Academy Bulletin 26/27 - Week 4
Written by Ian TilleyUpcoming Fixtures: Week commencing 31st August 2026
Wednesday 2nd September
12:00 – Woking U19 (EDS) v Forest Green Rovers: National League Under 19 Academy South Division
MTPC, Woking College, Rydens Way
Friday 4th September
19:45 – Aldershot Town v Woking U18: Suburban Football League – Premier Division
Bottom Meadow, Sandhurst Memorial Park, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst, GU47 9BJ
Woking U18 begin their National Academy Alliance League Division F fixtures on Wednesday 9th September.
Woking U17 begin their Isthmian Youth League West Division fixtures on Monday 7th September.
For further information on fixtures please refer to the Woking Football Club Academy ‘X’ page.
Information is also available on the fulltime.thefa.com website.
The Academy website is wokingcitc.org
The Academy YouTube channel is youtu.be/k0-bZ808AWM
All of these bulletins for the current season can be found on the Woking FC website by selecting the menu of options and going to ‘News’.
Match Reports and Team Details – Week commencing Monday 24th August
Monday 24th August
Guildford City 0 – 4 Woking U17: Allied Counties Youth League – East Division
Guildford Spectrum, Parkway, Guildford
An encouraging start for this group of First Years as they begin their time as Scholars.
It did take Woking ten minutes to gain control before they surged ahead. Henry Loxton had already had two shots blocked before his well-taken corner saw Woking take the lead – Yaw Akowuah-Addo heading home smartly at the far post.
With Keegan Berry and Harley Adams in midfield keeping Woking on the front foot, Akowuah-Addo nearly had another, seizing quickly on a missed clearance but firing over.
Woking doubled their lead on 21 minutes, Harry Cummings doing well to create the chance for Jerome Musi, who took a step away from his marker to create space before shooting into the far bottom corner from 10 yards.
The Cards had their third within a minute, a lofted free-kick from Loxton wide on the left met by Leighton Spence who headed home confidently at the far post.
The remainder of the half was more even, with both sides threatening but no further goals, and Woking’s defence well marshalled by Spence.
Half-time: Guildford City 0 – 3 Woking
Woking were to find it more difficult to dominate the second-half, with Guildford’s marking at set-pieces improved from the first period.
Musi, Cummings, Loxton, Akowuah-Addo, Spence and Max Canham were all frustrated in their attempts on goal, until Woking added a fourth on 75 minutes. Under 16 Leo Barbato (son of the Sheerwater First Team Manager), had already had one shot hit a post when Cummings neat reverse-drag-pass put him through to fire powerfully across the ‘keeper and inside the far post.
Guildford continued admirably in their endeavours, and Woking sought a fifth, but the scoring was done; and Woking were able to reflect on having set a good benchmark for future matches.
Woking: Flynn MacDonald, Harry Cummings, Harvey Grace, Leighton Spence © (Jack Donkin 79), Sad Kaloga; Keegan Berry, Harley Adams (Aaryan Malhotra 65, © from 79); Henry Loxton, Max Canham, Yaw Akowuah-Addo (George Ellis 74); Jerome Musi (Leo Barbato 65). Unused substitute: Lucas Montague (GK).
Goals: Akowuah-Addo 12, Musi 21, Spence 22, Barbato 75.
Tuesday 25th August
Woking U19 (EDS) 3 – 1 Alton XI: Friendly
Goals from Nick Alves on 5 and 51 minutes (the second created by a quality Will Ledbury pass), and Trialist A on 26 minutes gave Woking a 3 – 0 lead, before the visitors got a consolation goal on 64 minutes.
Wednesday 26th August
Metropolitan Police 4 – 2 Woking U17: Isthmian Youth League Cup – First Round
Imber Court, Ember Lane, East Molesey
With both sides playing their first competitive game of the season, it was the hosts who seemed best prepared for the demands of Scholar level football.
The Met had the better of the early exchanges and Jack Donkin had already cleared off the goal line, and headed a dangerous free-kick away, when the hosts took the lead on 21 minutes. Police made the most of the space they found on Woking’s right side, and Hugo Shaw was well beaten by a shot from the edge of the area arrowed into the top corner.
Aaryan Malhotra sought to prompt Woking with his forward passing from midfield, but the Cards couldn’t make any decisive inroads, and their deficit doubled on 31 minutes. Woking’s efforts to clear their lines only teeing up a Police forward to stroke home from 12 yards.
Things nearly went from bad to worse for Woking, two more very presentable chances being put over the crossbar. However, Woking took the opportunity of Amanuel Zeleke requiring some treatment to regroup, and would come back into the game as we approached half-time.
Zeleke and Ben Golding created an opportunity for Raayan Ali-Walid to cut inside and shoot, but it was a ‘sighter’ and straight at the ‘keeper. Luca Chevellier then reacted well to get onto a long ball and lob it over the onrushing ‘keeper, only for it to drop wide of the target.
With the game in added time Chevellier had a shot saved, and then Theo Hornbuckle played a free-kick to Zeleke, his fine cross caused chaos, with the ball cleared off the line and Donkin’s follow up flashing off the crossbar.
But Woking were not to be denied, this time Ali-Walid’s fine strike from 30 yards flew into the bottom corner to the ‘keeper’s right, bringing the Cards back into the game.
Half-time: Metropolitan Police 2 – 1 Woking
Within a minute of the restart Woking were in trouble, Shaw misjudging the trajectory of a through ball and conceding a penalty for his challenge on the forward. Shaw was relieved to see the penalty kick hit the underside of the bar and bounce away from goal.
Woking rallied for 15 minutes, but on 62 minutes the referee judged that another challenge in the penalty area was a foul, and this time there was no mistake, Shaw sent the wrong way.
The visitors did create some half-chances, Golding firing one across the face of the goal, heading another wide, and Harrison Hunt shooting over with a long-range effort. Woking used their substitutions to make positional changes, but the game was getting away from them.
Any hopes of a comeback were ended on 90 minutes, Shaw’s dive to his left beaten by another penalty kick. Woking’s consolation was a very good goal, Malhotra playing an astute through ball to Golding, who slotted past the ‘keeper emphatically.
A challenging evening for this group of First Years as they learn something of what is required to step up to this level.
Woking: Hugo Shaw, Harrison Hunt (Leighton Spence 80), Zane Taylor ©, Jack Donkin, Amanuel Zeleke; Aaryan Malhotra, Ben Golding; George Ellis (Keegan Berry 59), Theo Hornbuckle, Raayan Ali-Walid (Callum Carter 73); Luca Chevellier (Jerome Musi 59). Unused substitute: Flynn MacDonald (GK).
Goals: Raayan Ali-Walid 45+4, Golding 90+6.
Thursday 27th August
Woking U18 4 – 2 Corinthian Casuals: Suburban Football League – Premier Division
MTPC, Woking College, Rydens Way
Woking were to leave it late to secure this victory, with their perseverance ensuring their winning start to the season continued.
Woking had the lion’s share of the first half but were frustrated many times by Casuals’ ‘keeper Tyrese Munetsi and his defenders.
Jaden Mansour’s pass played in Will Richards, and it looked like he was tapping home before the defender’s block arrived in the nick of time. On the half-hour Mansour’s low cross was met by Joe Callow taking a shot in his stride which looked certain to find the bottom corner, only for Munetsi to save.
Passing from Daejharn Wells to Richards to Nat Flemming led to another blocked shot, before Richards’ pass to Callow saw Munetsi come out to smother. On 41 minutes Flemming played in Richards, only for his shot to bring another fine stop from the ‘keeper.
A minute later Woking had the breakthrough, the referee judging that the marking at a corner was too hands on, and Callow’s left-footed penalty was well placed, and more than powerful enough, to beat the ‘keeper’s dive to his right.
Half-time: Woking 1 – 0 Corinthian Casuals
The visitors had found chances hard to come by in the first-half, but started the second with renewed purpose, although their shooting was initially off target. Something which they paid for on 51 minutes as Mansour hit an unstoppable drive from the edge of the area to double the lead.
But Casuals were not out of it as there were chances at both ends before they got back into the contest on 66 minutes. What looked like a 50/50 challenge on the edge of Woking’s 18-yard box was considered worthy of a penalty, and Ben Kennett beat Joshua Allan’s dive to his left.
On 74 minutes Casuals were level, Woking overplaying a little, too deep in their territory, and Noah Thomas taking the chance to seize possession and shoot beyond Allan’s dive. It looked like the visitors might go on to make matters worse for the Cards, but the hosts withstood Casuals’ efforts, and would score twice to take victory in added time.
Substitute George Loader was involved in both goals. Firstly, with a fine headed flick-on which Mansour finished brilliantly, running on and shooting low and hard, and then, after Loader’s tenacity had kept Woking on the front foot, he ran through and pulled the ball back to the edge of the area where Richards applied another low, well struck, drive.
So, three wins out of three to start the season, with a trip to face a no-doubt determined Aldershot Town side this coming Friday.
Woking: Joshua Allan, Alfie Moult, Luke Manly ©, Byron O’Donnell, Daejharn Wells (Sonnie Leedham 90); Nat Flemming (Arthur Pereira 75), Harvey Johnson; Max Thomas (Harry Munden 59), Will Richards, Jaden Mansour, Joe Callow (George Loader 70). Unused substitutes: Callum Collins (GK), Dylan Hosali.
Goals: Callow 42 pen, Mansour 51, 90+1, Richards 90+4.
Loan (Dual Registration) Players Watch
Tuesday 25th August
Josh Ewing, Attacking Centre Midfield, EDS – Tadley Calleva: Played the first 87 minutes of the 3 – 1 victory over Hamble Club in the FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay.
Ed Scott, Centre Back, EDS – Tadley Calleva – Played the full game in the 3 – 1 victory over Hamble Club in the FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay. Ed scored the second goal as Tadley came back from 0 – 1 down, his goal a quick reaction to fire home when a defender missed his clearance of a free-kick.
Saturday 29th August
Dillan Davies, Centre Back, EDS: Abbey Rangers: On the bench for the 2 – 2 draw against Sheerwater in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5).
Josh Ewing, Attacking Centre Midfield, EDS – Tadley Calleva: Played the full game in the 3 – 3 draw at Badshot Lea in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5).
George Hill, Goalkeeper, EDS – Kingstonian: Played the full game in the FA Trophy First Qualifying Round game at Herne Bay. Although Kingstonian made it 3 – 3 on 85 minutes to take the game to penalties, they were defeated 2 – 4 in the shoot-out.
Joel Jennison-Leppa, Centre Back, EDS – Sheerwater: Played the full game in the 2 – 2 draw at Abbey Rangers in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5). Sheerwater coming from 0 – 2 behind to equalise in the 90th minute.
Dom West, Goalkeeper, EDS – Binfield. Played the full game in the FA Trophy First Qualifying Round against Deal Town. Although Dom made a good save with the scores at 2 – 2, Deal went on to win 4 – 2.
Monday 31st August
George Hill, Goalkeeper, EDS – Kingstonian: Played the full game in the 4 – 2 victory over Raynes Park Vale in the Isthmian League South Central Division (Step 4).
Joel Jennison-Leppa, Centre Back, EDS – Sheerwater: Played the full game in the 2 – 3 defeat at Knaphill in the Combined Counties Premier Division South (Step 5). Joel has partnered Academy graduate Tom Gardner in both games this weekend.
League fixture (home) details for the 2026/27 season
EDS, National League Under 19 Academy South Division. Martin Tyler Performance Centre (MTPC), Woking College, Wednesday, daytime.
Woking play in the Premier Division of the Suburban Football League. Whilst there is not an age limit for this League most clubs view it as a predominantly youth league, and Woking field a team based on second years, with some first years, and some from the EDS. Usually MTPC, Woking College, 19:30, Thursday.
The National League structure also offers Woking a place in Division F of their Alliance Leagues. This team is largely made up of second years. MTPC, Woking College, Wednesday, daytime.
Woking return to the West Division of the Isthmian League Youth system. The league is for under 18s, although in recent seasons Woking have fielded a team largely made up of first years. MTPC, Woking College, 19:30, Thursday.
This season Woking under 17s will play in the Allied Counties Youth League – East Division. Knaphill FC, 19:30, usually Monday.
The under 17s will also be entering the Tactic League. Friday daytime at MTPC, Woking College.