User:Matty.007/sandbox/2013–14 Woking F.C. season

The 2013–14 season is the 124th season in Woking F.C.'s history, and their 2nd in the Conference Premier.

Pre-season matches
Woking's season got off to a poor start as they lost to Staines Town away from home, but it soon improved, and four victories on the trot followed, against two Conference South sides, a League One side, and a Championship side. The pre-season matches ended with a draw with Queens Park Rangers under-21 side.

August
Woking had a run of poor form, losing the most matches in a month out of all the months in the season. It began with a goal-less draw with Lincoln City, which was re-inforced with an away loss to Braintree Town in which two goals were conceeded in three minutes, and in the 90th minute, striker Giuseppe Sole was sent off after an apparent "kicking-out" at a Braintree player or a poor tackle. An away win followed against Chester, despite Josh Payne receiving a red-card shortly before half-time for "violent conduct", an apparent head-but at Lee Sawyer. Three successive losses followed, worsened by a third red-card in three games as Jack Parkinson was sent off against Welling United for a second yellow-card.

September
Woking's winless streak continued into September, when a loss to Alfreton Town left them with one win from seven, a statistic which worsened to its worst in the season after a home draw with Tamworth. Respite finally came with a victory over Hyde, which not only lifted Woking in the table, but left Hyde in last place. There followed two losses in which a total of seven goals were shipped, before another home victory over Nuneaton Town, the league "high-flyers" dealt a defeat by "struggling" Woking.

October
October was Woking's worst month in terms of points gained, only 3 from a possible 12 were won. A robust defence conceeded just one goal in three games, before Woking were defeated away by Wrexham. Two teams were having poor runs, Barnet had not won a match away from home, and F.C. Halifax Town were described as "out-of-form". Southport however had had a better start to the season than Barnet and Halifax, and maintained their unbeaten record at home. Woking's poor start was compounded in an away defeat to Wrexham meaning that Wrexham were unbeated in three matches.

November
November heralded a change in fortunes for the Cards, as the won half their matches gaining 6 of a possible 12 points. Although the month started badly with a home loss to Grimsby Town, who scored in the first and last minutes, but were still three points above the relegation zone. However, six goals in two games against Dartford and Hyde meant that a six-match streak of winless games was ended, Hyde had not won any games in the season at that time. Cambridge United info

December
December was the Cards' best month so far in the season, gaining nine points from a possible twelve. F.C. Halifax Town, who Woking had drawn with at home earlier in the season in October, were beaten in a seven-goal match when Halifax came from 1 – 4 to 3 – 4, but suffered a red-card in the latter stages of the match. Kidderminster Harriers and Nuneaton Town were the other teams beaten in December, both wins were described as a "surprise", Kidderminster were described as "play-off contenders" and Nuneaton were in the top five teams in the league. However, Woking were brought back down to earth in a home defeat by Salisbury City, who had not won in their last five matches.

January
January was another poor month for Woking, gaining only four points from a possible twelve made it the second worst month in the season. The month started positively when Braintree Town were beaten in a solid fashion, but it seemed to go downhill from then onwards. Woking suffered Keiran Murtagh being sent off for two yellow-cards before Welling United took the advantage to win their first match in four. Chester were next to beat the Cards, the relegation-zone side scoring in the 29th minute. The month was then a little redeemed with a draw at Lincoln City, a match which the Cards could have won after a late penalty was missed.

February
February was a checkered month for the Cards, there was a lack of consistency highlighted in alternating wins and losses, in 6 matches there were 20 goals, 9 of them scored by Woking. Hereford United were in form pre-match, with a five game unbeated streak, but Woking saw them off "soundly". Salisbury City were similarly in form, and a victory over Woking moved them into a position in the play-off zone, but similarly in form Gateshead were beaten, ending a nine-match unbeaten streak, Woking emerging with their first win away from home in 2014. Woking went down to 10 men in the 34th minute against Dartford with the score at 1 – 1, before Dartford put another four goals past Sam Beasant. Macclesfield Town, who were beaten at home, were similarly in-form, described as "play-off chasing", whilst Kidderminster Harriers, Woking's final match of the month, were in a similar position, but triumphed at Aggborough.

March
March was the Cards' best month, conceeding only 2 goals to 8 scored, and winning all four games and gaining 12 points. Barnet had won five games on the trot, whilst Southport were described as "struggling", the second game in a row in which Woking had won by a two goal margin. Luton Town were favourites to win the match, being league leaders, unbeaten in twenty-seven matches, and with only two losses in the league in the season, but a 87th minute goal from Giuseppe Sole ensured that the underdogs received a shock win. Prior to the match, Wrexham were in a similar league position to Woking, but were seen off 2 – 1.

April
The ninth and final month, April was a busy month for the Cards: in this month they played more matches than in any other month in the season, 8.Of those 8, half were won, two drawn, and two lost, with a total of 15 goals scored to 13 conceeded leaving Woking in ninth position on the league at the end of the season. A four match streak of victories was extended to six with wins over Forest Green Rovers and a "financially-troubled" Hereford United. The match against Grimsby Town seemed to be going the same way with the score at 1 – 0 at 90 minutes-however, three goals followed, two for Grimsby and one for Woking leaving the match at 2 – 2. A thorough defeat to Cambridge United, who finished second at the end of the season, before both Alfreton Town, who were beaten at home, and Forest Green Rovers, with whom Woking drew after both sides scored in the 90th minute, were play-off contendors before playing Woking. A loss to Aldershot Town, who were attempting to secure their future in the Conference, followed. Woking's season ended on a high as they played already relegated Tamworth, with Scott Rendell scoring the goal which put Woking ahead in the 13th minute, before Kevin Betsy scored the Cards' winner in the 90th minute, and their last goal of the 2013–14 season in the Football Conference.

FA Cup
Woking lost to Luton in their first FA Cup match, losing 1 – 0 despite playing at home, they had one clear opportunity which fell to Giuseppe Sole, who missed.

FA Trophy
Woking played two matches away from home, winning against Hereford United, who eventually experienced financial irregularities, and as such were expelled from the Conference Premier. Two goals from Jack Marriott, all before half-time, resulted in the Cards continuing to the second round from the first round. However, Woking's progress in the cup ended there, as Conference North side North Ferriby United gave the Cards a "humbling", soundly beating them 4 – 0.