Match Report | Cards share spoils with ten man Rovers

Woking 1-1 Forest Green Rovers
Vanarama National League
26th October 2024

Woking were back at home to close out October with the visit of league leaders Forest Green Rovers to the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Michael Doyle’s side were unchanged from the team defeated 2-1 at Solihull on Wednesday, with the only change coming on the bench, Dale Gorman back from suspension in place of Tom Leahy. Charley Kendall was on the bench despite his red card on Wednesday night for an incident on the touchline.

The visitors arrived with a strong squad, being able to field their top scorer Christian Doidge whilst having experienced strikers Harry Cardwell and Joe Quigley on the bench.

A fast start from FGR led to Emmanuel Osadebe bursting through the Woking backline, but he was met with a superb recovering challenge from Max Dyche, who had to win the ball cleanly and did so perfectly.

With nine minutes gone, great work from Deon Moore in the channel saw him play Dan Moss inside, and his shot was well saved by the feet of Jed Ward. Dennon Lewis drove down the left-hand side and tested Ward at his near post as Woking began to show some threat.

Amazing courage from Moss saw him challenge Jordan Moore-Taylor for the ball, with Lewis firing narrowly over the bar on the half-volley. But a nasty challenge from Ryan Inniss saw him fly into Moss after 20 minutes, receiving his marching orders straight away from referee James Bancroft and reducing FGR to ten men.

Luckily, Moss was able to walk off the pitch and continue playing, whilst the resulting free kick was met by Cian Harries, whose side-footed effort was well tipped past the post by Ward.

But the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half time when Kyle McAllister was played in behind. He drove towards the box, found a yard of space and struck the ball into the bottom corner to give the ten men the advantage.

Woking nearly responded a couple of minutes later when Jamie Andrews’ cross deceived everyone apart from Ward, who tipped behind for a corner.

The visitors held the advantage at the break despite being a man down, with improvement needed for Woking to get anything from the game.

Half-time: Woking 0-1 Forest Green Rovers

Michael Doyle made three changes at the break, with Tunji Akinola, Dion Kelly-Evans and Cian Harries replaced by Charley Kendall, Matt Ward and Dale Gorman.

Six minutes into the half, a wicked Andrews delivery fell to Moore, who struggled to get the ball out of his feet before firing at Ward. Woking had their equaliser a minute later when Andrews and Gorman’s short corner routine ended in the latter’s deep delivery being glanced in by the head of Moss, levelling the game and appearing to give the hosts momentum.

The Cards began to dominate possession, trying to break down a stubborn defence and seeing several crosses and moves end in good defending or just a lack of end product. Ward nearly found the answer when he rifled an effort just wide of the top corner with 15 minutes left to play.

Deep into stoppage time, Woking’s pressure nearly paid off as Andrews delivered for Dyche, but his header was just over the bar.

1-1 was how it finished, with Forest Green’s strong defence preventing all three points staying in Surrey. A positive result nonetheless with Cambridge United around the corner in the FA Cup.



Woking: Jaaskelainen, Moss, Harries (Kendall 45’), Andrews, Beautyman, Lewis, Akinola (Ward 45’), Kelly-Evans (Gorman 45’), Chicksen (Odusina 81’), Moore (Walker 76’), Dyche

Subs: Webber, Anderson

Bookings: Gorman 25’, Ward 64’

Goals: Moss 52’

Forest Green Rovers: Ward, Long, Inniss, Osadebe (Lavinier 45’), McAllister, McCann, Doidge (Quigley 74’), Knowles (Tozer 25’), Moore-Taylor, Robson, May

Subs: Searle, Bunker, Maddox, Cardwell

Goals: McAllister 43’

Bookings: Tozer 58’

Sent Off: Inniss 20’

Attendance: 2280

Sponsors’ Man of the Match: Dan Moss recovered from a nasty challenge to get the equaliser, throwing himself into challenges and deservedly winning this award.