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Dave Rainford

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Chelmsford City 3-0 Woking

Glenn Pennyfather refused to get carried away with his team's performance despite seeing them romp to a three-goal victory over fellow promotion contenders Woking thanks to goals from Ben Nunn, Sam Higgins and Dave Rainford, the Clarets' Head Coach instead insisted: "We can still improve!"

A trio of strikes in a devastating 13-minute spell during the first half effectively put the game out of Woking's reach at Melbourne as City wowed their home fans for the first time this season. However, rather than reflecting for too long on their excellent showing, Glenn has asked his players to use it as a benchmark for further progression.

"I think they've set standards and habits," he said after the match. "We're in good habits at the present time and if there is any pressure it's a good pressure because we've not only got to maintain our standards, we've got to better them. We've said to the players we can improve every aspect of our game. I'm just pleased that we've come through two tough games so far not only by scoring goals but we've also kept a clean sheet."

Pennyfather kept faith with the same personnel and formation which won 3-2 at Basingstoke Town at the weekend, apart from bringing in John Martin for Stephen Reed in the heart of the midfield. Woking's boss also stood by goalkeeper Lennie Pidgely after his blunder which cost The Cards the only goal of the game on Saturday and he watched with horror as a similar scenario presented itself which gifted City a lead.

When the former Chelsea stopper rushed from his goal out to the left-back slot as early as the 9th minute his attempted clearance fell perfectly for Nunn, who quickly spotted a gap between defenders before threading through the crowded box from an angle and finding the net. It was Nunn's first for the club and one which set Chelmsford on their way.

On the quarter-hour mark a long ball towards diminutive winger Takumi Ake, not famed for his aerial ability, was flicked on into the path of Higgins who raced onwards and remained cool to hammer low and left-footed past the exposed Pidgely. 2-0. Then, still only in the 22nd minute, a deep corner was headed back into the danger zone by Adam Tann onto the crossbar and Rainford's head was ideally placed to pick up the pieces.

Woking were stunned, though they deserved little more as their first shot was registered on 33 minutes courtesy of a weak, low free-kick. They did, however, show a little more of what they were capable of shortly afterwards when Moses Ademola wriggled himself space to shoot on the edge of the box before firing at goalkeeper James Pullen.

Just after the break a fierce Higgins cross was almost turned into his own net by Woking's Jerome Maledon, although the final nail in the visitors' coffin arrived on 62 minutes. Having been booked for a foul not long before, Aswad Thomas launched a high two-footed challenge on Anthony Cook which Lee Venamore felt warranted a straight red of its own. It was the easiest dismissal the referee will have ever had to administer.

With their work already done, City's hunger for further goals possibly wasn't as high in the second period though Cook did well to deliver a deep 67th-minute cross which Ake knocked back for Billy Bricknell to half-volley over and Ake himself later drilled a first-time volley wide across the face of goal after Marlon Patterson's accurate centre.

As the match drew to a close, Matthew Lock's bolting drive from distance brought an excellent diving save out of Pidgely and a number of scrambles occurred in front of the Woking goal. Another goalbound effort from substitute Rob Edmans had to be cleared off the line by former AFC Wimbledon defender Alan Inns in injury time.

Of the scoreline, Pennyfather added: "I wouldn't have predicted it before the game, that's for sure. Obviously I wanted to win and I wanted to keep a clean sheet. The 3-0 scoreline, I thought, was maybe a little flattering for them [Woking] in the end because we could have had a few more, but I'm not complaining. We've played a team that will be right up there at the end of the season and we've taken three points, which is great.

"I thought we controlled the game from start to finish. We played at a super tempo, we grafted hard and made sure we did all our hard work. We did all the horrible bits first and then let our passing take over from there and we earned the right. Every manager of every team, whether they be in the Premiership or where we are in the Conference South (Blue Square Bet South) are saying the same thing - you must win your battles first."

City: 1 James Pullen, 2 Ben Nunn, 3 Marlon Patterson, 4 Adam Tann, 5 Sami El-Abd, 6 Dave Rainford (C), 7 Matthew Lock, 8 John Martin, 9 Sam Higgins, 10 Anthony Cook, 11 Takumi Ake, 12 Billy Bricknell (On for Higgins, 64), 14 Rob Edmans (On for Cook, 75), 15 Mark Haines, 16 Stephen Reed, 19 Lewis Batchford (GK)

Woking: Lennie Pidgely, Richard Anane, Aswad Thomas, Jerome Maledon, Alan Inns, Joe McNerney, Moses Ademola (David Gilroy, 86), Mark Ricketts (C), Craig Faulconbridge (Andrew Forbes, 72), Sam Hurrell, Toby Little (Daryn Hennessy, 60). Unused Substitutes: Francis Quarm, Matt Pegler (GK).

Bookings: City: Higgins (35, handball), Pullen (53, unsporting behaviour), El-Abd (59, foul). Woking: McNerney (37, foul), Inns (54, foul), Thomas (57, foul).

Sent Off: Woking: Thomas (62, serious foul play).

Referee: Lee Venamore (Maidstone).

Assistant Referees: Rob Baker (Maidstone) and Nick Dunn (Deal).

Attendance: 948.

City Man of the Match: Takumi Ake.

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