Seymours
3:00pm - SaturdaySat 4th DecemberDec 2021
Damson Park | Att: 1214

Solihull
Solihull Moors
2 - 0

Woking
Woking

Inconsistent Cards aiming to strengthen encouraging away record

Glen Harrington
4:24pm, Thu 2nd Dec 2021
Solihull Moors vs Woking
Vanarama National League
Saturday 12th November 2021


Woking will once again be aiming to return to winning ways on Saturday as they travel to Solihull Moors in the National League.

The Cards have won three and lost three of their last six games. Their inconsistencies were exposed again on Saturday as Barnet overcame an early Joe McNerney goal to claim a 2-1 win and all three points at the Laithwaite Community Stadium. Alan Dowson’s side will be hoping that they can get back on track with another success away from home – where they’ve already claimed 15 points this season, three more than they managed in the entirety of last season (noting that the win over Dover Athletic was later expunged). But they face a tough challenge against in-form Solihull, who are just one point adrift of the play-off places after a 2-0 win over Grimsby Town last time out.

Dowse will hope to have star striker Tahvon Campbell, scorer of 13 league goals this season, available again. The forward limped off in the closing stages of the win over Weymouth last week and missed Saturday’s defeat to Barnet. However, fellow forward Inih Effiong won’t be available after he picked up his fifth league yellow card of the season against the Bees, whilst Max Kretzschmar, Rohan Ince and Jamar Loza are injury doubts after all three were forced off last weekend. As confirmed last Friday, Jordan Maguire-Drew and Kane Thompson-Sommers have now left the club.

Opposition Watch

Solihull are in their sixth season in the National League after winning National League North in 2016. After narrowly avoiding relegation in both 2017 and 2018, they became promotion contenders in 2019, when they finished second to Leyton Orient and were beaten in the play-offs by AFC Fylde. After being expected to challenge for promotion again in both 2020 and 2021, they instead found themselves mired in mid-table, and they responded by appointing former AFC Wimbledon and Notts County manager Neil Ardley last summer.

Ardley has an impressive squad to work with, including former Aberdeen and Salford City striker Adam Rooney and ex-Stevenage man Danny Newton. Last summer also saw them sign Andrew Dallas, who impressed on loan at Weymouth last season, and joined the club from Cambridge United. Their star player is 22-year-old midfielder Joe Sbarra, who has nine goals already this campaign, having scored eight in all competitions last season after joining from Burton Albion.

The Moors enjoyed a hugely profitable October, winning four and drawing two of their six league games, as well as advancing in the FA Cup. November has proved trickier, with defeats to Notts County, Chesterfield, and Wigan Athletic in the cup (after extra time in a replay). Although they responded well to beat Grimsby last time out. Club captain Kyle Storer is currently suspended after being sent off against Chesterfield.

Recent Meetings

• Solihull Moors 2-1 Woking – 15th May 2021, National League (Collier)
• Woking 2-1 Solihull Moors – 3rd October 2020, National League (Kretzschmar, Ferdinand)
• Woking 2-0 Solihull Moors – 24th August 2019, National League (Hyde, Parry)
• Solihull Moors 3-0 Woking – 20th January 2018, National League
• Woking 2-1 Solihull Moors – 12th September 2017, National League (Banton, Carter)

On the Day

Solihull’s home ground is Damson Park. The postcode is B92 8PS.

Tickets are priced at just £10 for adults and free for under-12s. To book your tickets click here.

The Cards Trust is running a coach to this game. For full details please click here.

Moor pain for the Cards as Solihull stroll to victory

William Bewsey
6:40pm, Sun 5th Dec 2021
Solihull Moors 2 Woking 0
Vanarama National League
5th December 2021

Woking fell to a disappointing defeat at the ARMCO Arena, with two mistakes from Joe McNerney professionally dealt with by Solihull.

Alan Dowson made three changes from last week’s late defeat to Barnet, with new signings Louis Britton and Jermaine Anderson in for Jamar Loza and Rohan Ince, along with Solomon Nwabuokei for Max Kretzschmar.

The first six minutes passed without any chances of note, before all inside the stadium held a minute’s applause for Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, a six year old boy who was tragically killed by his own parents, a cause very close to the hearts of the local community in Solihull and the hearts of the country.

The first chance of the game fell Woking’s way; a good shot from Kyran Lofthouse was deflected behind for a corner, and the corner was headed into the path of Lofthouse, whose fierce effort clipped the top of the bar and went behind for a goal kick.

Solihull began to keep hold of the ball, giving Woking little time to create from midfield, and the Cards were giving the ball away constantly. Adam Rooney was on the end of a good cross, but the Solihull striker’s header went over the bar.

A good tackle by Joe McNerney stopped Rooney from getting a touch on a low cross, before Tarryn Allarakhia’s shot was blocked after good work from Lofthouse on the right. But it would be Solihull who made the breakthrough.

Mark Smith’s goal kick was headed into the path of Joe McNerney, whose back pass to Smith was under-hit, and Joe Sbarra latched onto the ball and finished brilliantly off the post to give Moors the lead.

Moments later, Sbarra almost made it two. After a long ball wasn’t dealt with by the Woking defence, the forward found himself one on one with Smith again, but Woking’s keeper made a brilliant save with his feet to put the ball behind for a corner. Moussa Diarra’s header went just wide from a corner, before Smith was again called into action, dealing well with Jamey Osborne’s effort.

Ryan Barnett fired just wide after receiving the ball from Callum Maycock, before Harry Boyes’ free kick had to be tipped over by Smith. Anderson had his first chance in a Woking shirt, but his decent left footed strike was saved brilliantly by Ryan Boot.

Half-time: Solihull Moors 1 Woking 0

Woking started the second half brightly, with Allarakhia finding time and space to get a shot away, but the ball rippled into the side netting of Boot’s goal. Another bizarre Woking defensive moment was to follow. McNerney passed the ball back into the midriff of Mark Smith, who instinctively caught the ball, meaning an indirect free kick for Solihull. The set piece effort was easily blocked away and the Cards cleared the danger.

After 66 minutes, Alan Dowson made a double change, with Josh Casey and Tarryn Allarakhia being replaced by Tyreke Johnson and Jamar Loza. Solihull made one change, with the injured Callum Howe replaced by Alex Gudger.

New man Louis Britton gets his head to the ball
New man Louis Britton gets his head to the ball
Phil Fiddes


Solihull sealed the three points ten minutes later. McNerney was adjudged to have fouled James Ball in the box from a corner, and the referee pointed to the spot. Adam Rooney dispatched the penalty kick down the middle.

Johnson’s first attacking involvement saw a cross loop just over the bar of Boot’s goal, before Woking’s day went from bad to worse. Loza was fouled by the dugouts, and lashed out at Osborne, before handbags on the touchline involving both sets of players and management teams. Loza and Dowson were both sent off for their role in the action, whilst Ball and Osborne picked up yellows.

Six minutes of added time were played, before Woking were condemned to defeat for the second time in two games. A lacklustre Woking showing in front of goal was matched with a continuation of the defensive woes seen in recent weeks, with boos greeting the players as they went over to the travelling support, apart from Mark Smith, whose efforts in goal kept the scoreline far lower than it might have been, and he received appreciation from the fans.

Woking: 1 Mark Smith, 2 Kyran Lofthouse, 3 Josh Casey (Tyreke Johnson 66’), 4 Tom Champion, 5 Joe McNerney, 6 Moussa Diarra, 8 Solomon Nwabuokei, 17 Tarryn Allarakhia (Jamar Loza 66’), 18 Louis Britton, 19 Tahvon Campbell, 23 Jermaine Anderson

Unused subs: Craig Ross, Louie Annesley, Tommy Block

Goals: None

Bookings:Joe McNerney 77’

Sent off: Jamar Loza 87’ [Red card for Dowse 87’]

Solihull Moors Ryan Boot, James Clarke, Callum Howe, (Alex Gudger 66’), Joe Sbarra, Callum Maycock, Adam Rooney, Jamey Osborne, (Jordan Cranston 89’) Ryan Barnett, (Justin Donawa 75’), Harry Boyes, James Ball, Lois Maynard.

Unused subs:Andrew Dallas, Danny Newton

Goals: Sbarra 28’, Rooney 78’

Bookings: Sbarra 62’, Ball 87’, Osborne 87’

Referee: Lewis Smith

Attendance: 1214 (133 Woking fans)

Man of the Match: Mark Smith made a few excellent saves to limit the scoreline and keep Woking in the game.
Solihull Moors LINEUP
1Ryan Boot
2James Clarke
14Harry Boyes
5Callum Howe ('66)
25Lois Maynard
8Callum Maycock
7Joe Sbarra
10Jamey Osborne ('89)
11Ryan Barnett ('75)
18James Ball
9Adam Rooney
BENCH
3Jordan Cranston ('89)
6Alex Gudger ('66)
17Justin Donawa ('75)
19Andrew Dallas
24Danny Newton
WOKING LINEUP
1Mark Smith
2Kyran Lofthouse
3Josh Casey ('65)
5Joe McNerney
6Moussa Diarra
4Tom Champion
23Jermaine Anderson
8Solomon Nwabuokei
17Tarryn Allarakhia ('65)
19Tahvon Campbell
18Louis Britton
BENCH
13Craig Ross
16Louie Annesley
21Tommy Block
11Tyreke Johnson ('65)
7Jamar Loza ('65)

Solihull Moors 2-0 Woking | Ian Dyer Interview

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