Match Report | Cards beaten by Moors in tight DAZN contest

Solihull 2-1 Woking
Vanarama National League
23rd October 2024

Woking travelled to the ARMCO Arena to take on a Solihull side buoyed by their win over Barnet on Saturday.

Michael Doyle made several changes, one enforced, with the suspended Dale Gorman replaced by Tunji Akinola. Dion Kelly-Evans, himself in place of Ben Wynter, took the armband. There was also a first start in a while for Deon Moore, spearheading a front two with Harry Beautyman.

A positive was that Will Jaaskelainen was also back after missing Saturday’s trip to Tamworth with an injury sustained in the warm up, meaning Ollie Webber was back on the bench. Meanwhile, Moors manager Andy Whing was watching from the stands after picking up his third booking of the season against Barnet on Saturday.

A bright and positive start from the Cards resulted in a deserved goal after eight minutes. Jamie Andrews delivered a free-kick into the box, where Max Dyche managed to divert the ball into the path of Harry Beautyman, and he slotted home past Laurie Walker.

Another set piece, this time delivered by Dennon Lewis, was attacked by Dyche and nearly fell for Beautyman at the back post, but a fantastic clearance from a Moors defender prevented the danger.

Solihull looked to attack the Woking defence with their pacy forwards in Michael Adu-Poku and Jack Stevens, but were getting nothing out of the back line, with Stevens forcing a great block from Kelly-Evans on the line.

Woking then were gifted a chance to double their lead when Alex Whitmore miskicked a flick on from Moore into his arm, with the referee pointing to the spot.

Cian Harries stepped up but his effort was tame and straight into the arms of Walker, a real missed opportunity.

Harries and Woking’s disappointment was to get worse six minutes later when Charley Kendall was sent off for stepping onto the field of play to kick the ball away whilst warming up as a substitute. Then, Stevens managed to get to the ball ahead of Harries from a corner, being tripped by his man and winning the Moors a penalty of their own.

He made no mistake, dispatching past Jaaskelainen to give the Moors parity going into the break, when it might well have been 2-0 to the visitors.



Half-time: Solihull Moors 1-1 Woking

A very disjointed second half started with Beautyman and Walker both going for a Lewis set piece but the former couldn’t quite divert his header on target past the Solihull keeper.

The game then entered a phase of misplaced passes, bookings and consistent fouls, until Solihull created a good chance in the 67th minute when Stevens found Joe Newton, but his shot clipped the outside of the post.

With the game there for the taking, Lewis drove forwards and played in Andrews, whose shot aimed at the near post was well saved by Walker, pushing the ball away from the danger zone.

However, with eight minutes left, Jamey Osborne ran at the Woking defence, finding Stevens inside the box. His finish flew past Jaaskelainen and gave the Moors the lead for the first time in the match.

Doyle threw on Lewis Walker, Matt Ward and Tom Leahy straight after in an attempt to find an equaliser, and the former nearly got it with the last chance of the game.
Deep into stoppage time, Ward drove at his man, finding Walker inside the box, whose attempted finish on the slide came back off the foot of the post.

An unfortunate finish to a game where Woking shot themselves in the foot in the first half and were unable to get the late equaliser.

Michael Doyle will need to dust his troops down for the visit of table topping Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.



Woking:Jaaskelainen, Moss (Ward 84'), Harries, Andrews, Beautyman (Anderson 89'), Lewis, Akinola (Leahy 84'), Kelly-Evans, Chicksen, Moore (Walker 84'), Dyche

Subs: Webber, Kendall (Sent Off), Odusina

Bookings: Moss 53’, Harries 62’, Andrews 73’

Sent Off: Kendall 38’

Goals: Beautyman 8’

Solihull Moors: Walker, Clarke, Newton, Osborne, Whitmore, Stevens, Bowen, Oakley (Tipton 84'), Stevenson, Bostock (Gale 34'), Adu-Poku

Subs: Flahavan, Labadie, Morrison, Ryley, Howell

Goals: Stevens 43’, 82’

Bookings: Clarke 55', Stevenson 72'