let rec doMatch (wildcard:'a) (pat:'a list) (input:'a list) : 'a list option =
    let singleMatch p i =
        match (p, i) with
        | phd :: ptl, ihd :: itl ->
            if phd = wildcard then
                match doMatch wildcard ptl itl with
                | None -> None
                | Some x -> Some(ihd :: x)
            else None
        | _ -> None

    let longerMatch p i =
        match (p, i) with
        | phd :: ptl, ihd :: itl ->
            if phd = wildcard then
                match doMatch wildcard p itl with
                | None -> None
                | Some x -> Some(ihd :: x)
            else None
        | _ -> None

    match (pat, input) with
    | [], [] -> Some([])
    | [], _::_ -> None
    | _::_, [] -> None
    | phd :: ptl, ihd :: itl ->
        if phd <> wildcard then
            if phd = ihd then doMatch wildcard ptl itl
            else None
        else
            match singleMatch pat input with
            | Some x -> Some(x)
            | None -> longerMatch pat input

let strMatch (wildcard:char) (pat:string) (input:string) =
    match doMatch wildcard (List.ofSeq pat) (List.ofSeq input) with
    | None -> None
    | Some x -> Some(new string(Array.ofList x))