WOKING 2, HASLEMERE 1 (Hants/Surrey Regional 1)

BOTH sides were looking for a victory that would help guarantee survival in a very tight league and, thanks largely to their excellent keeper, it was home side Woking who prevailed against a strong Haslemere outfit.

Woking applied pressure straight from the start and caught Haslemere offguard by moving the ball quickly and accurately, from stick to stick.

And it was Woking who grabbed the lead when Tom McLean, left free in the D, placed the ball past Nick Bull, with defenders left scratching their heads.

It got worse for Haslemere five minutes later. With the visitors caught high up the pitch, Woking broke again and Andy Pike ran through to round Bull and put away the second goal.

The Blues were jolted into life and began to create chances through their midfield line of Andy Major, Robert Grech, Elliott Hall and Campbell Hancock. The Woking defence remained defiant, though, clearing their lines from attack after attack.

However, soon after coming on, Andy Powell got Haslemere back into the game. At a long corner, Powell received the ball from Grech and smashed it into the goal.

Haslemere’s took their increased intensity into the second half, piling the pressure on Woking who had been kept quiet since their fiery opening.

But for all their attacking play, Haslemere lacked the final touch, although forwards Nic Cope, Barney Green, Powell and Hugo Chandler all went close.

Other chances came from short-corner routines, but the Woking keeper made himself large and pulled off some fantastic saves.

The home team’s resilience in defence paid off and they held onto their slender advantage. Both teams had given everything, with some outstanding individual performances on the day, but it was Woking who secured victory to move up to fifth in the league.

This Saturday, Haslemere host Fareham II in another crucial game, with the sides level on points. Only three points separate seventh-placed Haslemere from bottom side Reigate Priory.