Woking 3-2 Rochdale
Vanarama National League
15th August 2023

Woking’s second home game of the season saw a first ever meeting between the Cards and recently relegated Rochdale. Following defeat to Altrincham, Darren Sarll made three changes to his side, with first starts for Joe Day and Sam Habergham, replacing Will Jaaskelainen and Rohan Ince, whilst Padraig Amond and Reece Grego-Cox swapped places, with the former returning to the squad, leaving a place for Grego-Cox on the bench. Dennon Lewis also took his place on the bench for the first time this season.

It took until eleven minutes on the clock for a half chance to be registered, as a great run from Rhys Browne saw his cross towards the back post nearly met by Nana Boateng. From the resulting long throw, Dale ‘keeper Louie Moulden had to punch away the danger after it was initially half cleared by the away defence.

However, Woking were hit by a sucker punch of their own making on 15 minutes, when a long ball flew over the defence, and Day was rounded by Tyrese Sinclair after failing to claim, who had the simple task of tapping home.

Another keeping error, this time from the away side, saw Woking come so close to an equaliser, when Boateng’s free kick was spilled by Moulden. Scott Cuthbert flicked the ball towards goal, where it was somehow cleared off the line via the bar, much to Rochdale’s relief.

It took until into first half added time for Moulden to be tested again, when he had a cross from Amond nestle nicely into his palms. Woking looked disjointed, unable to play between midfield and attack, and with plenty of work to do at half time.

Half-time: Woking 0-1 Rochdale
Woking made two changes at half time, with Browne and Boateng replaced by Dennon Lewis and Reece Grego-Cox. Kicking towards a vocal KRE, the Cards won a number of throw ins and corners to ramp the crowd up a couple of notches, before a cross from Akinola was inches away from being met by Grego-Cox.

And on 53 minutes, the Cards had their goal. A cross from Habergham was punched away by Moulden, but only as far as the head of Scott Cuthbert, whose header crept just over the line, and the KRE erupted as the referee gave the goal.

Former Card Jimmy Keohane came close for the visitors on 70 minutes when he met a cross from Kwaku Oduroh, but the ball sailed over. However, when an attempted cross from Amond was handled by a Dale player, Woking had a golden opportunity to take the lead. Grego-Cox was the epitome of cool from the spot, dispatching down the middle to send the KRE wild.

The visitors had a big chance to equalise almost immediately after playing on whilst Dan Moss was injured, but Harvey Gilmour couldn’t squeeze his flick into the corner after good play from Kairo Mitchell. Woking then managed to capitalise on their opponents having a man down, when Kyle Ferguson went off injured, as Amond teed up Grego-Cox, and his looping header nestled into the net.

On 84 minutes, however, a through ball fed Mitchell, who finished confidently past Day to give the visitors hope. Nine added minutes were signalled by the fourth official, much to the dismay of the Woking staff and fans, and when Ian Henderson broke the offside trap and fired across goal, there was some relief when no one was there to meet it at the back post.

Woking held on to register their first win of the season in a thriller. Not their best showing by any means, but plenty of grit and determination ahead of a tricky trip to Barnet on Saturday.

Woking: Joe Day, Dan Moss, Scott Cuthbert, Greg Taylor, Tunji Akinola, Padraig Amond (Wakefield 86’), Matt Robinson, Rhys Browne (Grego-Cox 45’), Nana Boateng (Lewis 45’), Tunji Akinola, Jim Kellermann, Sam Habergham.

Unused subs: Jaaskelainen, Willmott

Goals: Cuthbert 53’, Grego-Cox 74’, 82’

Bookings: Kellermann 13’, Robinson 36’, Boateng 45’, Moss 58’, Lewis 90’
Rochdale: Louie Moulden, Ryan East (Henderson 85’), Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Tyrese Sinclair, Adam Clayton, Kairo Mitchell, Jez Uchegbulam (Afuye 77’), Jimmy Keohane, Kwaku Oduroh, Harvey Gilmour, Kyle Ferguson (Nevitt 91’).

Unused subs: John, Shubbar

Goals: Sinclair 15’, Mitchell 84’

Bookings: East 22’, Oduroh 69’, Ferguson 81’

Referee: Steven Parkinson

Attendance: 2314

Man of the Match: Scott Cuthbert