CANICE Carroll reckons Oxford City’s clash at Woking tonight is one of the club’s biggest games of the season.
The Hoops, bottom of Vanarama National League, make the trip to Surrey, to take on a side who sit a place and three points above them in the table.
City will be looking to bounce back after throwing away a two-goal lead away to fellow strugglers Kidderminster Harriers at the weekend.
Josh Parker scored with a header, and then from the penalty spot, to ensure the Hoops led 2-0 at half-time.
However, the Harriers fought back in the second period, with the comeback beginning shortly before the hour mark when veteran striker Amari Morgan-Smith pulled a goal back.
Jack Lambert then found an equaliser with 74 minutes on the clock, before substitute Gold Omotayo completed the turnaround four minutes later.
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Asked whether tonight’s match against Woking was among the biggest of the campaign, Hoops centre back Carroll said: “I think you could say that, especially with the way that it’s gone in the last couple of games.
“In the changing room, we know we lost three points on Saturday because of where we were at half-time.
“All the teams around us, we can beat, and hopefully we’ll go on a run of games and it could spark something.”
The 25-year-old added: “Against these teams that are down the bottom, I think we probably should’ve picked up more points than we have, considering how we’ve played. It’s just the way it works sometimes.
“We know what to expect from Woking. They’re down at the bottom with us, so it’s going to be a tough game, and it’ll come down to what wants it more.
“It’s a lot easier to put things right when it’s a game on Saturday and then a game on Tuesday.
“It’ll be big for us, and the turnaround is a lot quicker, and it’s fresh in our minds from Saturday, so you want to put it right.”
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Discussing the season so far, Carroll said: “We have been very good this season, but what we’ve lacked for this league is being clinical in the other teams’ box and defending our box well.
“Everything in between that has been top drawer, and some of the other teams say how good we are on the ball, and how good our style of play is.”
Previewing the Woking clash, Hoops head coach Ross Jenkins said: “They’ve got new bodies, added some good talent, and they’ve got some freshness in the group, but so have we.
“We know it was a big shift at Kiddy, and we know it’s going to take it out of the boys, but we go again.
“The boys who didn’t play may feature, and the boys who did start may be on the bench. We’ve got to rotate, but we’ve got to concentrate on Woking.
“It’s another big game, and every game is a big game in this league.
“We need to keep sticking to what we’re doing because we’re not far away. A few of the goals we can prevent, and if we can do that, we’ll be totally fine.”
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