A late surge of elation erupted at Grosvenor Vale as Wealdstone snatched a dramatic 1-0 victory over Woking, courtesy of a stoppage-time strike from substitute Kallum Cesay. The tense and cagey encounter, punctuated by a midfield battle and few clear-cut chances, ultimately hinged on a moment of brilliance in the dying embers of the match.
An early disruption saw Wealdstone forced into a substitution just eight minutes in, with Connor McAvoy replacing Josh Grant. The opening exchanges proved to be a scrappy affair, with both sides struggling to establish any consistent rhythm. The referee was kept busy, issuing yellow cards to McAvoy, and to Woking’s Jermaine Anderson and Adam Chicksen before half-time.
Woking manager Neal Ardley sought to change the dynamic at the break, bringing on Lewis Walker for Daniel Moss. However, the second half initially mirrored the first, with the midfield remaining congested and chances proving elusive. Woking’s frustrations were evident as Harry Beautyman received a yellow card early in the second period. Both managers continued to make changes in search of a breakthrough. Wealdstone introduced Mustapha Carayol and the eventual match-winner, Cesay, while Woking brought on Sha’mar Lawson and Oluwarotimi Odusina.
As the match seemed destined for a goalless draw, Wealdstone launched one final attack deep into stoppage time. Enzio Boldewijn, who had injected energy into the Wealdstone attack during the second half, delivered a precise pass into the Woking penalty area, allowing Cesay to run through the defense and complete the move with an angled finish, sparking jubilant celebrations amongst the home supporters.
The victory provides a vital three points for Wealdstone in their battle against relegation, lifting them above Woking in the National League table. The two sides had entered the match with an evenly-matched recent history, having drawn three and won one each of their last five encounters. Woking had won the reverse fixture 1-0 earlier in the season, but Wealdstone exacted revenge in the most dramatic fashion. The result sees Wealdstone climb to 18th, while Woking drop to 19th.