Match Report: Woking 0-1 Braintree Town

Woking 0-1 Braintree Town

Enterprise National League

Laithwaite Community Stadium

30th December 2025

A frustrating night on home turf saw an early goal from Braintree Town the only thing to separate the teams at full-time.

Despite the early goal, the biggest chance to break the deadlock fell to Sanderson, who, in the 4th minute, found himself through on goal. His effort, however, was well blocked by Terry in the Braintree net.

Braintree then edged ahead. In the 9th minute, former Card Walker saw his shot saved by Jaaskelainen, with Oteh then tapping home at the back post.

Plenty of pressure followed from the Cards, with Forster-Caskey seeing his 19th-minute shot deflected narrowly wide in what was almost the leveller. The following corner caused problems for the visitors, with Terry struggling in an attempt to collect the ball, instead tipping it backwards, but the wrong side of the post for the Cards.

The 24th minute saw Forster-Caskey’s free-kick headed back into a crowded penalty area, but the visitors were able to block. Moments later, another Forster-Caskey corner proved dangerous, but the home side saw their penalty shouts waved away.

Plenty of action followed for Jaaskelainen, firstly in the 28th minute when Braintree were able to break through following a Woking corner, with the shot from Cooper being denied by the no.22. Moments later, Cooper went close again, this time leaving the woodwork shaking with his close-range effort.

Jaaskelainen was there again in the 33rd minute, this time as he came across to meet Cooper’s effort, but the forward instead squared the ball to Oteh. Shuffling back across his line excellently, Jaaskelainen did incredibly well to deny the visitors a second.

Andrews lined up an effort in the 43rd minute, but his long-range effort fired over the bar, and the Cards were forced in at the half trailing.

Half Time: Woking 0-1 Braintree Town

The Cards attempted to apply pressure upon the restart, but it was the visitors who had the better of the early chances. In the 49th minute, Pinnington’s quick feet saw him keep possession in the box, allowing him to lift the ball over to Logan at the back post, who touched his effort narrowly wide.

Growing into the half, Woking created some good moves forward, with balls over the top looking dangerous, but frequently being halted by the offside flag.

A 60th-minute corner saw the Cards go close, with Okoli’s goalward header almost being touched in by O’Brien. Moments later, Osude fired over the bar with a shot on the turn from just inside the area.

Andrews was the next to go close for the Cards. After an initial clearance from Braintree, he hit an effort from range, which took a deflection before finding the gloves of Terry in the 71st minute. The 77th minute then saw a dangerous header by Okoli, but once again Terry was there to collect before the effort fell to the underside of the crossbar.

The closing stages saw the Cards try to clinch a point, with Osude’s shot blocked in the second minute of injury time, and the following effort from Turner off target.

A 94th-minute corner provided Woking a final hope of a draw, with everyone, including Jaaskelainen, forward for the set piece. The first delivery was deflected over the bar, allowing the hosts one final chance at the leveller. Jaaskelainen headed goalward, with the last effort of the game then being touched narrowly wide at the back post, with the full-time whistle shortly after confirming victory for the visitors.

Woking: Jaaskeainen, Drewe, Richards, Okoli ©, Odusina (Osude 46’), Andrews, Tunji Akinola, Timmy Akinola (Beautyman 77’), Boatswain (O’Brien 46’), Forster-Caskey (Turner 80’), Sanderson (Ward 88’).

Unused substitutes: Ross, Hinds.

MOTM: Caleb Richards

Attendance: 2,987

Report by: Holly Porter