Woking 2-1 Kidderminster Harriers
Vanarama National League
5th March 2024

Michael Doyle made two changes to the side who dramatically beat Gateshead last Tuesday. Illness to Timi Odusina meant that Scott Cuthbert replaced him in the side, whilst Jermaine Anderson, suspended following his red card against the Heed, was replaced by Tunji Akinola in the midfield.

Woking kicked off the game towards the KRE, and their first sight of goal came inside the first two minutes, when Will Jaaskelainen’s long kick bounced into the path of Lewis Walker, but he couldn’t quite connect and his shot rolled into the hands of Christian Dibble.

Just six minutes in, a shot from Charley Kendall was spilled by Dibble, and substitute Ricky Korboa tapped in, but was immediately flagged offside. Just a minute later, and Jaaskelainen was forced into a superb save to deny Caleb Richards’ strike from nestling into the back of the net.

But after a scramble inside the box on 11 minutes, Woking failed to clear their lines. The ball fell to Jack Lambert, whose strike looped over Jaaskelainen and found the top corner.

Not too much happened for the rest of the first half, with Harriers defending well whilst looking dangerous when they advanced forwards. A couple of interceptions apiece were required to prevent cutbacks, but both keepers didn’t have much to do. Woking, however, had work to do to get back into the game and to break down a stubborn Kiddy defence.

Half-time: Woking 0-1 Kidderminster Harriers

With ten minutes gone in the second half, Michael Doyle turned to his bench, and brought Luton loanee Jayden Luker on for Tunji Akinola.

A big chance for Kiddy to double their lead went begging on the hour mark when a cross from the right was met by Richards, but he couldn’t convert from just outside the six yard box. Good work from Luker down the left hand side with 66 minutes gone ended in a low cross from Casey being well cleared by the Harriers’ backline.

After great work from Wilkinson down the byline to keep the ball in with 70 minutes gone, he found Luker on the edge of the box. His shot flew towards Dibble’s top corner, forcing the keeper to make a brilliant outstretched save to his top left.

Jaaskelainen was forced into a good low save to deny Lambert from a free kick minutes later, before a surprise Woking equaliser on 75 minutes. Curtis Edwards’ low drive from a free kick was spilled by Dibble and into the middle of the net, giving the Cards a huge lift.

Another Luker strike from outside the box with 81 minutes gone tested Dibble as the Cards ramped up the pressure. Good work from Oyeleke in the midfield found Kendall on the edge of the box, but his shot landed into the midriff of Dibble.

Woking were awarded a penalty on 88 minutes when Korboa took the ball past his defender, before being shoved to the ground as he aimed to pull the trigger. Kendall’s penalty was clawed away by Dibble… but only onto the head of the striker as he bundled the ball into the back of the net to send the Laithwaite wild.

A huge three points for the Cards ahead of two big trips up North, and more resolve shown from this team at home.

Woking: Will Jaaskelainen, Dan Moss, Josh Casey, Luke Wilkinson, Lewis Walker (Korboa 5’), Manny Oyeleke, Scott Cuthbert, Tunji Akinola (Luker 56’), Curtis Edwards, Charley Kendall (Kelly-Evans 92’), Max Dyche

Unused subs: Osew, Ince

Bookings: Dyche 39’, Korboa 48’, Edwards 62’, Moss 77’

Goals: Edwards 75’, Kendall 89’

Kidderminster Harriers: Christian Dibble, Caleb Richards, Nathaniel Knight-Percival, Reiss McNally, Amari Morgan-Smith, Ashley Hemmings, Jack Lambert (Griffiths 80’), Zak Brown, Cole Kpekawa, Sam Bellis (Omotayo 68’), Shane Byrne (Emmanuel-Thomas 90’)

Unused subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hesketh, Emmanuel-Thomas

Bookings: Lambert 70’
Goals: Lambert 12’

Attendance: 2310

Man of the Match: Curtis Edwards found a way through, and from that moment on he never looked back.