FC Halifax Town v Woking preview

Venue: The Shay

Date: Saturday, February 17

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Aaron Jackson has shown 47 yellow cards and seven red cards in 15 games this season. He took charge of Town's 1-0 defeat at Maidenhead this season, in which Kane Ferdinand was sent off for the hosts, and Woking's 2-0 away win at Fylde in September.

Odds: Halifax 13/10, draw 21/10, Woking 2/1

In the league this season

Halifax: 9th - PL33 W12 D11 L10 F39 A38 GD1 Pts47

Woking: 21st - PL32 W9 D7 L16 F32 A40 GD-8 Pts34

Last five games

Halifax: Wealdstone (a) L 2-0, Aldershot (h) L 2-1, Solihull (h) L 3-1, Dorking (a) W 3-1, Maidenhead (h) W 2-1

Woking: Chesterfield (a) L 1-0, Oldham (a) W 1-0, Boreham Wood (h) L 1-0, Oxford City (h) W 2-0, Hartlepool (h) D 1-1

Scorers

Halifax: Alli (7), Wright (4), Harker (4), Senior (4), Hoti (3), Cosgrave (3), Cooke (2), Thomson-Sommers, Evans, Cummings, Summerfield, Oluwabori, Keane, Cappello, Golden, Hunter, Stott, George

Woking: Grego-Cox (7), Amond (6), Browne (4), Korboa (4), Walker (3), Cuthbert (2), Akinola (2), Kellerman (2), Anderson, Bradshaw, Luker, Osew, Lewis

Manager: Woking have won two, drawn three and lost four games under Michael Doyle since he was appointed as their manager on December 17. Doyle made 866 professional first team appearances during his playing career and holds the record for the fourth-highest appearances in English football history, serving as captain at several clubs. He played for Ireland as well as the likes of Leeds, Coventry, Sheffield United, Portsmouth and Notts County. This is his first role in management.

Last season: 4th in National League

One to watch: Striker Lewis Walker returned to the Cards on a permanent deal from Gillingham in January, having first joined them on loan in September last year and scoring on his debut. After spells at Derby County and Queens Park Rangers as a youngster, including four appearances for QPR in the 2018-19 Championship season, Walker left the West London side in June 2020 and joined Italian Serie C side Como. After 20 appearances and two goals, Walker joined Serie D side Athletic Carpi in September 2021, staying there until July 2022, when he joined Gillingham. He has two goals in his last two games.

Head-to-head: Played 31, Halifax wins 11, draws 11, Woking wins 9

Last time they met: Tylor Golden scored a late winner as Town came from behind to win 2-1 at Woking in October, with Angelo Cappello earlier cancelling out Olatunji Akinola's opener.

Match facts: Only Bromley and Southend have conceded fewer goals in the National League than Halifax (38), and only three teams have conceded fewer goals at home than Town (19)

Halifax's win against Maidenhead last time out was their first home victory in nearly three months.

Halifax's win at Dorking meant they secured back-to-back win for the first time since October.

Only three teams have scored fewer goals in the division this season than Halifax (37)

Only Woking and Maidenhead have scored fewer home goals in the fifth tier this season than Halifax (17)

Only Kidderminster have scored fewer goals in the fifth tier this season than Woking (32)

Saturday's National League fixtures:

AFC Fylde v Barnet

Bromley v Chesterfield

Ebbsfleet United v Eastleigh

FC Halifax Town v Woking

Hartlepool United v Boreham Wood

Kidderminster Harriers v Dorking Wanderers

Maidenhead United v Oldham Athletic

Oxford City v Southend United

Rochdale v Solihull Moors

Wealdstone v Gateshead

York City v Dagenham & Redbridge

Aldershot Town v Altrincham