We’re still dressing for winter for these pre-season friendlies aren’t we! And taking a change of summer clothes just in case or vice versa. Last weekend was once again no different, the unpredictability showing no signs of stopping just yet.
For the second Saturday running it was a ‘home’ friendly in Sussex, but one with an eye on new season opponents for Barnet. I never read too much into these games at all, but always interesting to see if there’s a face, a tactic or just something to pick out on the pitch.
Horsham vs Woking was the destination, in the diary quite early once announced, not least because they do serve up one of the best burgers around, locally sourced and pretty tasty, the evidence is here below.
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As I previously stated I’m not spending too much time on the pre-season matches, more the people around me and who you might meet in these fleeting encounters, at least someone everywhere I go.
I hadn’t been in the ground long before bumping into Mark Barrett, a guy nicely ingrained in Horsham FC and a help for many a thing in the last few years.
The subject of no pitchside beer came up due to Woking’s National League status. I’ve been doing a little bit of research which is still on-going, but there might be a nice little blog piece to come out of the ridiculous situation that entails.
The sun was actually out at this point, it stayed for the first 45 minutes before the majority of the second was played in rain showers, the players are certainly getting some good prep for the autumn months.
Lee Wellings was my next port of call, a guy whose worked mainstream journalism but now has his own Substack and a published author too. A convert to the non-league scene and a partnership with these Hornets as often as he can be seen to, work calls at times across various other sports.
We get to catch up a couple of times a season at the Camping World Stadium but we keep up across WhatsApp with various stories, videos and voice notes.
Two ex-Bees were in the Woking ranks moving across this summer. Ben Wynter and Dale Gorman were two lads who always had time for a chat after games at The Hive, I caught Gormo before kick off and we had a good chat about how his time ended at Barnet, Wynts I saw briefly but measure of the man he came and sought me out at the final whistle for a chat as well, really pleased both of them got fixed up for the new season.
The game, well it finished 0-0. There were chances, both sides hit the woodwork and the best of the rest fell to Horsham. After a 6-0, 7-2 and 6-1 in the opening week, maybe I was due that one!
Dom Di Paola has got a majority of his recruitment done but still is looking for a goalscorer to compliment his squad, two games in now and a month away from the season beginning.
It was the first friendly for Woking, a lot of trialists featuring in the game. Speaking to a couple of Cards fans in the first half they’re not too optimistic about their chances but don’t expect to be in around the very bottom end of the table.
Like a lot of National League clubs there is plenty of business still to be done before the season kicks off, those in rebuilds will wait for the wage demands to come down, better to have a contract than still playing the waiting game on opening day.
