Preview: Woking vs. Aldershot Town - prediction, team news, lineups

For the second time in the space of seven days, Woking and Aldershot Town square up against each other on Sunday at the Kingfield Stadium.

The home side ended a five-game winless run last time out, while the away side, who were recently defeated for the first time in eight matches, will be looking to give an immediate response.

Match preview

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Despite failing to keep a clean sheet for the eighth match in a row, Woking claimed their first win in over a month courtesy of a 3-2 victory against Dover Athletic on Tuesday.

Alan Dowson's men found themselves 3-1 up at the hour mark thanks to Max Kretzschmar's opener from the spot and two goals from Inih Effiong before withstanding a late fightback after Ryan Hanson halved the deficit in the final knockings of the contest.

That triumph was a more than welcome one for the Cardinals, who have now climbed up to 12th position in the National League table as a result.

After ending 2021 on a high, they will be looking to kick off the new year in similar fashion albeit against an opposing outfit who have lost only one of the last nine meetings between the teams.

Sunday's hosts, who recently snapped a four-game losing run on home turf, now set out to make it back to back home wins for the first time since October.

Aldershot Town failed to record a third straight away victory following a 1-0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge FC at Victoria Road on Tuesday.

Forward Angelo Balanta scored the all-important goal six minutes before half time to condemn Mark Molesley's men to their 12th loss of the campaign.

With 21 points from as many matches this term, the Shots are 17th in the standings, six points clear of the drop zone having played two games extra.

Ahead of a crucial clash versus relegation-threatened Maidenhead United six days later, Sunday's visitors have little margin for error this weekend to avoid being drawn into a frantic battle for survival.

Team News

Alfie Saunders remains ineligible to feature for the away side courtesy of a 54th-minute sending off in the last meeting between Sunday's opponents.

Aldershot's Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Alfy Whittingham are walking a tightrope as they both sit one yellow card away from a one-match ban.

Thirty-one-year-old Joe McNerney is expected to be recalled to the starting lineup after sitting out his side's victory over Dover due to suspension.

Inih Effiong put an end to a seven-game goal drought with a brace last time out, and the ex-Barnet forward will be looking to kick on from there.

Woking possible starting lineup:
Ross; McNerney, Lofthouse, Johnson, Champion; Nwabuokei, Diarra, Britton, Kretzschmar; Effiong, Annesley

Aldershot Town possible starting lineup:
Walker; Watts, Webb, Willard, Chamberlain; Wagstaff, Kinsella, Ndjoli; Shroll, Harris, Jordan

We say: Woking 1-2 Aldershot Town

Aldershot have the upper hand judging by their record in this fixture and head into this weekend's clash in better form despite last week's defeat. We are tipping them to emerge with all three points come the full-time whistle.

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