Notts saved by Slo motion
ABRILLIANT last-gasp save from keeper Sam Slocombe ensured Notts County held on for a vital victory in this tense festive fixture.
Wes Thomas had given the visitors the lead late in the game but it needed the former Bristol Rovers stopper to keep the Moors at bay in the closing stages – twice denying Danny Wright.
It was a result which sees County leapfrog to sixth in the table – one place above their hosts for the afternoon – and Magpies assistant manager Neil Cox knows what an important result it could turn out to be.
“We knew it was going to be difficult. They play a certain way and we wanted to match it,” he said.
“The defending at the end, not just from the defenders but also the midfielders, was excellent and then Sam comes up with a world-class save.
“It got us three points away at Solihull and not many clubs come here and get three points.
“We would have been happy with a draw at the start of the game but to come and beat these away from home is excellent.
“We had to be strong defensively but we did try to play and get the ball down maybe in the last third we let ourselves down a little bit.”
Chances were at a premium for much of the game with just one shot on target for each side in a lacklustre opening 45 minutes – a blocked Michael Doyle effort for the visitors and a Jamey Osborne strike straight at Slocombe for the hosts.
And it was a similar tale in the second half with a Paul McCallum header at the
Notts keeper the only chance of note until the latter stages.
The game finally burst into life on 76 minutes when former Magpie Terry Hawkridge lost possession wide on the Solihull right and when the ball was whipped into the area, Thomas was on hand to stab home at the far post.
Thomas was denied a second moments later as the visitors broke in numbers but the final stages then saw the Moors throw players forwards in search of an equaliser.
Wright thought he had levelled the scores on 90 minutes only for Slocombe to block his shot from close range with Mitch Rose then clearing off the line.
And then, four minutes into added on time, Wright latched on to a George Carline cross only for his volley to be brilliantly palmed away by the Magpies keeper.
Moors boss – and former England goalkeeper – Tim Flowers admitted it was a great save from the 31-yearold.
He said: “It looked a stickon 0-0. Both sides looked leggy and there weren’t a lot of chances – neither keeper was tested up until the goal really.
“Then the game has really sparked into life and but for a wonder save we could have taken a point from the game.”