Glen Harrington
8:53am, Fri 28th Apr 2023
Solihull Moors vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 29th April 2023
Woking travel to Solihull Moors on Saturday for their final game of the regular National League season – still with an outside chance of securing a third-place finish.
The Cards defeat at home to Halifax on Tuesday evening has left them in fourth-place, two points behind third-place Chesterfield ahead of the final game, with the Spireites hosting bottom of the league Maidstone United on Saturday. Regardless of the result in both games, Woking will start their play-off campaign at home next week, most likely in a mid-week eliminator game between the teams finishing fourth and seventh – Bromley, Boreham Wood, or Southend – on Wednesday evening. If Woking can sneak third-place, via Chesterfield dropping points and a Cards win (by four clear goals if the Spireites only draw), they will host the winner of the fourth v seventh game on Sunday.
There has been some speculation that manager Darren Sarll may rotate his squad and rest key players ahead of the play-offs, given the unlikely nature of Chesterfield dropping points against a side without a league win since November. However, Maidstone did draw with fifth-place Barnet earlier this month, so it feels more likely that Sarll will stick with his strongest team to start, before potentially giving some players a rest in the second-half. The Cards made just one change against the Shaymen with Joe McNerney replacing Kacper Łopata.
Opposition Watch
Solihull have endured a disappointing season after finishing third and reaching the play-off final last season. They can finish no higher than tenth but are more likely to end the campaign in the bottom-half of the table. They are currently in 14th place with 58 points.
The Moors are without a win in seven league games, drawing four and losing three, and on Tuesday evening were beaten 3-0 at Wealdstone. This month they have also lost at Barnet and Bromley. Their recent home for is better; they are on a seven-match unbeaten run at Damson Park, stretching back to a 2-0 loss to Gateshead at the start of February. They have taken 34 of their points at home this season, compared to 24 away.
Managed by former AFC Wimbledon and Notts County boss Neal Ardley, they still have plenty of talent within their squad, including highly rated attacking midfielder Joe Sbarra and former Maidenhead striker Josh Kelly, who are both in double figures for goals this season. The one former Woking connection in the squad is utility man Joey Jones – who made close to 200 appearances for the club between 2014 and 2018.
Recent Meetings
• Woking
2-0 Solihull Moors – 24th September 2022, National League (Daly, Lofthouse)
• Woking
2-3 Solihull Moors – 26th March 2022, National League (Effiong 2)
• Solihull Moors
2-0 Woking – 4th December 2021, National League
• Solihull Moors
2-1 Woking – 15th May 2021, National League (Collier)
• Woking
2-1 Solihull Moors – 3rd October 2020, National League (Kretzschmar, Ferdinand)
Tickets
Ticket prices are Adults £15, Concessions £11, Under 18s £7 and Under 12s £3.50.
Click here for more information and to book your tickets.
