Match Report | Cards in opening day stalemate against resilient Kiddy

Kidderminster Harriers 0-0 Woking
Vanarama National League
5th August 2023

Woking returned to competitive action on Saturday when Darren Sarll took his side to newly promoted Kidderminster. There were league debuts for new signings Greg Taylor and Matt Robinson, whilst there were four new players on the bench, as the Cards lined up in a 4-3-3 formation.

The hosts got the 2023/24 season underway, with the opening ten minutes of the game chanceless as both sides struggled to find their feet. The first chance of any note came on eleven minutes, when Padraig Amond found himself some space in the channel, but his cutback was well claimed by Christian Dibble.

A long free kick caught Woking by surprise, but Zak Brown could only find the arms of Will Jaaskelainen on the stretch before a Woking counter saw Jim Kellermann fire into the arms of Dibble.

The hosts were showing all the confidence of a newly promoted side, putting together some nice passing moves, and they almost took the lead with a moment of brilliance. Joe Leesley hit a volley from a tight angle, and the ball very nearly nestled in Jaaskelainen’s top left-hand corner.

With high winds and torrential rain, both sides were finding it hard to create chances. However, an intricate move between Matt Robinson, Kellermann and Rhys Browne saw the latter bend the ball just wide from inside the box. However, the best chance of the half came on 40 minutes when Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain found room inside the box, forcing an excellent low save from Jaaskelainen.

That was the last action of the half, as the hosts were fairly dominant without fully seizing the initiative.

Half-time: Kidderminster Harriers 0-0 Woking

Once again, the first ten minutes were uneventful, and Sarll turned to his bench, bringing on Nana Boateng for his competitive debut for Reece Grego-Cox. Then came a huge moment in the match, as first Jaaskelainen then Rohan Ince had to make vital interventions to deny a couple of Harriers players shots on goal. Zak Brown attempted to round the Finn, before his save saw another Kiddy player drill the ball at Ince.

Another big Harriers chance came on 75 minutes, when substitute Gerry McDonagh almost converted a cross from close range after bearing down on goal. After a spell of good Woking pressure led to a free kick opportunity, Robbie Willmott’s effort forced an excellent save out of Dibble. Woking’s best chance came shortly after, when a deep cross from Amond was met by the head of Scott Cuthbert, and his looping header was inches away from dipping into the back of the net.

Ashley Hemmings had been causing problems all game, and his strike from outside the box moved in the air before rattling the crossbar, just before nine minutes of added time were announced.

A few half chances came to nothing, but a point a piece to kick off the season seemed fair on all accounts. Woking will take positives out of the way all three subs influenced the game, with a banana skin avoided on opening day.



Woking: Will Jaaskelainen, Dan Moss, Josh Casey (Akinola 73’), Scott Cuthbert, Greg Taylor, Rohan Ince, Jim Kellermann, Matt Robinson (Willmott 64’) Padraig Amond, Reece Grego-Cox (Boateng 57’), Rhys Browne

Unused subs: Joe Day, Ricky Korboa


Bookings: Grego-Cox 13’, Moss 18’


Kidderminster Harriers: Christian Dibble, Caleb Richards, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Krystian Pearce, Joe Leesley, Amari Morgan-Smith, Ashley Hemmings, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain, Zak Brown (McDonagh 73’), Matt Preston, Shane Byrne (Lissimore 87’)

Unused subs: Penny, Phillips, Lambert


Bookings: Pearce 16’, Brown 31’, Leesley 81’

Attendance: 3116 (420 Woking)

Referee: Dale Baines

Man of the Match: Greg Taylor was exemplary on debut, key to a Woking clean sheet.