A dramatic 1-1 draw unfolded at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, as ten-man Forest Green Rovers clung on against a Woking side desperate to end their winless run. The match, punctuated by a red card and a flurry of substitutions, saw Forest Green’s four-game winning streak come to a dramatic halt.
The early exchanges were frantic, but the match’s pivotal moment arrived in the 21st minute. Ryan Inniss received a straight red card for violent conduct, leaving the visitors a man light for the remainder of the game. Woking, sensing an opportunity, immediately introduced Dale Gorman. However, Gorman’s introduction was almost instantly followed by a booking for dissent, raising the already palpable tension within the stadium. Forest Green responded to the sending off by bringing on Ben Tozer in place of Tom Knowles, looking to shore up their defence against the now numerically superior Woking attack.
Despite their disadvantage, Forest Green stunned the home crowd by taking the lead just before half-time. A well-worked move culminated in Kyle McAllister firing home, assisted by Christian Doidge. The goal, against the run of play, highlighted Forest Green’s resilience. Half-time saw a flurry of activity in both dugouts. Woking, seeking to exploit their man advantage, made a triple substitution, introducing Matt Ward, Dale Gorman (who was already on the pitch), and Charley Kendall to bolster their attacking options. Forest Green, meanwhile, brought on Marcel Lavinier.
The second half saw Woking pile on the pressure. Their persistence paid off in the 52nd minute when Daniel Moss levelled the scores, with the previously cautioned Gorman providing the assist. The goal galvanised the home side, who continued to press for a winner. The intensity of the contest was further underlined by yellow cards for both Ben Tozer and Matt Ward. As the game entered its final stages, both managers made further changes. Forest Green replaced assist-provider Doidge with Joe Quigley, while Woking introduced Lewis Walker and Oluwarotimi Odusina. Despite the late changes and end-to-end action, neither side could find a winner, and the match ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
Coming into the match, Forest Green sat near the top of the National League table, buoyed by their four-game winning streak, while Woking were languishing, having failed to win in their previous seven outings. The draw sees Forest Green remain second, while Woking climb one place to 18th. The two sides hadn’t met in the league for three seasons, adding an extra dimension to this already compelling encounter.