1948
Saturday, 22 January 1949
Isthmian League
Plough Lane
 
Wimbledon
Vic Bird, Freddie Gauntlett
2 - 1
Woking
?

Harry Stannard failed to recover from an injured knee, so Charlie Smith was called up for a rare first team start, else it was an unchanged side that took the field for Isthmian League points.

One of three enforced Woking changes, Ricketts, gave the visitors the lead after twenty minutes, shooting through a crowd of players from an acute angle. Although the Dons were mostly on the offensive they were devoid of thrust and Smith, desperately hard as he tried, was more often than not guilty of spoiling chances by trying to do too much rather than shooting first time. He did force Eastaff into one save, as did Laws, both resulting in corners, but it was when he swopped positions with Ron Head that the Woking defenders had some anxious moments. Ten minutes from the interval Preskett headed Freddie Gauntlett’s centre clear, but only as far as Head. He found Billy Laws and his cross was headed in by Vic Bird for the equaliser. Soon after Head challenged the goalie to a cross from Gauntlett and the ball appeared to go over the line. The referee, standing close by, awarded the goal, but the linesman waved his flag and after consultation the decision was reversed.

The second-half saw the home side press for victory, but they continued to try and walk the ball into the net. A couple of shots from Head tested Eastaff, one of which he just managed to prevent crossing the line, and eventually it was Head who set up Gauntlett to score the winner. Vic Bird was on top form and fed his wingers well, and in the closing stages the Woking goal had some amazing escapes, but there was no further scoring and Wimbledon had to be content with the narrow win.