MotM: 27-09-14 Woking (A) Storer, Gash

[Zorro]

A great fillip as our next three away games are toughies - Wrexham, Barnet and Halifax !!!

Followed by Bristol Rovers and Grimsby !!

[redandwhitemike]

Sipping a glass of red in Surbiton, after a great team performance on one of my rare away days.

Report tomoz when I get back.

R&WM

[ograzebrook]

Sipping a glass of red in Surbiton, after a great team performance on one of my rare away days.

Report tomoz when I get back.

R&WM

How many harriers fans were there mike?

[HarrierN2]

Free from the Woking site. Free highlights, imagine that....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHHx2yLrzMs

[Colgofray]

Well spotted Harrier N2 and thanks for posting the link here. Excellent highlights of the game. Shame we never get that sort of quality free coverage of our home matches. :sad:

[Colgofray]

Selected, yet interesting, comments from the Woking forum:

"..... they (Kidderminster) did what they needed and we only got back into the game when they took their better players off. Gash occupied our defence better than most, their midfield outplayed Payne/Murtagh and their defence dealt with almost everything. They were a much better side than I expected."

"Apart from a few early time-wasting efforts from Kiddy I thought they played the game well and continued to do even at the death , respect to them for that."

"How often were Kidderminster's midfield able to move 20 yards with no pressure? We look so, so, so much better with a 3-5-2 and Payne further up - I know we've got injuries but it really was obvious."

"In the end I thought 2-3 flattered us (Woking), fingers crossed I don't say that again this season."

Very interesting first comment regarding Gash.

[Krasnyi]

If I were a fan of an opposing team I'd be delighted to see Gash on the bench.

[Cal's Spongebag]

Thanks for posting the link.

From the video it appeared that some of our training ground routines paid off, which is encouraging. Good to have a long throw in our arsenal.

[Gezzie]

A repeat of everything that's been said time and time again this season.
Gash and Styche to start. Good.
Gittings to start. Not happened yet.
Don't substitute our attacking threat. Happens every game. Outcome predictable every game.
The Grimsby and Woking fans agree.

[Hartleburyharrier]

Thanks for posting the link.

From the video it appeared that some of our training ground routines paid off, which is encouraging. Good to have a long throw in our arsenal.

The video also showed that their two goals were down to poor defensive challenges from our two FB's, who were hailed as better than our previous pairing ! Still, it was a great result from the lads away from home, so let's hope they can build on this.

[sandman]

It would be good to hear from someone who went - R&WM will post again when back I'm sure and sounds like he enjoyed himself - but a great result and watch from the video highlights.

An away clean sheet against one of the best attacking teams in the league currently would have been asking a bit much!

Perhaps the forwards were substituted because we have another tough away game on Tuesday night? Gash is now growing into the season and is starting as a result, same with Styche. The goals are coming and things are looking good up there.

Interesting that some Woking fans seemed to rate our much-maligned midfield? Did Verma make a difference or did we play differently? Maybe it's just a case of consistency which happens at this level.

[Tamworth Harrier]

From those highlights lewis didn't cover himself in much glory. Imo he could have come for both those crosses. Maybe time to give Singh a game.

[Hartleburyharrier]

From those highlights lewis didn't cover himself in much glory. Imo he could have come for both those crosses. Maybe time to give Singh a game.

[redandwhitemike]

My first visit to the Kingfield stadium, a total contrast of the old quaint non league with the modern - an enormous stand behind the one goal totally dwarfs the rest of the 'old style' timber stands - very reminiscent of the old wooden stand at Aggborough - surely a fire risk

Woking looked a half decent side and in Scott Rendell they have surely one of the best strikers in the Conference, Gowling and Dunkley struggled to contain him all afternoon. The one controversial incident in an otherwise even tempered game saw Woking's giant man mountain McNerney wrestle Reece Styche to the ground in a headlock more akin to Big daddy in WWF - 100% a red card ,,,,,,he got a yellow - from a very poor ref

Make no mistake this was a superb team performance with no real passengers (for a change).

There are still weaknesses in the team, fitness IS an issue with some of the players - who simply can't last the full 90.

Gashy was a thorn in Woking's side all afternoon, which brought howls of derision from their fans, aimed at his 'size' and insults were thrown whenever he came close to their fans - he did however have the last laugh (scored one + one assist) - he was subbed down to being knackered, IMO about fifteen minutes too late!! He needs game time.

A word for Kyle Storer, who I thought was inspirational in driving the midfield forward - again he scored one (deflected) and an assist.

But the stars of the show, especially second half were the defence - the last ten minutes was a bit like The Alamo !!

All in all a very satisfying performance - and at times Harriers played some good football by keeping it simple.

Needless to say we looked far better with three midfielders in the middle.


** Difficult to estimate the number of Harriers fans, as they were spread around the ground as there was no defined away area as such plus fact that the home side's fans had very similar colours. My guestimate would be 125 - 140 in a gate of just over 1500 on a lovely afternoon for football. Incidentally the PA was worse than Aggborough's

SCORES ON THE DOORS

Lewis........................6 Not convinced, looked at fault for the second goal for sure as the smallest player on the pitch scored with a header - he started to come for the cross then stopped.
Hodgkiss,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,7 Solid at the back, but at times struggled with the pace of the Card's wide man and gave him far too much space to get the cross in for Rendell's goal
Nicholson...................7 Long throw a real weapon, overall assured display.
Gowling ....................9 Mr Consistent - led by example another superb MotM performance, time & again he came to the rescue.
Dunkley ....................7 Still looks lackadaisical at times, even a bit too cool when on the ball, but kept the mistakes down.
Storer........................8 Much better, one wild shot over the bar, and fewer misplaced passes - plus he scored !!
Verma........................7 Got on with it without too much fuss and did the simple things well - kept going right to the end.
Byrne........................6 Better, but still looks laboured after half time - accurate with his passing most of the time.
Johnson.....................6 Bit subdued - never really got into the match, played first half on the right and the second half on the left.
Gash.........................8 Put himself around and was so effective at disrupting the Woking back line , they had to resort to dirty tactics which for the most part were missed by an incompetent ref. Ran himself into the ground and should have come off sooner.
Styche.......................7 Took his goal well and generally ran his nuts off to close down the Woking back line - energetic display.

SUBS - still not sure GW has got them right.

Reid...........................5 Totally ineffective.
Blissett........................5 No impression on the game.
Gitting .......................Very little time to impress.

In my opinion Blissett should have come on much earlier (for Gash) as a lone striker - dropped Styche deeper and brought on Gittings for Byrne who was walking for most of the last twenty minutes - and tightened up the midfield and left MJ on as the 'out ball'

[redandwhitemike]

Thanks for posting the link.

From the video it appeared that some of our training ground routines paid off, which is encouraging. Good to have a long throw in our arsenal.

The video also showed that their two goals were down to poor defensive challenges from our two FB's, who were hailed as better than our previous pairing ! Still, it was a great result from the lads away from home, so let's hope they can build on this.

Rendell out jumped Dunkley for his headed goal - Hodgkiss did give the winger too much space for the cross though.

The second goal was IMO down to the Lewis' s hesitation.

I must watch the video highlight's again to re-inforce first impressions .