SPECIAL detection dogs were on patrol at The Laithwaite Community Stadium on New Year’s Day when Woking faced Aldershot Town.

The pyrotechnic detection dogs – which can sniff out fans with hidden flares – were on duty to reduce the chance of a repeat of the crowd trouble that marred the teams’ Boxing Day meeting in Hampshire.

Woking followers wondered whether security would be ramped up to unprecented levels, after the club said on Thursday last week that items including drums would be confiscated if brought to Kingfield on Sunday.

But after the big match, which the hosts won 4-1 in front of a crowd of 5,297 - the club’s highest league attendance – Cards’ chief executive John Katz told the News & Mail: “The only thing we really did differently than we would’ve for any other circumstance is we brought in pyro dogs.

“That was really the only change we made. We had 70-plus stewards, and law enforcement numbers over 20. We just like to make sure we’re prepared.”

When asked if these were increased numbers, Katz said: “No, it would be standard for this match. With almost 1,200 Aldershot fans [in the ground], we just wanted to make sure that everybody got in, got out safely and had a good time. It was a very well-behaved crowd for more than 5,000.”

See more about the match in the 5 January edition of the News & Mail, out this Thursday.