MKJ Group
7:45pm - TuesdayTue 9th AugustAug 2016
Damson Park | Att: 699

Solihull
Solihull Moors
2 - 2

Woking
Woking

Cards seek better fortune on the road

Brian Caffarey
8:55pm, Sun 7th Aug 2016
Solihull Moors v Woking
Vanarama National League
7.45pm on Tuesday 9 August 2016

The Cards travel to newly-promoted Solihull Moors on Tuesday evening for their first away fixture of the season following their 3-1 home defeat by Lincoln City on Saturday. The Moors will be in good heart following their away win at Sutton United, so Garry Hill’s side can expect another tough test but will be keen to avoid a second successive defeat.

WOKING

The Cards’ new-look side found it hard going on Saturday against an experienced and efficient Lincoln City side, who look as though they have the right ingredients for a play-off challenge this season. There was no lack of effort from the Cards but too many seemed to find it difficult to really get into the game and make an impact, while some poor defending undid the team just when they appeared to be getting a foothold in the game, having equalised immediately after half-time.

If Delano Sam-Yorke has recovered from his injury, Garry will no doubt be tempted to start him up front to provide some muscular support for Gozie Ugwu.

SOLIHULL MOORS

The Moors are the result of a merger in 2007 between Solihull Borough and Moor Green. The club plays at Damson Parkway, which is about a mile north of Solihull town centre.

The Moors came up to the National League as champions of the Conference North last season. Manager Marcus Bignot retained a substantial number of his squad from that campaign. The best known are perhaps Andy Brown, an experienced striker who netted 100 goals for AFC Telford and Nuneaton Town before his move to the Moors last summer, and Stefan Moore, who played for Aston Villa in the Premiership and whose non-League career includes a stint at Kidderminster Harriers. Additions include Harry White, a 21 year-old striker from Barnsley who had loan spells at Kidderminster Harriers and Boreham Wood last season; Jamey Osborne, a highly-rated 23 year-old midfielder from Redditch United; Nathan Vaughan, an experienced keeper from Worcester City; Omari Sterling-James, a midfielder with recent experience at Cheltenham Town; Jordan Fagbola, a defender with Stockport County; and Shepherd Murombedzi, a midfielder who has appeared most recently for Torquay United and Hayes and Yeading.

The Moors had a tough pre-season campaign, being on the end of heavy defeats by Shrewsbury Town (0-4) and Walsall (0-5) but drew 3-3 at home with Kidderminster Harriers in their last friendly.

On Saturday, however, they had the perfect start to the campaign, beating last year’s Southern champions, Sutton United, 3-1 away from home. Although under the cosh for most of the first half, they took the lead through Ryan Beswick. Sutton quickly equalised but the Moors then sealed all three points in the second half with strikes from Omari Sterling-James and Andy Brown.

GETTING THERE

Solihull Moors FC
The Automated Technology Group Stadium
Damson Parkway
Solihull
West Midlands
B91 2PP (Satnav B92 9EJ)

By coach

The Cards Trust’s coach leaves the Laithwaite Community Stadium at 4pm. Book your place on the coach by emailing shop@wokingfc.co.uk or a.barns1572@btinternet.com , phoning 01483 772470 or calling in at the Club Shop. The coach costs £21 for members, £26 for non-members and £11/£13 for accompanied U16s (maximum of two per accompanying adult).

By car

Directions on Solihull Moors’ website include:

From The South and West
Leave M42 at junction 5.
Take first exit at the roundabout towards Solihull, A41,
Stay on the by-pass (dual carriageway) until you reach two sets of traffic lights close together.
Turn right at the second set of traffic lights onto Yew Tree Lane which leads onto Damson Parkway.
Go past BUPA Spires Parkway Hospital on your left and follow Damson Parkway for just over 1 mile to the roundabout at the Jaguar Land Rover Works.
Turn right at the roundabout and the ground entrance is 100 yards on your left.

The following advice is given about car parking:

We have a limited number of car parking spaces on site, including disabled spaces.
A car park charge of £2.00 per car applies on all match days and is applied after 1.00pm on Saturday/Bank Holiday fixtures and after 6.00pm on weekday/evening fixtures.

Once the car park is full then we close the gates and, on Police advice, local street parking is NOT recommended, so supporters are advised to use the NCP car parks located less than 1 mile from the ground at the Birmingham Cargo Airport Terminal and the Travelodge Hotel (next to the cargo airport terminal).

There is a footpath which runs from the car parks to the ground or, alternatively, the 966 bus runs from adjacent to the car parks to just past the ground entrance.

By train

Both Solihull Station and Birmingham International Station are within three miles of the ground but it would not be possible to do the return journey the same day.
The 966 bus service runs directly from/to Birmingham International Station.
Solihull Station is located just half a mile from Solihull Town centre, where you can take the 966 or S1 service and alight at the bus stop at the junction of Damson Lane and Damson Parkway, next to the Jaguar Land Rover works entrance.
The ground is 100 yards from the bus stop.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults (18+ years of age): £14.00
Concessions (65+ years, Students with a valid NUS card, and 16-17 years of age): £8.00
Juniors (12 to 15 years of age inclusive): £8.00
Under 12's: FREE (when accompanied by a paying adult)

COMING UP

The Cards travel to Southport on Saturday 13 September. (The Cards Trust is not running a coach to this match.)

The Cards’ next home game is on Tuesday 16 September when they take on last year’s defeated play-off finalists, Forest Green Rovers.



Come on, you Cards!

Cards pegged back by late Moors goals

Ray Avards
2:57pm, Wed 10th Aug 2016
Solihull Moors 2 Woking 2
Vanarama National League
09 August 2016

After first day defeat at home to new look Lincoln City, the Cards had every incentive tonight to seek points on the board, despite knowing their opponents would wish to make a strong impression on their home debut in the National League. Ismail Yakubu retained his place in the centre of defence, having come on as second half substitute at the weekend, allowing Joey Jones to continue as midfield partner for Kieran Murtagh instead in a 4-4-2, with Fabio Saraiva on the bench.

A flashing shot just wide within seconds of kick off as the Cards defence failed to clear a high ball and a Jamey Osborne shot well over set the tone in the first quarter. It could have been much worse as Omari Sterling-James, who sparkled throughout the first half, bent a superb right footer against the far post. Liam Daly got up for a free header, as he would do several times, but sent his header over the bar from a corner.

Still on level terms the Cards grew into the game. Gozie Ugwu showed close control and Dennon Lewis, wide right, extended his opposing full back but the final ball through or around the midlanders rearguard was missing.

Back at the other end Jamey Osborne’s audacious 45-yard lob was spotted by a retreating Michael Poke who held on to the attempt. Daly was free again at another corner for Moors but could not find his own men, when heading back across goal. Shortly after Nathan Ralph bent a free kick from the left for Cards without contact from his forwards and it ran away for a goal kick. Woking were working the wings and Jake Caprice and Ben Gordon looked to get forward as well.

Pushing up, Murtagh and Jones were getting a grip on the action. Yakubu was nearly caught napping inside his own half, holding onto his man and getting a yellow card. Kieran Murtagh weaved his way past three challenges and fed Ralph but again he crossed too high.

The dangerous Sterling-James weaved inside and opened up all angles but Poke held the shot low to his right. For Cards at last a chance inside the area from a Lewis run but Ugwu’s effort was smothered by a timely challenge. On the half hour Lewis flew down the right exchanging a one-two and delivered a superb deep cross for fellow winger Ralph to arrive and head back across keeper Lewis for the goal of the night.

The Moors so nearly conceded another when again a right wing cross was nodded down past keeper Lewis again only for a defender to clear off the line. A break out of defence by the Cards was thwarted by a Joey Jones misplaced pass inside to an opponent and when that counter attack fed Stefan Moore inside the area on the left only Yakubu’s Bobby Moore-like stab tackle thwarted the threat. Connor Franklin’s long throws were unsettling Cards, a warning sign, but the visitors led at half time.

Half Time: Solihull Moors 0 Woking 1

The Cards began the second half brightly and Yakubu’s chip fed Ugwu’s run wide to the corner flag and cross to the near post cut out by the keeper. A Jones header from a corner couldn’t find its target. Better was to come but it happened out of the blue. Zak Ansah worked his way out to the touchline on the left and delivered a deep cross that flew over Lewis into the top far corner of his net for 2-0.

The Moors were stunned. Ugwu was running free now on the right. Another break from wide right for the Cards put in Jake Caprice only to force a corner; from it, Ugwu shot against a defender on the goal line after a header down. Jones headed over from another right wing corner.

The Moors’ manager Marcus Bignot had seen enough and made all three changes for the home side at once. On came Knights for captain Beswick, White for Brown and Asante for Moore. Still Woking went for it Lewis speeding onto Murtagh’s chip, but his run was cut off in the area at the expense of a corner.

The tide was turning back to the home side again and Charlie Penny for Ansah and Fabio Saraiva for Lewis did not seem to counter the Moors’ increasing advantage. Asante shot over. Then he ran at the Cards again and his effort was saved. Pressure on the visitors now and a deep cross from the left was kept in on the far side and turned back in. Harry White spun inside the area and shot home, beyond Poke’s right hand, to reduce the deficit.

On the counter Ugwu went down in the area but any penalty shouts were waved away by the referee and Moors immediately drove deep into the Woking half. The dangerous left wing cross being hammered away by Yakubu. He seemed to take a knock and left the action, replaced by Saraiva in midfield, with Jones dropping back into central defence.

There was little respite from swift counterattacks for the Cards now. Again White swivelled and crossed a ball that was not properly cleared. Another dangerous run from Asante and his cross landing on the penalty spot was hammered clear.

One of a series of long throws from left back Connor Franklin, who had begun his aerial bombardment in the first half, caused chaos in the Cards’ box. White yet again got his shot in and a lucky rebound allowed Jordan Fagbola to equalise from very close range.

A long Woking clearance nearly embarrassed keeper Lewis as the ball bounced back off his body with Penny closing in. The added 5 minutes (there were few if any delays for injuries in the second half) saw another long throw precariously defended, a booking for Caprice and finally a wasted free kick by Solihull, bent beyond their forwards, left to right.

Apart from other side of half time when they looked in control, this was an average performance by the Cards, although the two games in 4 days may have been a factor again. Yet they could and should have won it given, a two goal advantage. Much will depend whether they can cement the defensive unit. Yakubu limping off was a real worry. Delano Sam-Yorke was still missing from attack.

With Southport away on Saturday, rock bottom after two games, this really is another away game the Cards must look towards and get something from it.

Woking: Michael Poke, Jake Caprice, Brian Saah, Ismail Yakubu (Charlie Carter 79), Ben Gordon, Dennon Lewis (Fabio Saraiva 70), Keiran Murtagh, Joey Jones, Nathan Ralph, Zak Ansah (Charlie Penny 69), Gozie Ugwu

Unused substitutes: Brandon Hall, Chike Kandi

Scorer: Nathan Ralph 31, Zak Ansah 49

Booked: Ishmael Yakubu, Fabio Saraiva, Jake Caprice

Solihull Moors: Danny Lewis, Jordan Fagbola, Liam Daly, Jordan Gough, Connor Franklin, Shepherd Murombedzi, Jamey Osborne, Ryan Beswick (Darryl Knights 60), Omari Sterling-James, Andy Brown (Harry White 60), Stefan Moore (Akwasi Asante 60)

Unused substitutes: Nathan Vaughan, Bobby Moseley

Booked: None

Scorers: Harry White 73, Jordan Fagbola 80

My MOTM: Ugwu buzzed and Lewis ran but - for his steadying influence and control in the tackle and pass till he went off - I would give it Ismail Yakubu.

Attendance: 699
Solihull Moors LINEUP
WOKING LINEUP
1Michael Poke
2Jake Caprice
3Ben Gordon
5Brian Saah
6Ismail Yakubu ('79)
4Joey Jones
8Keiran Murtagh
16Dennon Lewis ('70)
11Nathan Ralph
9Gozie Ugwu
10Zak Ansah ('69)
BENCH
18Brandon Hall
12Charlie Carter ('79)
14Fabio Saraiva ('70)
7Charlie Penny ('69)
21Chike Kandi

Solihull Moors 2 - 2 Woking (Garry Hill Interview)

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