In a thrilling encounter at The Laithwaite Community Stadium, Woking secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over AFC Fylde, with the decisive goal arriving in the dying moments of the match. The English National League fixture lived up to its billing as a contest with significant goalmouth action, ultimately favouring the home side in a captivating spectacle.
The match began with a cautious approach from both teams, though Fylde were the first to register on the scoreboard. In the 37th minute, Danny Ormerod found the back of the net for the visitors, a goal assisted by Aaron Drewe. This strike meant Fylde went into the break with a slender one-goal advantage.
The second half saw Woking emerge with renewed purpose, eager to find an equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the 68th minute when Matt Ward netted for Woking, levelling the score at 1-1. The momentum appeared to be with the home side, but Fylde responded swiftly and effectively.
Just five minutes later, in the 73rd minute, Fylde regained their lead through Harvey Broad. The substitute, who had only been on the pitch since the 71st minute, made an immediate impact, converting a chance set up by Greg Olley, who himself had entered the fray earlier in the second half. This goal threatened to derail Woking’s efforts and put Fylde in a commanding position.
However, Woking demonstrated remarkable resilience. As the clock ticked towards full-time, they launched a determined offensive. In the 90th minute, Roy Syla drew Woking level once more, his goal assisted by substitute Taylan Harris, who had been introduced in the 82nd minute. This late equaliser injected a surge of adrenaline into the stadium, setting the stage for a frantic finale.
The drama was far from over. In the third minute of added time, Woking completed their comeback. Taylan Harris, the substitute who had provided the assist for the equaliser, turned scorer, netting the winning goal for Woking. His strike, assisted by Roy Syla, sealed a memorable victory for the home side in the most dramatic fashion.
The match saw a number of bookings. Tom Whelan of Fylde received a yellow card in the 9th minute for a foul, and Woking’s Roy Syla was cautioned in the 16th minute for a similar offence. In the second half, Shadrach Ogie of Woking was booked in the 66th minute, followed by Fylde’s Aaron Drewe in the 75th minute. Taylan Harris of Woking received a late yellow card in the 94th minute.
Substitutions were made by both teams throughout the second half. Fylde introduced Greg Olley for Tom Whelan in the 48th minute. Woking made three substitutions in the 58th minute, bringing on Jake Forster-Caskey, Liam Dulson, and Jaiden Putman. Fylde then brought on Harvey Broad for Danny Mayor in the 71st minute. Woking introduced Taylan Harris for Aiden O’Brien in the 82nd minute. Fylde made a final substitution in the 89th minute, bringing on Luca Thomas for Danny Ormerod, while Woking introduced Tunji Akinola for Roy Syla in the 96th minute.
Following this result, Woking, who had begun the match in 24th place with no points after two defeats, move up to 18th in the English National League standings with three points. AFC Fylde, who started the fixture in 8th place with four points from two games, drop to 13th.
