Kyron Gordon and Mani Dieseruvwe put Jimmy McNulty’s men two goals to the good at the break, before the latter netted a second-half penalty to wrap up the three points and keep Dale at the top of the Enterprise National League.
McNulty made one change from Tuesday night’s game at home to Scunthorpe United, with Jake Burger replacing Aidan Barlow, who picked up a knock in the midweek game. Tyler Smith returned from injury to take up a place on the substitute’s bench.
Dale made another fast start and had the ball in the back of the net inside four minutes. However, Dieseruvwe was flagged offside after turning home Callum Perry’s wicked delivery.
The striker then dragged an effort from the edge of the area narrowly wide, before Devante Rodney had a low effort held by Woking goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen at the second attempt.
Gordon felt he should have had a penalty midway through the first period, when he was upended as he danced into the area, but referee Steven Copeland instead showed the Dale man a yellow card for simulation.
The vice skipper only had to wait another three minutes before giving Dale the lead, though. Joe Pritchard sent a corner to the back post, where Gordon timed his run perfectly to power a header home.
Eight minutes later, the lead was doubled. A move built from the back led to Ryan East playing a ball into the feet of Dieseruvwe, who took a great touch out of his feet away from his marker, before coolly slotting into the bottom corner.
The first shot of the second-half came from the visitors, when Aiden O’Brien latched on to a ball over the top of the Dale defence, but put his shot wide with Oli Whatmuff closing him down quickly.
Gordon put in a crucial block on Joe Gbode’s shot, before Dale were awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute, when Dan Moss was tripped as he attempted to shoot.
Dieseruvwe stepped up, and despite the penalty drama against Scunthorpe in the week, he dispatched clinically for his second of the game.
Perry and substitute Casey Pettit both hit free-kicks from the left channel narrowly off target, before fellow sub Bryce Hosannah had a left foot shot cleared off the line following a quick Dale counter-attack.
In added time, Petti’s free-kick was met by Moss at the back post, who was denied by Jaaskelainen, whilst Louis Flower hooked an effort onto the roof of Whatmuff’s net, as Dale kept a clean sheet and picked up an eighth win in ten games.
Dale XI | Whatmuff, Gordon, East (79’ Francis), Ebanks-Landell ©, Gilmour (68’ Pettit), Dieseruvwe (79’ Henderson), Rodney (68’ McBride), Pritchard (68’ Hosannah), Burger, Moss, Perry.
Unused subs | Allarakhia, Smith.
Scorers | 27’ Gordon, 36’ 74’ Dieseruvwe.
Woking XI | Jaaskelainen, Drewe, Richards, Okoli ©, Odusina, Andrews, O’Brien (72’ Sanderson), Syla (83’ Turner), Tunji Akinola, Timmy Akinola (83’ Beautyman), Gbode (72’ Flower).
Unused subs | Ross, Ward, Hinds.
Attendance | 2,826 (104 away).
