance. They are a big club and went on a fantastic run last year and hit the play-offs at the right time. You never know. There’s much of a muchness in this league, unlike last year when Newport dominated.”

Moses Ademola scored his first goal of the season – following up to scored the rebound when Chelmsford kepper James Pullen saved the first of two Cards’ spot kicks.

Chelmsford tore into Woking after the break and scored twice through Matthew Lock’s direct free kick and Ricky Modeste’s free header from a corner.

The hosts were second best and looked to be heading for their fourth home defeat of the campaign until Faulconbridge emerged from the bench and scored that late leveller.

“We got a point out of the game but we were under pressure for long parts and we were a little bit naïve at times,” said a downbeat Baker.

“We are young and inexperienced and haven’t learned how to relieve pressure. We’ve lost four games in 16 so I can’t be too hard on them.”

Interestingly, Woking have failed to beat a top-five side this season, something they will need to address if they are to climb the table.

Woking: Little, Anane, Thomas, Maledon, McNerney, Doyle, Ademola (Faulconbridge 87), Sawyer, Hammond, Gilroy (Sogbanmu 65), Federico ( Turnbull 65). Subs not used: Pegler, Inns.

Att: 1,198

Next Tuesday’s hugely anticipated First Round replay against Brighton & Hove Albion – live on ESPN and set to pull in £33,750 in TV receipts alone – is already attracting massive interest.

And the carrot of a Second Round home clash against FC United of Manchester is coming tantalisingly into view.

Baker just hopes his men can cope. “It might be too big a game for us,” he admitted. “There is a chance we might freeze but we’ll be drumming into the players they have already matched them once and kept a clean sheet. They have to have self-belief.”

Baker conceded he is yet to decide how he will tackle the tie – with the onus on the home team to attack meaning gaps may well be left for the League One leaders to exploit.

“It’s impossible to take in at the moment how we’ll approach it as we have a big league game against Chelmsford on Saturday. A lot depends on the bodies we have available.

“It will be a whole different ball game at Kingfield. Do we employ the same tactics as we did away? Do we attack them? Can we come up with another surprise? One thing’s for sure, we won’t be able to dominate Brighton for long periods, it’s not going to happen.”

Baker has been vilified in some quarters for his tactics and team selection this term but he got it spot on at the Withdean.

“I know what I am, I know my ability and I don’t shout about it. I let my team do the talking,” he said. “I know my strengths and weaknesses. And football is about opinions.

“There’s a minority of people who don’t think Sir Alex Ferguson is a good manager so there will always be a few who don’t think Graham Baker is either. That’s football.”

The boss revealed Adam Doyle and Ricky Anane both had injections to play at the Withdean. And also that his decision to bring on Ola Sogbanmu, Josh Watkins and Charlie Turnbull was tactical – as well as the realisation of Woking’s future.

He added: “That’s where this club is. Because of our Cup run, those lads have been on the fringes and for them to get on the pitch in a big game was great for their development.”

Baker’s jubilant assistant manager was quite rightly cock-a-hoop after the Cards grabbed an amazing draw at the Withdean Stadium – a tie at home to FC United of Manchester the prize if they can overcome Albion in next Tuesday’s replay.

And as well as warning Joe McNerney could be the next to leave Kingfield on this form, Dack explained just why big money men Alan Inns, Dave Gilroy and Craig Faulconbridge were left on the bench.

“We are over the moon,” roared Dack. “And Graham should get a lot of credit for that. We came and watched them on the Tuesday (beat Exeter 3-0) and Graham is a very astute tactician. I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves at times.

“As for Joe McNernery, he was absolutely outstanding and I’ll tell you what, watch this space, because if he carries on like that, he’ll be the next one gone.”

Woking might even have won this game after Seagulls’ boss Gus Poyet made wholesale changes – to his cost.

Poyet blamed poor decision-making – a bit rich from somebody who dismantled his all-conquering League One flyers because he thought he could beat part-time opposition with his reserves.

And but for a wrong option from Moses Ademola, who had the chance to set Elvis Hammond free on a two-on-one situation in the first half, Woking might have nicked a win.

That they got anything from the game was down to their superb defending though, McNerney magnificent while keeper Andy Little hardly had a save to make given the heroics of Adam Doyle, Aswad Thomas and Ricky Anane.

“Just to get them back to Kingfield is amazing,” added Dack. “Hopefully we will get the live TV game. The club needs the money we’ll get a big gate, and you never know. We are happy with a draw, if somebody said to me at 10-to-three it would be 0-0 I would have bitten their hand off.

“The players worked their socks off. And we threw the youngsters on there because we haven’t got any choice. They are our future the way it’s going. So we have to play them now to give them experience.”

The treehouse was constructed by parents living in a communal green area by flats in Foresters Close, St John’s, for children to enjoy.

No planning permission was sought for the wooden structure, which also includes a slide.

Mum of two Verena Holmes, 29, told the News & Mail she was unhappy about the council’s intervention over the structure.

Ms Holmes said: “There are nine children who play on it and they are gutted. “The council wants us to take it down and is saying it is unsafe. We have offered to sign a disclaimer, which says if the kids get hurt then we won’t sue the council.

“My partner Tim Noel is a builder and built the treehouse for the kids to enjoy. There is nothing for them to play on and they have had lots of fun on it.”

Ms Holmes, a council tenant, said the children cannot go to play areas in Goldsworth Park because Lockfield Drive is too busy for them to cross.

She has two daughters, Georgie, eight, and Madison, three, who she said have enjoyed playing in the treehouse with their friends.

She added: “It is a wooden house on stilts with a slide at the front and a ladder for them to safely get out.”

She said the council turned up at the end of last week and placed barriers and what she described as ‘metal skewers’ around the treehouse.

She added: “The council told me to take it down. They put metal skewers in the ground and orange fencing around the treehouse to keep people out. They said that was safer than the treehouse.

“I find it absolutely diabolical.”

Lawrence Dey, the council’s housing services manager, said: “Mr Noel has erected an improvised structure that poses a health and safety risk on communal land that is for the benefit of residents of 1-6 Foresters Close.

“The council has a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all residents using shared open spaces, and is therefore unable to provide its consent for the erection of a structure of this nature.

“Consequently, we have no option but to seek the removal of the treehouse as soon as possible.”

Carl Betts

A BARMAN who attacked a teenager in Woking Park, leaving him with life-threatening injuries, has failed to convince top judges his jail term was too harsh.

Carl Lindsay Betts, 22, was put behind bars for two and a half years by a judge at Guildford Crown Court in July after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm to 17-year-old victim Kirby Pearce.

Lawyers for Betts, formerly of Newlands Avenue, Westfield, argued on Monday that the prison term was too long because the consequences of the two punches Betts landed on his victim were ‘medically unusual’ and could not reasonably have been foreseen.

Three senior judges sitting at London’s Court of Appeal ruled that although the sentence was ‘severe’, Betts could have no complaint and dismissed his challenge.

Mr Justice Hedley said the row had been sparked in the early hours of November 26 last year, when Betts was cycling through Woking Park.

After passing a group of young men, which included Kirby, Betts heard sniggers and laughs and went back to confront them.

Getting off his bike, he twice punched Kirby, who was knocked unconscious as he hit the ground.

The judge said Kirby, now 18, was saved from ‘life-threatening’ brain injuries after he was rushed to hospital, but ‘there is no guarantee that he will return to where he was before the incident took place’.

Police arrested Betts after his name was suggested as a suspect on the social networking site Facebook.

Mark Stanger, representing Betts, said the two punches his client swung at Kirby ‘would have, in 99 out of 100 cases, led to nothing more than bruises’.

Mr Justice Hedley, sitting with Mr Justice Treacy, agreed that, as with a so-called ‘one punch manslaughter’ case, the consequences of Betts’ actions did not match the crime.

Dismissing the appeal, he told the court: “This case raises the tensions between the culpability of the offender in the commission of the criminal act and his responsibility for the consequences of that act, when these consequences are far more serious than would ordinarily be expected.

“However, it seems to us, as a matter of public policy, that those who choose to punch someone to the head, particularly if they do so twice, cannot expect to have their pleas heard too loudly when they appeal over the consequences of what they have done.

“We have reflected with care on the position of this case and we have come to the conclusion that the sentence of two and half years, whilst severe, is not a sentence which can be characterised as manifestly excessive”.