Woking secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Brackley Town at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, a result that sees them climb the English National League table. The home side took an early lead and, despite a significant red card incident, managed to control the remainder of the match, ultimately sealing their win with a second-half penalty.
The opening goal arrived in the eleventh minute. Oliver Sanderson found the back of the net to put Woking ahead. This early breakthrough set the tone for the encounter, and the Cards looked to build on their advantage. However, the match took a dramatic turn in the seventeenth minute when Brackley Town’s Zak Lilley was shown a second yellow card for violent conduct, reducing the visitors to ten men for the vast majority of the game. This significant numerical disadvantage would undoubtedly shape the remainder of the proceedings.
Despite the setback, Brackley Town attempted to reorganise and contain Woking. Ryan Haynes picked up a yellow card for a foul in the 32nd minute as the visitors battled to stay in contention. Woking, enjoying a man advantage, probed for openings, but the disciplined ten men of Brackley Town held firm for the remainder of the first half.
The second half saw Brackley Town continue their defensive efforts, with Justin Donawa receiving a yellow card for a foul in the 53rd minute. The pressure from Woking eventually told in the 60th minute. Matt Lowe was shown a yellow card for a foul just moments before Woking were awarded a penalty. Josh Kelly converted the spot-kick to double Woking’s lead and put the game firmly in their grasp. The goal, coming so soon after Lowe’s booking and in quick succession to the earlier red card, proved to be a significant blow to Brackley Town’s hopes. Morgan Roberts also saw yellow for a foul in the 62nd minute, highlighting the increasingly physical nature of the contest as Brackley Town struggled to stem the tide.
Brackley Town made tactical substitutions in an attempt to shore up their defence and potentially find a way back into the game. Riccardo Calder replaced Justin Donawa in the 65th minute, and Jack Price came on for Ryan Haynes in the 72nd. Woking also made changes, with Aiden O’Brien replacing Harry Beautyman in the 77th minute, and goalscorer Oliver Sanderson making way for Ashley Boatswain shortly after. Brackley Town continued their substitutions, with Danny Waldron and Connor Hall replacing Danny Newton and Morgan Roberts respectively in the 78th minute.
The final ten minutes saw Woking manage the game effectively. Josh Kelly was substituted for Josh Osude in the 88th minute, allowing the goalscorer a well-deserved rest. Despite the late changes from both sides, no further goals were scored, and the referee, Charles Breakspear, brought the match to its conclusion with the scoreline at 2-0.
This victory sees Woking move up to tenth in the English National League standings with 28 points from 21 games. Brackley Town, meanwhile, remain in 20th place with 20 points, highlighting the challenges they face this season. The result reinforces Woking’s solid home form and provides a welcome boost as they continue their league campaign.