A hard-fought battle at the Laithwaite Community Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw between Woking and York City, a result that saw the visitors maintain their strong recent record against the Cardinals. The match was a tense affair, punctuated by tactical substitutions and a flurry of yellow cards.
The opening half was a cagey period, with both sides struggling to penetrate the opposition defence. Clear-cut chances were at a premium, and the growing frustration in the Woking ranks was evident as both Olatunji Akinola and Lewis Walker were booked in quick succession. The teams entered the break goalless, leaving the match delicately poised.
The second half sprung to life in the 55th minute. A superb pass from Woking midfielder Raheem Conte found Daniel Moss, who applied a clinical finish to give the home side a 1-0 lead. The Laithwaite Community Stadium erupted, and Woking looked set to push on.
York City manager Adam Hinshelwood responded swiftly, making a triple substitution just before the hour mark. Callum Harriott and Ricky Aguiar were replaced by Tyrese Sinclair and Marvin Armstrong respectively, as Hinshelwood sought to inject pace and attacking impetus into his side. The changes disrupted Woking’s flow, and the momentum gradually shifted.
Hinshelwood made a further double substitution in the 68th minute, introducing Lenell John-Lewis and Cameron John. This proved to be a decisive intervention. In the 82nd minute, John-Lewis, having only just stepped onto the pitch, was brought down in the penalty area. He dusted himself off and calmly converted the resulting spot-kick, restoring parity at 1-1.
The closing stages were frantic. Woking manager Michael Doyle received a yellow card for dissent, highlighting the tension on the touchline. York City’s Ollie Pearce also entered the referee’s notebook late on. Despite a series of late substitutions from both teams, neither side could find a winner, and the match ended all square.
The draw sees Woking climb one position to 14th in the National League table with 16 points, while York City move up to 3rd with 26 points, extending their unbeaten run against Woking to four matches in recent seasons.