Match Report | Cards secure point at title chasing Forest Green

Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Woking
Vanarama National League
22nd February 2025

A trip to title chasers Forest Green Rovers was Woking’s third game in a week, as Neal Ardley rang the changes. Hinds, Okoli, Andrews, Vincent, Effiong and Morias all dropped to the bench, as Dion Kelly-Evans made his first start in a while following injury. Joining him were Jokubas Mazionis, Timi Odusina, Harry Beautyman, Lewis Walker and Dennon Lewis.

The hosts lined up with former Woking defender Cian Harries starting as well as former Cardinal loanee Joe Quigley, with the likes of another former loanee in Harry Cardwell on the bench, showing the depth in FGR’s squad.

Beautyman kicked the game off with the Cards shooting towards the buoyant home end. A promising start from Woking saw them playing out from the back, winning an early corner and setting their stool out. The hosts won a corner of their own and Ryan Inniss headed wide with 13 minutes gone.

A quick throw in from the hosts ended in Kyle McAllister teeing up Quigley, who turned and fired a low shot into the hands of Jaaskelainen. Then came a big opportunity for the Cards after great work from Odusina and Matt Ward saw the latter’s cross only half dealt with by Fabian Mrozek, who redeemed himself by saving well from Beautyman, rushing out to smother two shots.

Ward had to come off after a collision by the side of the pitch, with Junior Morias thrown into the fold after 23 minutes. He nearly got on the scoresheet a mere seven minutes later after a stray pass was intercepted by Beautyman, and the ball deflected off the striker and over the bar.

A good Woking move was ended by Mrozek collecting an effort from the weaker right foot of Chicksen, a rare chance for either side in a first half where the Cards controlled the ball for large spells, just lacking that finishing touch against a side who would surely come out of the blocks with some more venom in the second half.

Half-time: FGR 0-0 Woking

Half time substitute Jordon Garrick broke following a Woking corner, nearly teeing up Quigley at the back post as he flexed his pace down the wing. Charlie McCann then sliced wide from just outside the box minutes later as the home side came out with intent.

A brilliant first touch from Dennon Lewis saw him progress forward and be tackled brilliantly by Rovers captain Ryan Inniss, and from the following corner came a very scrappy Harry Beautyman goal, but he won’t have cared. Gorman’s looping delivery was poked by Akinola towards the line, where the midfielder managed just to scramble the ball over the line from about a yard, with a clearance in vain as the ball clearly crossed the line.

The home side hit back just three minutes later when a long range shot was only parried by Jaaskelainen into the path of Garrick for a tap in. Morias made way for Inih Effiong after picking up a knock, with the game finely poised but momentum going the way of the hosts. McAllister let one fly with twelve minutes left, forcing a fine save from Jaaskelainen.

In stoppage time, a Gorman corner was just glanced wide by Effiong under immense pressure, before Tariq Hinds was sent off for time wasting, with the substitute claiming he didn’t hear the whistle.

Forest Green very nearly snatched a last minute winner when Garrick poked wide after Cardwell’s flick, but Woking secured a precious point at a very hard place to go. A top team performance, frustrating the hosts and their riches of quality for much of the game.


Woking: Jaaskelainen, Kelly-Evans (Okoli 90’), Odusina, Mazionis, Akinola, Chicksen, Gorman, Lewis (Hinds 87’), Ward (Morias 23’ (Effiong 77’)), Beautyman, Walker (Andrews 82’)

Subs: Webber, Vincent

Goals: Beautyman 69’

Bookings: Gorman 55’, Hinds 94’, 97’

Sent Off: Hinds 97’




FGR: Mrozek, Inniss, Osadebe, McAllister, McCann, Robson, May, Quigley (Cardwell 67’), McCormick (Bunker 71’), Harries, Fleming (Garrick 45’)

Subs: Long, Tozer, Doidge, Knowles

Bookings: Garrick 55’, McCann 91’

Goals: Garrick 72’

Attendance: 1728 (220 Woking fans)

Man of the Match: Timi Odusina was excellent, his driving runs providing ample opportunity for the Cards to get forwards.