All the latest from the National Leagues
Solihull hit back to hold high-flying U’s
SOLIHULL Moors boss Tim Flowers admitted he was ‘pleased as punch’ after seeing his side twice come from behind to earn a draw with high-flying Sutton United.
Goals from Ross Lafayette and Tommy Wright edged the visitors into the lead only for them to be pegged back by home striker Danny Wright and skipper Kyle Storer who swept home hie equaliser with just eight minutes to go.
Flowers said: “We’ve had to show our character and courage in the last couple of games and to me that was our best performance of the season by a mile because we had to show a bit of everything – courage and bottle but also some technical ability, width and energy down the sides.
“I will be flabbergasted if Sutton don’t finish in the play-offs again. They have some real grizzled experienced types right down the spine of the team who know the division inside out. “But we had them pinned back for long periods of play and their second goal came against the run of play after we had had numerous shouts for penalties and goals off the underside of the bar. “We have scored two goals from set plays which is something that we have prided ourselves on since last November – both trying to stop them and trying to score from them so I’m pleased as punch with the point.” Lafayette’s opener came on 26 minutes after the Moors had gone close at the other end. The ball broke in the box and the striker placed his shot out of the reach of home keeper Ryan Boot. Jamey Osborne and Adi Yussuf went close to levelling but Solihull went closer still midway through the second half when Darren Crater thumped a free-kick against the underside of the bar before bouncing and being cleared.
The pressure finally told on 69 minutes when a wellworked free-kick saw Liam Daly head back into the box for Danny Wright to head home.
Sutton substitute and goalscorer’s namesake Tommy Wright restored the visitors’ advantage on 77 minutes with a breakaway effort only for Storer to sweep the ball beyond visiting keeper Jamie Butler to level the scores eight minutes from time.
United manager Paul Doswell said: “We took the two chances that came to us and they took the two that fell to them and I think a draw overall was a fair result.
“They put us under a lot of pressure in that last ten or 15 minutes so we have to be happy with a point.
“They have some good players who know the game – you can go through the whole team and see the experience they have now. We had to defend against that today and take the couple of opportunities that came our way.
“If you look at their starting 11 and come away with a point then you have to be happy with that.”