MKJ Group

Cards target fourth home win

Brian Caffarey
12:11pm, Sun 10th Sep 2017
Woking v Solihull Moors
Vanarama National League
7.45pm on Tuesday 12 September 2017

The Cards will be hoping to make it four wins out of five home games at the Laithwaite Community Stadium on Tuesday evening, putting aside the disappointment of their defeat at Maidstone United on Saturday. Come on down to cheer on Anthony Limbrick’s side to what we hope will be three more points!

WOKING

With only three points from five away games, it’s inevitable that there is added pressure to pick up points at home, especially against sides like Solihull Moors who – no disrespect intended – are not likely to be front runners in this league. So, Anthony will be very keen – as in the recent game against Torquay – to grab all three points on Tuesday evening.

The Cards performed quite well at times on Saturday with some pleasing passages of play in midfield areas, but did not threaten enough up front - Inih Effiong had little service and wasn’t really able to get into the game - and were not tight enough at the back. Nevertheless, the Cards were perhaps a bit unlucky to go in 1-0 down at half-time, having hit the post and having had a goal-bound header cleared off the line before Zavon Hines’s unstoppable strike gave the Stones the lead. The home side’s second goal was well constructed but the Cards looked capable of getting a point when Joe Ward pulled a goal back from a good cross from Jamie Philpot. But a defensive lapse – Matt Young being dispossessed in a dangerous area from an unwise crossfield ball from Joe Ward – enabled the Stones to close out the game comfortably. Jordan Wynter deputised for the missing Richard Orlu and performed capably. Regan Charles-Cook was lively, if a little wayward, when he came on, but neither Bobson Bawling nor Jamie Philpot (apart from the assist) looked like changing the course of the game.

The defeat dropped Woking to 16th in the table with 12 points from nine games.

Nathan Baxter and Regan Charles-Cook both had loan spells with the Moors last season and both appeared in the Cards’ nervy win here in February (see below).

SOLIHULL MOORS

The Moors, the result of a merger in 2007 between Solihull Borough and Moor Green, came up to the National League as champions of the Conference North at the end of the 2015-16 campaign. Their then manager Marcus Bignot moved on to join the management team at Grimsby Town in November 2016 and was replaced by Liam McDonald, a young manager who had made a strong impression in his previous roles at Redditch United and Hednesford Town.

The Moors did well in their first season in the National League to just about keep clear of a relegation dogfight, ending in 16th place with 55 points, two points and two places above the Cards.

McDonald has still got several players whom he brought in from Hednesford Town: defender Callum Flanagan and midfielders Simeon Maye, Ashley Sammons and George Carline. Other players still with the club from last season include keeper Nathan Vaughan, scorer of the winning goal recently at Torquay United and voted the National League’s ‘player of the month’, midfielder Shepherd Murombedzi, defenders Joel Kettle and Kristian Green and striker Oladapo Afolayan.

The best-known arrival in the summer was 33-year-old former Premiership midfielder Darren Carter, who was part of the promoted Forest Green Rovers side last season. The successful Stourbridge Town side was raided for midfielder Tom Tonks, and strikers Luke Benbow (39 goals last season) and Chris Lait, who started his career at Solihull. Two promising young loanees have arrived from Birmingham City: keeper Connall Trueman and defender Dan Cleary, who was with Liverpool’s Academy for four years. Another loanee is defender Fiacre Kelleher, joining from Oxford United. Striker Jermaine Hylton arrived from Swindon Town, having previously played for McDonald at Redditch. Experienced midfielder Paul Green, former captain of Tamworth and a former team mate there of McDonald’s, joined. Three trialists taken on were striker William Mellors-Blair, a former Manchester United youngster who played for Detroit City in the USA before returning to join Carlton Town last summer; striker Tristan Dunkley, previously with several Midland sides; and defender Jordan Cullinane-Liburd.

More recently, striker Shomari Barnwell has left by mutual agreement because of travelling difficulties but a big boost was the return of former captain, defender Liam Daly, who had left in the summer to take up a full-time contract with Kidderminster Harriers. Two arrivals on loan are 20-year-old WBA striker Tahvon Campbell and Brentford B captain, creative midfielder Zain Westbrooke.

The Moors had an unfortunate start to the season when their first scheduled fixture, at home to Chester FC, was postponed because the ground had not received a safety certificate. It’s been fairly tough, too, once the season started, with only two wins so far, away to Torquay United and in the rescheduled home game against Chester last Tuesday. Yesterday the Moors lost 1-0 at home to Macclesfield, with Darren Carter missing a penalty, and are now 22nd in the table with seven points from nine games.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults £18
Over 65s £13
Disabled (Including carer) £13
Students (U19) £5
U16s £5

Season ticket holders have the chance to sample the delights of the Geoff Chapple Lounge for only £36. See the website for details.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Don’t forget to grab a copy of ‘Cardinals’. Only £3 for interviews, previews, match reports, Academy updates and great photos. Tuesday’s edition features an interview with Chez Isaac.

LAST TIME OUT

Woking 2 Solihull Moors 1
Vanarama National League
14 February 2017

An entertaining game, with plenty of goalmouth action and a spot of ‘handbags’ after the final whistle, eventually saw Woking securing the vital three points after a nail-biting end to the match.

Woking took the lead very early on with a headed goal from Terell Thomas. They failed to build on that advantage, looking second best to a lively Moors side, and were pegged back by an equaliser – ironically, with hindsight, from Regan Charles-Cook – just before the hour. As the game swung either way, the Cards retook the lead with a fine Fabio Saraiva goal in the 73rd minute, and hung on despite away team pressure that appeared to have secured them a point in a mad goalmouth scramble in added time which ultimately revealed Michael Poke clinging on desperately to the ball.
 
Woking: Michael Poke, Jake Caprice, Nathan Ralph (Charlie Carter 63), Ismail Yakubu, Joey Jones, Terell Thomas, Keiran Murtagh ©, Kane Ferdinand, Fabio Saraiva, Gozie Ugwu, Macauley Bonne (Connor Hall 63)

Unused subs: Brandon Hall, Dennon Lewis, Max Kretzschmar

Goals: Thomas 2, Saraiva 73

Solihull Moors: Nathan Baxter, Shepherd Murombedzi (Harry White 67), Liam Daly ©, Joel Kettle, Calum Flanagan, Kristian Green, Simeon Maye (Oladapo Afolayan 84), Omari Sterling-James, George Carline, Nortei Nortey (Jack Byrne 67), Regan Charles-Cook.
Unused subs: Ashley Sammons, Pearson Mwanyongo.

Goals: Charles-Cook 59

Attendance: 1,000

COMING UP

The Cards have another big home game this coming Saturday, when Sutton United visit the Laithwaite Community Stadium. They will no doubt bring plenty of fans after their fine start to the season, so come on down for what promises to be a lively afternoon.

Come on, you Cards!


Shop Online

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

adidas 1/4 Zip Training Top

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Away Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

adidas 2023/24 Home Shirt

BUY NOW »
adidas Laithwaite Financial Services Boz's Fruit and Veg Jewson MKJ Peacock Construction Seymours The National League Vanarama

Woking Football Club Limited
A company incorporated in England and Wales (company number: ‍03329172)
Registered office The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Kingfield, Woking, Surrey, GU22 9AA

Click here to read our Data Protection Privacy Policy
Click here to read our Accessibility Statement