Cambridge United’s Emirates FA Cup adventure begins at the Laithwate Community Stadium this weekend as they do battle with non-league outfit Woking in the First Round…
How to Watch
Well over 600 fans have secured their place for Saturday afternoon’s tie in Surrey, which gets underway at 3pm. Tickets are available on the day at an increase of £3 but please note, only card payments will be accepted.
The match is NOT available for streaming, or being televised anywhere in the world. Monthly or Seasonal Audio Pass subscribers can listen to live match commentary via CUFC TV.
Opposition Focus
Situated in the National League, two steps and 45 places below the U’s, Woking are eyeing up a mini scalp as they look to advance to the Second Round for the first time in six years. Formed in 1887, the hosts were Isthmian League mainstays in their opening stages before gaining promotion to the Conference in 1992. FA Trophy and FA Cup specialists in the 1990s - which included overcoming Cambridge at one point - they’ve most recently consolidated in the fifth tier following promotion from the National League South in 2019, even embarking on a play-off finish two years ago. Under Michael Doyle, the aim will always be stabilisation first, but fans will be hoping that one day the Football League dream can be achieved.
The Cards secured this matchup courtesy of a 2-1 comeback victory against Slough Town, but have since been winless in the bread and butter and hope a shock can revitalise their season. A busy August saw the side recover from back-to-back defeats by overcoming Dagenham & Redbridge, Ebbsfleet United and Hartlepool United, but a slender win against Wealdstone has been the sole triumph in their last 11. Occupying 18th position with 17 points from 16, Woking have a four-point gap from the relegation zone and will be eager to rip up the form book against their League One opponents.
Boasting Football League experience all over the squad, Doyle has Will Jaaskelainen to trust between the sticks, with a back four of Dion Kelly-Evans, Max Dyche, aerial threat Cian Harries and Adam Chicksen ahead of him. Dan Moss has been a consistent figure down the right, with Dennon Lewis looking to cause havoc on the opposite flank. Dominating the middle of the park is former Sutton United spark Harry Beautyman, Jamie Andrews and Dale Gorman, another who is effective at this level. The goals come from the likes of Deon Moore, Charley Kendall or Lewis Walker, who all will hunt a starting berth and write themselves into cup folklore.
Form Guide
- 05/10/2024 – Woking 1-1 York City – National League
- 12/10/2024 – Woking 2-1 Slough Town – Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying
- 19/10/2024 – Tamworth 3-2 Woking – National League
- 23/10/2024 – Solihull Moors 2-1 Woking – National League
- 26/10/2024 – Woking 1-1 Forest Green Rovers – National League
The Amber Angle
Riding on the crest of a wave, the U’s head into cup competition off the back of a gritty and determined 1-0 triumph late on against struggling Burton Albion at the Abbey.
Garry Monk’s men stayed in control throughout the game, and even when the Brewers started to ask questions, they were astute defensively. With a share of the spoils looking likely, they unlocked a different way to win with a clinical strike from substitute Jordan Cousins to accelerate the momentum.
Reflecting on the result, the Head Coach said: “Considering the week we’ve had and where we wanted to be and what we wanted to try and achieve out of it, we couldn’t have asked for much more.”
A week is a long time in football, and that couldn’t be truer for United, who went from rock bottom and short of confidence to 21st and on the cusp of escaping the bottom four thanks to some resolute victories. Three on the spin for the first time in the league since January 2022 and three consecutive clean sheets for the first time since October 2023, the tide has turned, with attention now focused towards controlling the game against Woking, just like in recent years when Curzon Ashton and Bracknell Town caused problems. To go into the Cambridgeshire derby with yet another win and their name in the hat would make for perfect preparation.
Form Guide
- 01/10/2024 – Cambridge United 0-1 Rotherham United – Sky Bet League One
- 05/10/2024 – Exeter City 1-0 Cambridge United – Sky Bet League One
- 19/10/2024 – Cambridge United 2-0 Wigan Athletic – Sky Bet League One
- 22/10/2024 – Stevenage 0-2 Cambridge United – Sky Bet League One
- 26/10/2024 – Cambridge United 1-0 Burton Albion – Sky Bet League One
Head-to-Head
- Woking Wins: 3
- Cambridge United Wins: 11
- Draws: 2
Last Time We Met
Thursday 10th April 2014 – Woking 0-3 Cambridge United – Skrill Premier
A scintillating evening in Surrey saw the U’s go within two points of securing a play-off spot as they comfortably dispatched Woking 0-3 in our last meeting. Cult hero Delano Sam-Yorke put the amber army ahead after slotting home from a goalkeeping mistake, before Luke Chadwick doubled the advantage 25 minutes in. The watertight defence held on firmly to secure their clean sheet, with Liam Hughes’ thunderbolt the icing on the cake for Richard Money’s men. Line-up: Norris, Tait, Miller, Coulson, Taylor, Hughes, Champion, Chadwick, Donaldson, Sam-Yorke, Barnes-Homer.
Boot in Both Camps
Whilst we’re on the topic of that memorable double-winning season, it was a sublime debut campaign for club legend Greg Taylor, who had joined the club in the summer of 2013 following fruitful spells with Kettering Town, Darlington and Luton Town, with whom he was involved in their memorably mazy FA Cup run. Fast forward ten years, 373 appearances and two promotions later, the versatile defender departed for the Cardinals, where he clocked 20 appearances. Now 34, Greg plies his trade as King’s Lynn Town’s number five and is currently contending for promotion from the National League North.
Officials
- Referee: Jamie O’Connor
- Assistant Referee: Paul Lister-Flynn
- Assistant Referee: David Hutton
- Fourth Official: Michael Hayden