Woking 2 Wrexham 3
Vanarama National League
27th August 2022
BT Sport had set up extra scaffolding for its cameras and the late afternoon sun was going down behind the Seymours Community Stand as the teams came out for the later kick-off timed around the TV schedules. The 'Welcome to Wrexham' documentary aired in the previous couple of days on Disney+ and a bigger than average crowd enjoyed a high intensity game that was marred by an early sending off for the Cards. The ten men fought valiantly, but lost in the end to a team that was also ‘up for the fight’.
Darren Sarll had two changes to the team that started at Barnet, with Jermaine Anderson in to boost the midfield. Reece Grego-Cox dropped to the bench with James Daly coming in for Ricky Korboa, who had a knock during the week. Jack Roles was on the bench after an injury.
Before the kick-off the whole stadium joined in a minute's applause for Hazel Long and Malcolm Hague, both long term volunteers and helpers at the Club who both recently passed away.
The Cards kicked off towards the Seymours Community Stadium with the KRE (Sponsored by MKJ) in fine voice from the start and the home team put early pressure on the visitors. There was a great break from the centre circle by Kyran Lofthouse whose shot forced an early save from Mark Howard in the visitor's goal.
A neat move with a pass from Padraig Amond on the edge of the 'D' saw Lofthouse in on goal for another attempt, but he was strongly challenged and his shot was wide. He felt the tackle was unfair, but the referee waved his penalty appeal away.
Lofthouse was then dragged down by Jones in another attack and why it wasn't a booking mystified Cards fans. Daly's free kick went to the keeper at the far post. At seven minutes in, it had been all the Cards, with Wrexham yet to get into the Woking third.
Finally, Wrexham did get into the Woking third but the ball was cleared with a strong header by Scott Cuthbert - the first of many during the game. A second attack by the Dragons could have led to a goal but Ollie Palmer missed his header. A shot from a Wrexham corner was well blocked to ease the period of Wrexham pressure.
Another Woking move saw the ball go back from Amond back to Dan Moss who put in a far post cross first time, but Howard was able to punch it away under pressure.
On 15 minutes a loose clearance by Wrexham was intercepted by Amond who shot but the ball went straight at the keeper. Both sides were playing with heart and there were some strong tackles from both sides. However, on 18 minutes Lofthouse, who had been the player that had looked most likely to make a difference for the Cards lunged into a tackle on Young as the ball ran away from him. The referee had no hesitation in reaching for the red card.
Woking were trying to press but couldn't get their crosses right. Wrexham had plenty of possession but with little threat. A good shot from the visitors was straight at Ross. 30 minutes had gone past and the Cards were keeping a good shape and working hard despite the loss of a player.
Ben Tozer was threatening with his long throw-ins - reported to have led to 14 goals last season. One reached the centre of the box but was headed over for a corner and a shot from close in was well taken by Craig Ross.
On 35 minutes a looping cross from Mullin to the far post saw Aaron Hayden, unmarked, head the ball in between Ross and the post from seven yards. It was Woking 0 Wrexham 1 and it looked as though it might be a long afternoon.
The Cards immediately tried to react and a neat inside pass by Josh Casey found Daly in the box, but he was booked for diving in the box as he anticipated a challenge by Tozer. Palmer was shown a yellow for dissent.
On 40 minutes there was corner - and much dispute about why players were falling over in the box and Hayden and Wilkinson wrestled vigorously. Amond was booked with James Jones as the tussles continued.
A break by Mullin saw him well tackled by Casey who was having a good game.
The fourth official signalled three minutes of extra time. A throw in to Wrexham saw some loose defending that nearly let Mullin in but Ross was out sharply to smother the ball before the whistle sounded.
Half-time: Woking 0 Wrexham 1
The Cards came out strongly as the second half started.
A great cross from Amond out on the right saw Daly steaming in at the far post to volley the ball into the Wrexham goal. 46 minutes and the game was back on with a bang.
Luke Wilkinson was adjudged to have dragged down Palmer 25 yards out but the free kick- flashed just past far post. Ross sent a long ball out to Daly on the left wing but his cross was well defended.
Both sides were really working to establish some dominance. Palmer and Wilkinson were battling for dominance in the Woking area. A shot that would probably have gone wide was nearly deflected into the Wrexham net.
Moss was hit in the head by a ball from close range and needed treatment.
15 minutes gone and apart from the goal there had not been much threat from either side but then a shot from Mullin went just wide after another Tozer long throw.
A dangerous attack by Wrexham was well defended but the pressure from the away side was growing. A corner was headed out to Tozer but his strong shot well blocked. It was beginning to feel like a game of ‘attack v defence’.
A clever tackle by Casey on Jordan Davies in the area after a 1-2 with Mullin saw the ball cleared as a goal seemed certain. Anything less than a perfect tackle would have been a penalty.
At 68 minutes, Ross came out intending to punch a looping cross to the far post but Hayden had other ideas and headed the ball into an empty net as the Woking keeper didn't reach the ball.
The Cards made two changes as Sarll rolled the dice to get back in the game. We were half way through the second half and Woking needed to get on the front foot, but it was hard with 10 men. Roles came on for Kellermann and Grego-Cox for Amond.
Again the Cards reacted well and Roles got in a well-placed cross to the middle of the area but Anderson couldn't quite connect. Cuthbert got a header in from the resulting corner but couldn't find the net.
Lee got the ball to Mullin on the edge of the area who swerved and hit a shot that was bravely blocked by Wilkinson as the strike looked to be heading into the goal. A header by Palmer got to Mullin who was well tackled. Mullin was looking dangerous but was just about being thwarted.
On 80 minutes, Tyreke Johnson came on for the impressive Casey as Sarll rolled the dice again. However, soon after, Lee put in a cross from where Casey might have been a minute or two earlier.
Although Wilkinson got a toe to the cross, Palmer slid in at the far post to put the Dragons two goals ahead. Woking 1 Wrexham 3.
With the Cards two goals down and down to ten, it should have been 'game over', but the Cards would not accept the result. A shot by Dan Moss went wide of the post.
Palmer went off to be replaced by the familiar face of Sam Dalby.
Daly made a great break and put in a pinpoint cross along the ground to Grego-Cox who was charging into the area at pace but was taken down by Luke Young who got a yellow, to the surprise of the Woking players who were convinced it should be red.
Grego-Cox stepped up to send the goalie wrong way and set up a storming finish.
Jones blazed a shot over the bar at the other end and Ross smothered the ball on Dalby's toe as he looked to be through on goal.
A foul on Daly by Hayden on the right wing saw Roles putting the free kick close to the line and the keeper flapped but Ince was judged to have fouled him. Every Wrexham player was in their own box at that point.
The decision was for six minutes of extra time and the Cards won a corner. The ball was cleared by the Dragons but only back to Ross as Sarll waved his ten men forward.
Wrexham got one more corner but were trying to play out time. Roles got in one more cross but Howard cleared. It was plain that Wrexham were more nervous about playing on than Woking
The final whistle blew to end an enthralling match. The sending off really changed the match. Lofthouse has been on sparkling form this season and his loss was tough. However, the character and fight from the Woking team was really pleasing to Cards fans. There were a lot of great performances all around the team and Sarll's 'never say die' attitude has really got through to the squad and the fans.
Woking: 13 Craig Ross, 2 Kyran Lofthouse, 3 Josh Casey (11 Tyreke Johnson 79’), 4 Scott Cuthbert, 6 Luke Wilkinson, 8 James Daly, 10 Padraig Amond (9 Grego-Cox 68’), 12 Dan Moss, 17 Jim Kellermann (18 Jack Roles 68’), 23 Jermaine Anderson, 24 Rohan Ince
Unused subs: 1, Ethan Wady, 5 Joe McNerney
Goals: James Daly 47’, Reece Grego-Cox 85’ (P)
Bookings: James Daly 37’, Padraig Amond 45’
Sent off: Kyran Lofthouse 19’
Wrexham 21 Mark Howard, 14 Anthony Forde, 5 Aaron Hayden, 4 Ben Tozer, 32 Max Cleworth (38 Elliot Lee 59’), 19 Jacob Mendy (31 Bruce Hosannah 65’), 8 Luke Young, 30 Daniel Jones, 7 Jordan Davies, 10 Paul Mullin, 9 Olly Palmer (18 Sam Dalby 83’)
Unused subs: 31 Rory Watson, 22 Tom O’Connor
Goals: Aaron Hayden (35’, 68’), Ollie Palmer (80’)
Bookings: Daniel Jones (45’), Ollie Palmer (39’), Aaron Hayden (89’)
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis
Attendance: 3,185 (606 away)
Man of the Match: The sponsor’s Man of the Match was Luke Wilkinson who battled all match long with the Wrexham forward line.
Thank you to our Match Sponsor Laithwaite Financial Services and our Match Ball Sponsor Paul Connett Builders
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