All roads lead to Woking

Woking in the Cup
By KJ
December 5 2003

Harriers travel to old rivals Woking on Saturday in the FA Cup, 2nd round. A real test for Harriers against the Conference side. The game will evoke many memories for Kidder fans, as Kidder try and finally have a good Cup run.

FA Cup Fever

Well its not quite got to that stage yet, but Harriers visit to Kingfield on Saturday is certainly a very important game for us, probably one of our most important games since being in the league. However, Harriers boss, Jan Molby has told the players to relax and enjoy themselves, which you could read into this that the game has no importance. Nonsense, Jan is correct in what he is saying, that the League is more important in the long term, but a bit of time in the media spotlight would be fantastic and of course very rewarding financially.

A win on Saturday could net Harriers well over £40,000, a figure certainly not to be sniffed at in our current financial position. That figure could pale into insignificance compared to the money the club could earn in the 3rd round, should we get through of course. There should be a healthy Harriers contingent down in Surrey. I am lead to believe the club is now taking bookings for the 3rd coach. If you haven’t booked already, I’d get to Aggborough tomorrow. All of the details are on the official site (see Kiddy Links). If your travelling by car, then see below directions and multimap of the area of the ground.

So can Kidder beat Woking ? Or will the Conference side keep up their impressive home form and pull of a shock ? Well lets get one thing straight, I wont be treating a Woking win as a shock. Look at the facts, they are in the top 10 of the Conference and have a good home record. In addition to this, their FA Cup record is much better than ours. Of course, we are 21st in the 3rd Division and are not enjoying the best of seasons. A shock if they win ? Do me a favour. To me, anytime a Conference team overturns a 3rd division club, then its no shock to me. Ok, you could call it a bit of an upset, but not a shock. Maybe if a Conference struggler, like Northwich, beat a top division 3 team like Hull, then fair enough. But in Saturday’s case, you could argue that a Harriers win would be a shock. To be honest, I have no idea how we will get on, when I do have a go on the prediction league, it will be a guess.

Of course, any meeting with the Cardinals will bring back many memories for Kidder fans. The most recent memory, and our last meeting with them in fact, brings back fantastic promotion memories from April 2000. despite Harriers going down 1-0, promotion was secured due to Rushden’s failings and Kidder finally achieved the league dream. The Woking fixture though, has many other memories for Harriers fans, both good and bad.

Harriers 1st met Woking in the 1990-91 FA Cup and were drawn away at Kingfield in the 1st round. I remember going to that game quite well, it was the 1st ever away game that I drove to, having only passed my test some 3 weeks previous. I don’t remember much about the drab 0-0 draw, but do remember being pleased that I and my companions had got home safe in my old nail of a Fiesta. Yes, I’d managed to get there and back in one piece, despite a colleague having to take control of the wheel once, in Cheltenham. We then drew again in the replay at Aggborough, 1-1. Woking lead, before Ocker Davies equalised. In those days, there was another replay and Harriers won the toss and the 2nd replay was again at Kidder. Of course, we lost 2-1, despite Steve Lilwall giving us the lead. Woking then went on to beat WBA in the 3rd round after disposing of Merthyr in round 2.

Our next cup meeting was in 93/94, our only ever successful season in the FA Cup. We beat Woking 1-0 with a Richard Forsyth penalty. I remember this game quite well, I attended the game with some customers, as I was then working for the main sponsors. I’d managed to blag a mate in as well, and we were trying to be on our best behaviour as we sat in the old main stand. We ending sitting next to this Architect bloke, who was wearing a cravat, just his clothes suggested he wasn’t fond of industrial language. We managed to keep it in, even during some heated play, and what seemed about 2 or 3 penalty appeals. We finally cracked after another penalty shout, and loudly suggested that the referee went away and had some contact with the opposite sex, plus reminding him that he often didn’t need such contact, as he would frequently please himself, if you know what I mean. By this stage, we were both standing, and gesticulating wildly towards the pitch, we then looked around us to see everyone else, sat down. We returned to our seats, somewhat embarrassed by our touret like outburst. I then received a tap on the arm, from the cravat wearer, he just said that he agreed with me and the ref probably did “please himself”. Matter not, as Harriers won and of course we then proceeded on our best ever and only ever, successful cup run.

So it seems that the winners on Saturday could have a good omen to take with them into round 3. perhaps, you could say its Woking’s turn. Maybe so, but not really as they did beat us in the 1995 FA Trophy final. A good day out at Wembley was ruined in extra time, as Harriers went down 2-1. I think we could feel a little hard done by really. We’d had one goal ruled out for offside, after going down 1-0 very early on, in fact, it was one of the quickest final goals ever. We fought back and eventually levelled through Ocker Davies and then it went into extra time. Harriers then lost man of the match, Chris “man of Iron” Brindley, to a broken arm. Ironically, they were announcing Chris’s MOM whilst Woking fired in a corner, which they scored from and ultimately won the game. Ironic, because if Chris had still have been on the pitch, we probably would have kept it out.

So that’s the history over with, its just down to 90 minutes on Saturday now. Harriers shouldn’t have any major injury worries, I will update this with any late team news. Jan is still keen to add to the squad though, and it appears that Kidder have done the deal with Dane Jepser Christiansen. The Odense striker should complete his move on January 1st, when the pathetic transfer window opens. He then could make his debut against, Cheltenham on the 3rd, although we are hoping for that game to be rescheduled, due to FA Cup interest(that’s 3rd round day!). Jesper would be eligible for either game. Jan has also stated that he expects new faces for our next league game, on December 13th, against Orient. Maybe it could be Richie Appleby, who has been released by Hull City. Richie, would be an asset, but I think he is still injured, so if he does join, then it would take some time. Plus, Jan is still believed to be after a Midfield “leader”, and Appleby, is not that type of player.

Anyway, lets hope for the best on Saturday and the lads can give us something to smile about, and show the town again that really, the Harriers are probably the only thing to be proud of.

LATE NEWS tomorrow should see an old favorite return for Kidder. All I can say is that he's very tall and rather feathery.

Travel Details

Coaches leave Aggborough @10.30am (see official site or phone Harriers 01562 823931for details) (FOr official site, click on related links-Kiddy Links below)

M40,M25, J11- Woking A320, - through Ottershaw, -keep following Woking A320, Follow A320 through Woking and then head for –Guilford A320. Left at island –Dorking A247- Wych Hill Lane, - Kingfield Road. Ground then on right opp. Park. (area map below) Click for Multimap