LCS Events

Rendell and Morgan strikes earn away victory for Cards

Malcolm Wyatt
9:50am, Sun 31st Aug 2014
Wrexham 1 Woking 2

Vanarama Conference

30th August 2014

An assured display from away-day experts Woking saw Garry Hill's unbeaten side climb to fourth in the table at the expense of fellow high-fliers Wrexham.

At one stage it looked like the Surrey visitors had fallen to a second equaliser, but sub Andy Bishop's strike was ruled out and Kevin Wilkin's frustrated home side got no closer from there.

The Cards went ahead against the run of play in the first half, but on the strength of their second-half display they fully deserved this fine victory.

In the end, league top-scorer Scott Rendell's early volley and an assured second-half winner from Dean Morgan after Louis Moult's leveller proved enough, but Hill's Cards had to battle.

Re-instated keeper Aaron Howe pulled off two early saves to keep Woking in touch before Rendell put the visitors ahead, all the early Dragons' pressure put to waste.

Moult was the first to go close, but the final ball was more often than not poor for both sides.

A swift move engineered by Keiran Murtagh and involving Giuseppe Sole and Adam Newton was wasted, before the first of two great tip-overs by Howe, from Connor Jennings' dipping volley.

Joe McNerney, in typically robust form, headed away the resultant Elliott Durrell corner, Newton doing the same with Jennings' next danger-ball before Howe punched away a third in-swinger.

The home fans' chanting increased as the pressure continued, James Clarke rising well to head behind again, while another Durrell corner came to nothing.

McNerney left two players grounded as one raid was halted, then headed away to stop the next foray, while home debutant Ross White executed a powerful header from captain Neil Ashton's cross, but Howe again tipped over.

It came as quite a surprise, therefore, when a spell of Woking pressure led to an away goal, instigated by Murtagh and Chris Arthur and finished with a clever 20-yard volley in the 24th minute, Rendell picking his spot perfectly.

Woking were still losing possession too easily, but Ashton's next centre was no problem for Howe, as was the case for home keeper Dan Bachmann from Morgan.

Then came Wrexham's 38th-minute equaliser, Durrell advancing into the area with ease and Moult finishing with aplomb, giving Howe no chance.

The hosts had their tails up, and Jennings ran in on goal, but then Rendell set up Morgan on the break, his powerful shot nearly taking Bachmann into his own net.

McNerney – irking the home fans as the ref remained unmoved by calls for the Woking player to be cautioned - stood firm to check Durrell's next raid while, as Woking broke again, Arthur caused problems with a swift raid and cross and Bachmann denied Rendell from an Arthur free-kick.

Half-time: Wrexham 1 Woking 1

Amid heavy drizzle, Woking came out in determined fashion for the second half, Rendell's headed touch going over after good work by Josh Payne and Sole, the latter then pouncing on a poor pass but unable to reach Morgan.

Howe collected from Moult after a Jennings through-ball, while Morgan caused home jitters with a jinking run, then Jennings came close with a near-post header from a corner as the action swung to the other end.

Morgan fired over after good work by sub Theo Lewis, with Clarke also going close, while after an Ashton home corner was only half-cleared by Howe, Wrexham fluffed the follow-up.

In the 66th minute Woking were ahead again, Payne punishing a slack pass in midfield and sending Morgan away, the recent signing's left-wing raid ending with a drilled finish from close quarters that made its way through a sea of legs.

The Racecourse Ground fell silent save for the celebrating travelling band at the other end, the home frustration showing and referee Ian Hussin finally resorting to using his book.

Morgan's next deflected shot won a corner, from which McNerney was not far off from netting, while Bachmann punched behind from Payne.

Morgan grew stronger and Rendell remained a threat, and in the next foray Clarke struck the under-side of the bar, with hard-working Lewis also going close.

Wrexham looked shell-shocked, but the Cards still couldn't apply a killer touch, a flurry of cards and substitutions not helping the flow, and Durrell kicking out as he reached the dug-out.

Then came that near-equaliser on 80 minutes, the flag raised as sub Andy Bishop netted from close range after Moult headed back Ashton's free-kick, the electronic scoreboard claiming 'goal'.

Soon after, fellow replacement Theo Bailey-Jones' whipped-in cross was missed by everyone, and from there Woking were on top again.

Morgan and Lewis remained a threat as the clock ran down, while Arthur, Rendell and McNerney made vital clearances as the Cards comfortably saw out an added five minutes to ultimately rise to fourth in the table, just three points off the summit.

Wrexham: Dan Bachmann, Neil Ashton (c), Manny Smith, Blaine Hudson, Joe Clarke, Elliott Durrell (Andy Bishop 76), Louis Moult, Rob Evans, Wes York (Theo Bailey-Jones 76), Ross White (Mark Carrington 83), Connor Jennings.

Subs not used: Andy Coughlin, Anthony Stephens.

Goal: Moult 38

Bookings: Moult 75, Ashton 81, Clarke 85.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton (Theo Lewis 35), Mark Ricketts (c), Joe McNerney, James Clarke, Josh Payne, Keiran Murtagh (Joey Jones 78), Scott Rendell, Giuseppe Sole (John Goddard 84), Dean Morgan, Chris Arthur.

Subs not used: Mike Cestor, Andy Little.

Goals: Rendell 24, Morgan 66

Booking: McNerney 78.

Referee: Ian Hussin

Attendance: 3,154 (68 from Woking).

My MOTM: Dean Morgan – not yet fully fit maybe, but more of a telling factor as the game wore on, helping frustrate the opposition and scoring the goal that took Woking on to victory

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