Kingstonians v. Woking.

Kingstonians visited Woking on Saturday, and the fixture drew a large attendance. Play was much below the standard of either club, Woking winning a rather poor game by two goals to one.

Kingstonian faced a bright sun in the first half, and appeared to find difficulty in adapting themselves to the rather noticeable peculiarities of the ground. Winyard, in Kingston's goal, had many shots to save, and made several fine clearances, Woking only scoring once prior to the Interval. It was a good shot from the old county player, C.S. Salisbury, that enabled the home team to lead at the interval by 1-0.

The quality of the game showed but little improvement after change of ends, and it was during this period that Nield sustained a blow on an old injury which will probably keep him out of the team for some little time. Stentiford's persistence was rewarded with a goal, but, towards the close, Woking regained the lead with a scramble.

Report from Surrey Comet dated 24 Mar 1920- see report in original format.


ANOTHER FRIENDLY WIN.
KINGSTONIANS BEATEN IN GLORIOUS SUNSHINE.

The summerlike weather conditions which prevailed on Saturday afternoon were much more suggestive of cricket than football, and those devotees of the national winter game who were engaged in strenuous encounters had a very trying time.

Woking's senior eleven were concerned in a friendly fixture only, the Kingstonians providing the opposition at the Kingfield enclosure. A spirited game was the outcome, and in accordance with anticipations Woking won, though only by the odd goal in three. The game was witnessed by a crowd numbering about a thousand who reveled in the bright sunshine.

Both sides were at full strength, and in the opening half at any rate, some good football was served up. There was more method in the Cardinals' work than in that of their opponents, and one could not help feeling that they should have won more decisively than they did. They seemed always a shade superior, though there were times when the visitors became very aggressive, and caused anxiety to the home defence.

SALISBURY'S BRILLIANT GOAL
The whole of the goalscoring took place in the first half, and the point with which Salisbury opened the scoring for Woking two minutes after the start was one of the finest goals seen on the ground this season.

Salisbury, who seems quite the most dangerous of Woking's forwards just now, ran in from the left to meet a centre from Gooch, and catching the ball with a first-timer, drove it with terrific force at the goal. Winyard made a heroic attempt to save, but the great pace behind the ball carried it past him into the net.

The Kingstonians were handicapped in this half by having to face the strong sun, and matters quickly became dangerous for them. Before Salisbury scored both Wakeley and Gooch had made promising attempts.

The Cardinals were not long allowed to retain the lead, the Athenian leaguers drawing level after five minutes. Stentiford did the needful by smartly taking a centre from the left and beating Phillips from close range.

After this Woking again asserted themselves and Dorkins got in a very strong drive which Winyard dealt with magnificently. Gooch might have scored again for Woking, but lost a chance through hesitation.

The Kingstonians made a number of promising runs after this, Crick being the most dangerous of the forwards, and Phillips had to save more than once.

Woking however played with better understanding, and more often looked like scoring. Wright sent Salisbury away nicely and the latter called upon Winyard with a nice shot, and from another centre by Salisbury the Kings goal has a narrow escape. Wright shooting well.

The Cardinals second goal, which proved to be the winning point, came after half an hour's play. Gowan lifted the ball into the centre, and Rollo, in attempting to clear, turned the ball with the side of his foot into his own goal. Winyard placed himself to save, and the ball dropped on his hands, but it was spinning, and flew off at a tangent over his shoulder into the net.

WOKING FORWARDS BETTER
Just before the teams crossed over Stentiford tested Phillips with a fine drive. Early in the second half the Kingstonians' goal had a narrow escape when Winyard left his goal and fell on the ball. Dorkins made himself a source of danger to the opposing defence, and Wakeley was always working hard for an opening. The latter should have scored from a delightful centre by Gooch, but placed over the bar when in a favourable position.

In the closing stages the Kingstonians attacked, and more than once came near to scoring, but Woking's defence prevailed, and the Cardinals ran out as winners as stated.

Though there was still room for improvement in Woking's attack, the display of the line was certainly better than that of the previous week. Salisbury was always clever with the ball, and I thought that Wright gave one of his best exhibitions since joining the Cardinals. Perhaps it was because he was playing against his old club, at any rate he fed Salisbury with some beautiful passes.

Dorkins and Wakeley worked like niggers all the way through, and both were unfortunate in not scoring. The former is proving a distinct acquisition in Woking's attack, and it is a pity that Gooch has struck a bad patch, otherwise the wing would be an exceedingly dangerous one. The outside right did many useful things, but was inclined to keep the ball a little too long.

Of the halves there was no more effective a worker than Gowan, who has well won his place in the senior side. There was method in everything he did, and some of his forward passes were extremely well timed. Pearce, on the other wing, also played a very fine game using the knowledge gained by wing experience to advantage, but Christie was rarely in the picture as much as usual.

Of the two backs, I thought Smith was the sounder, kicking very nicely with both feet, but Crane was also in steady form, and much better than at Nunhead. Phillips made many good clearances, but hesitated in the passing of the ball, and was rather prone to leave his goal.

The outstanding person of the Kingstonians' side was Vivyen-Davies at right-back, who gave a delightful display of clean kicking and tackling. Yates was a hard worker in the intermediate line and Stentiford, Harry and Crick, the last named displaying extremely spirited form, were the best of the forwards.

Mr H. Langtree of Woking controlled the game and the teams were:

Woking; H.J. Phillips; H.J. Crane and G. Smith; A.V. Pearce, W. Christie and H.E. Gowan; F. Gooch, F. Dorkins, F. Wakeley, W.J. Wright and C.S. Salisbury.

Kingstonians: W.F. Winyard; F. Vivyen-Davies and B.J. Rollo; W. Millis, J. Yates and J. Wood; A. Henson, G. Stentiford, A.E. Harry, R.J. Nield and H. Crick.

Report from Woking News dated 26 Mar 1920- see report in original format.

Additional report from Surrey Advertiser dated 24 Mar 1920.

There are differences between the reports- most notably the Surrey Comet saying only one goal was scored in the first half while the other papers have all goals scored in the first half. The Surrey Advertiser has a different scorer for Kingstonian and also a player in the line up called "Gardiner" rather than Yates. This seems unlikely as Yates is mentioned in the Woking News report and there is no other mention of a player called Gardiner in the first team or reserves this season. The more detailed Woking News report seems more accurate in all respects.