Chey Dunkley Joins Moors on Loan

Solihull Moors are delighted to announce the signing of defender Carter Pinnington on loan from West Bromwich Albion until December 26th. The 19-year-old centre-back arrives at Damson Park having joined the Baggies from Liverpool on a three-year deal ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. Pinnington progressed through Liverpool’s Academy after joining the club at Under-7 level and went on to represent the Reds across several age groups. The commanding defender made 19 Premier League 2 appearances for Liverpool’s Under-21s during the 2025/26 season, while also gaining experience in the UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy. Pinnington was also included in Liverpool’s senior squad for their Carabao Cup fixture against Crystal Palace in 2025 and has represented England at youth international level. Speaking about his arrival, first-team manager Chris Millington said:  “Carter is a talented young defender who has developed within an excellent academy environment. He gives us another strong option at the back, and we’re looking forward to working with him during his time at the Club.” Welcome to the Moors, Carter! 💛💙 The deal is subject to the relevant league and FA clearances.

Chris Millington’s Solihull Moors team are set to travel to Kingfield Stadium to face a Woking side currently led by interim managers Jake Hyde and Craig Ross, appointed after former boss Jermain Defoe's departure. Victory would of course see The Moors climb up the table.  Woking are battling against relegation this season, and they too will be looking to move away from danger with victory. Millington’s men will know that victory provides momentum, giving them extra incentive to come away from this game with all three points. Woking Football Club are a team with an extensive history. The Cardinals were founded all the way back in 1887, and a few years later in 1895 they decided to join the West Surrey League ahead of the 1895/96 season. They would go on to win the league title by a margin of just a point, securing their crown on the final day of the campaign. It is worth noting, though, that just over 20 years after their founding, The Cards were in danger of ceasing to exist, with the club experiencing financial difficulties at the time. In 1908, they were able to reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, losing 5 – 0 to Bolton Wanderers in the end, though they had still got the attention of the press. Bolton later arranged a friendly with Woking, and this was enough to ensure that the club were able to remain solvent. Then, in 1911, they joined the Isthmian League, where they remained in the top division for 72 years until they eventually ended up finishing in second place as runners-up to Wycombe Wanderers in the 1956/57 campaign. In 1958, they won the FA Amateur Cup after beating Ilford 3 – 0 in the Final, which was in front of a crowd of as many as 71,000. They were eventually to unfortunately suffer the first relegation in their history, which they suffered in the 1982/83 campaign, and by the time that the 1984/85 season came to an end, they had dropped down into Division Two South of the Isthmian League. Then, under the management of Geoff Chapple, who had been appointed the previous season, they went on to lead them to promotion back to Division One after winning the 1986/87 title before then achieving two consecutive third place finishes in the next tier up. The Cardinals were then able to return to the Premier Division at the end of the 1989/90 season. 1990/91 was a famous season for the club. Entering at the Fourth Qualifying Round stage, Woking were able to beat as many as three Conference sides before setting up what was a standout tie in the Third Round Proper against West Bromwich Albion. Famously, despite going two goals down to the Baggies, The Cardinals were able to come from behind and win 4 – 2, one of the best results in their history so far, and the game also stood out for the historic hat-trick from Tim Buzaglo. The draw for the next round came, and it saw them drawn against Everton at their home ground, Kingfield Stadium, though the tie was eventually switched to Goodison Park. Woking did themselves proud, only losing the game 1 – 0 thanks to a sole goal in the end from Kevin Sheedy. They got applause and a standing ovation from the more than 34,000 strong crowd at the end of the game. We now fast forward to the 1991/92 campaign, which was a season that ended in great success for the team, who were able to clinch a historic promotion to the Conference after sealing their Isthmian League Premier Division title with games to spare in April 1992. The title was claimed after they were able to emphatically beat local rivals, Enfield 5 – 0, with Woking going on to finish as many as 18 points ahead of them overall. Fast forward to the 1996/97 campaign, it came shortly after claiming a third FA Trophy title, manager Geoff Chapple, together with his coach Colin Lippiatt, decided to leave Woking for Kingstonian. This John McGovern, formerly a forward for Derby County, Nottingham Forest, and Leeds United, became the new boss. McGovern’s side did go on to finish as high as third in the league, though following a poor start to the 1998/99 campaign, he was sacked by the club. Brian McDermott then took over, though he was to leave the club shortly after his appointment in March of 2000, after the club had struggled in the 1999/00 campaign. The return of former coach Lippiatt saw them recover for what was a respectable 14 th place finish overall. After struggling again in 2001/02 and a defeat in the FA Cup against Newport County, the aforementioned Colin Lippiatt decided to step down, with Geoff Chapple returning as manager and Lippiatt becoming his number two. Lippiatt left for good in January 2002 before Glenn Cockerill took his place. The team would only just finish above the relegation zone, with the promotion ambitions from earlier in the campaign unfulfilled in the end. The club then went through some more financial difficulties, and they were facing possible administration or even extinction once again. Thankfully for The Cards, they were saved eventually by long time fan of Woking Chris Ingram, who also happened to be a successful businessman as well. The start of the 2002/03 season saw Woking Football Club make their best ever start to a Conference season, though in September 2002 they lost seven games in a row, which meant that Chapple resigned with Glenn Cockerill taking over as manager, which was initially on an interim basis. In the final game of the season, they were second bottom and threatened by relegation, but thankfully for them they were able to beat Telford whilst arch rivals Stevenage Borough and Farnborough Town both secured victory, which meant that Woking were safe, to their immense relief. In the summer of 2003, they went full time, and in 2003/04 they finished 9 th in the Conference table overall. Unfortunately for the club, they were relegated from the fifth tier, then called the Blue Square Premier, in 2009. Graham Baker was then appointed manager for the 2009/10 Blue Square South campaign. They went back to part-time the following year in 2010, and following great runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, Baker and his assistant Jimmy Dack both left the football club in January of 2011. It would take them until the end of the 2011/12 season for them to make their return to the Conference Premier, winning the sixth tier title by a considerable margin of nine points, losing just five games all season. Back in the Conference Premier, they were able to finish in what was a comfortable 12 th place finish in 2012/13. Then in 2014/15. They finished higher in 7 th place, only missing a place in the playoffs by just a point in the end. However, by the conclusion of the 2016/17 season, they had lost some experienced players, and they struggled, which meant that they ended up finishing down in 18th place overall. Ahead of the start of the 2018/19 season, Alan Dowson took charge as boss, whilst Ian Dyer and iconic football commentator Martin Tyler, a lifetime fan of the club, joined Dowson as his assistant managers. They got all the way to the Third Round of the FA Cup, only losing to Watford in the end. The 2020/21 campaign saw them lose players to furlough during the pandemic at the time, finishing in 20 th place. There was then to be a takeover of the club by the investment group by the name of Final Third Sport, led by Americans John Katz and Drew Volpe. In February 2022, the club found themselves in the bottom half of the league after a poor run of results, and this led to the sacking of Alan Dowson after four years in charge of the club. 2022/23 saw them finish fourth, though they were beaten in the playoffs by Bromley. Michael Doyle took charge in December 2023, and they only just survived relegation under his management by the time the 2023/24 campaign ended. Doyle then left following a poor run of form in December 2024, and was admired for his efforts in keeping Woking in the league. In December 2024, former AFC Wimbledon and Solihull Moors boss Neal Ardley, who has plenty of EFL experience, joined the club as the manager. However, he departed the club at the end of February 2026. He was replaced in the interim by Craig Ross, Jake Hyde, and Dale Gorman. Former Spurs, Sunderland, and England striker Jermain Defoe took charge as manager on 29 th March 2026, leading the club for the remainder of the 2025/26 season and leading them to a 10 th place finish. However, with just two weeks to go before the start of the current season, 2026/27, he left the club after just six matches in charge. Woking are now led by interim managers Jake Hyde and Craig Ross. Ross is player/manager. In the opposition dugout – Jake Hyde & Craig Ross Following the departure of Jermain Defoe, Jake Hyde and Craig Ross are in charge as interim managers, with the latter still playing for the club as well. They took charge for the 2026/27 season after Defoe’s departure. They hope to lead Woking to a mid table or even top half finish. Starting with Hyde, he got his first coaching opportunity at Woking, which is the same for Craig Ross as well. Jake Hyde also had an extensive playing career from 2008 to 2026. He had stints with the likes of Swindon Town (2008 - 2009), Weymouth (Loan, 2008; Loan, 2009), Barnet (2009 – 2010; 2012 – 2014), Hayes & Yeading United (2010 - 2011), Lochee United (2011), Dundee (Trial 2011; 2011 - 2012), York City (2014 - 2016), Stevenage (2016 - 2017), Maidenhead United (Loan, 2017 – 2018; 2017 - 2018), Woking (2018 – 2020; 2025 - 2026), FC Halifax Town (2020 - 2021), Wrexham (2021 – 2023), Southend United (Loan, 2022 - 2023), Yeovil Town (2023 - 2024), and Chelmsford City (2024 - 2025). As for Craig Ross, his playing career is still ongoing, having been playing as a Goalkeeper for Woking since 2025. Ross has also played for the likes of Ashford Town (2008 - 2010), Carshalton Athletic (2010 - 2011), Godalming Town (2011), Welling United (2011), Hampton & Richmond Borough (2011 - 2012), Cambridge United (2012 - 2013), Eastbourne Borough (Loan, 2012; 2013 - 2014), Farnborough (2014), Whitehawk (2014 - 2016), Macclesfield Town (2016 - 2017), Barnet (2017 - 2018), Leatherhead (2018), Woking (2018 – 2023; 2025 - Present), and finally Maidenhead United (2023 - 2025). Key Player – John Marquis Experienced forward John Marquis is currently the standout player for Woking this season so far, with him being their top scorer so far, as of the time of writing, with 3 goals. Marquis joined The Cardinals on 1 st September 2026. Marquis has represented a plethora of clubs in a career that began 17 years ago in 2009. He has played for the likes of Millwall (2009 - 2016), Staines Town (Loan, 2010), Portsmouth (Loan, 2013; 2019 - 2022), Torquay United (Loan, 2013), Northampton Town (Loan, 2014; Loan, 2016), Cheltenham Town (Loan, 2014), Gillingham (Loan, 2015), Leyton Orient (Loan, 2015 - 2016), Doncaster Rovers (2016 - 2019), Lincoln City (2022), Bristol Rovers (2022 - 2024), Shrewsbury Town (2024 - 2026), and finally Woking, his current club, since September 2026. Opposition overview written by Adam Holt

Solihull Moors were beaten 3-0 at Damson Park by top of the table Boreham Wood in the National League. A goal in each half from Ben Whitfield, and one from Jay Bird saw Luke Garrard's side overcome Chris Millington's men, despite Whitfield also missing a penalty for the away team. Team news Max Metcalfe came back into the starting 11, replacing Nat Ford in goal. Captain Alex Whitmore and Junior Tiensia returned to the side after injuries, coming in for Callum McFarlane a d Ben Worman. Matty Carson started at left-back, with Cam Green making way, and new signing Florent Hoti was named on the bench after signing on a short-term deal. Kick-off The first chance of the game fell to Boreham Wood's Marley Marshall-Miranda, who found himself unmarked on the edge of the box, but fired well wide. A flurry of corners followed for the away side who were beginning to take control of the game. A combination of Jevon Mills and Alex Whitmore prevented Boreham Wood's best opening so far when they looked to have broken through on goal. Mills showing great strength to win the ball, before Whitmore cleared the danger. The Moors, who had up until this point struggled to retain possession, had their first spell of sustained pressure with about 20 minutes on the clock. Scott High had an effort on goal, hitting it well over from 20 yards. Moments later, a lovely couple of flowing moves put the visitors on the back foot, but Solihull just couldn't find the final ball into the area. A long throw-in by Jamie Andrews caused a bit of panic in Boreham Wood's 6-yard box, but the ball wouldn't drop quickly enough for Whitmore to get a proper effort on goal. Some good play on the wing by Lewis Richardson, who cut onto his left foot and drilled a great ball into the box, was well cleared by Solihull. A great chance fell to the away side when Oli Bainbridge sent a high ball into the area, which found its way to Ben Whitfield, who struck a terrific volley that went inches wide. A let-off for Solihull, who saw just how quickly Luke Garrard's men can break and create chances, even when under pressure. Boreham Wood won a free-kick on the edge of the box, Brunt stroked the ball beautifully round the wall and towards the top corner of Metcalfe's goal, but saw his effort hit the bar before the danger was cleared. Desperately unlucky not to notch his 6th goal of the season. GOAL - 43' Boreham Wood. A slightly controversial opener for the visitors. A harmless chipped ball into the box by Brunt looked to have been dealt with by Andrews, who then went down after appearing to be pushed in the back. The referee allowed play to continue and Ben Whitfield was the quickest to react, firing the ball into the bottom corner to leave Chris Millington's side furious just before the break. 0-1 Second half GOAL - 47' Boreham Wood. A long ball towards the box was headed clear to Marshall-Miranda who played a delightful first-time ball into Whitfield, who rifled across Metcalfe's goal and into the back of the net. 0-2 Not long after, Whitfield was close to getting a hat-trick, the striker took the ball in an almost identical position to his 2nd goal, this time firing wide, much to the relief of the home fans. The Moors, trying to get back into the game, had possession with Sbarra who sent Matty Carson through on the left, the full-back's cross was inches away from Wakeling, who was flying in but couldn't get the crucial touch on the ball. Wakeling then had an opportunity to get a shot away, this time firing straight at Luca Gunter from outside the box. Whitfield, who has already greatly impressed on loan from Barrow with 4 goals in 3 games, then had another chance to net his third. Metcalfe pulling off a great save to deny him, before the ball fell nicely to Brunt, who's powerful drive was brilliantly blocked by Whitmore. New signing Florent Hoti came on to make his Solihull Moors debut, hoping to salvage something from the game, replacing Junior Tiensia. PENALTY - 66' Boreham Wood. A clash in the box saw Jay Bird go down and a penalty been awarded to the away side by referee Adam Merchant. SAVED - Max Metcalfe. Ben Whitfield, seemingly on a one-man mission, stepped up to take the penalty, but this time was denied by Metcalfe. The Moors keeper pulled off a top-class save with his foot to stop Boreham Wood from putting the game out of reach. GOAL - 76' Boreham Wood. A third goal for the away side. A cross looped up off Whitmore, and after the initial header was cleared, the ball then fell to Jay Bird, who calmly slotted into the far corner with his right foot. 0-3 A long-range strike from Brunt was saved well by Metcalfe, before the same man then had another attempt again saved by The Moors keeper. Ryan Woods did well to head the ball away as Tyler Golden was about to nod in from 2 yards as The Wood threatened to run riot. Whitfield was yet again denied by a great save from Metcalfe, who tipped away a powerful effort that was heading towards the bottom corner. 17-year-old academy attacker Ashton Lance-Pencheon came on to make his debut for The Moors late in the game. Full-time score - Solihull Moors 0-3 Boreham Wood. A defeat against a strong Boreham Wood side continuing their red-hot form that sees them top the National League table. The Moors, who remain in 23rd position, will be looking to put things right on Tuesday night away to Woking. Thank you as always to the supporters, your continuous backing doesn't go unnoticed💛💙 Sponsors man of the match - Alex Whitmore. Attendance - 1037 (including 168 travelling fans). Next up - The next destination for The Moors is a 115-mile trip to The Laithwaite Community Stadium, home of Woking, on Tuesday 29th September, 19:45 kick off. To secure coach tickets for this fixture, please visit the link below - https://solihullmoorsfc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/woking_coach_away_travel_2627?version=m COYM💛💙 Match report written by Scott Cattell