EIGHT-GOAL THRILLER IS ‘HORRIBLE’ FOR BOSSES

SOLIHULL Moors boss Neal Ardley saw his side score five to extend their unbeaten league run to ten games – only to admit it had been a horrible game.

Midfield maestro Joe Sbarra bagged a hat-trick with skipper Callum Howe and substitute Danny Newton also on the scoresheet to lift the Moors into the top five but sloppy defending ensured visitors Eastleigh were in contention right up to the dying moments.

Ardley said: “It was a tough horrible game in many ways and yet it shouldn’t have been and hopefully we will learn from it.

“We have worked hard at creating better chances and scoring goals but we have been conceding goals. Obviously we are concerned about the cheap goals we are giving the opposition but it is a fine line between telling players to clear their lines and to play with composure and relaxation.

“Everyone in the dressing room is sitting there feeling as though they have lost because they are disappointed with the way they have played and how they have let the momentum of the game get to them.”

It was Eastleigh who carved open the first opening on eight minutes when Tyrone Barnett got on the end of a Vince Harper cross only to direct his header the wrong side of the post.

Moments later, Moors were ahead. Andy Dallas crossed from the right, Adam Rooney steered the ball back into the danger zone and Sbarra shot past keeper Joe McDonnell.

Howe headed in a second on 15 minutes and after a string of other chances went begging, Sbarra made it 3-0 five minutes before the break from another Dallas cross.

But the visitors rallied with Brett Pitman pouncing on a defensive error to reduce the arrears on the stroke of half-time before Jake Hesketh added another five minutes into the second period. Sbarra should have put the result beyond doubt with a sweet volley on 79 minutes only for Eastleigh to instantly hit back through substitute Danny Whitehall to set-up a nervy finale.

In the end it was Newton who made sure of a Solihull victory when he steered a Ryan Barnett cross beyond McDonnell from close range deep in injury time.

Visiting boss Lee Bradbury said: “I have mixed emotions today. We’ve managed to score three goals away from home against a good team and yet we’ve lost the game.

“We’ve had six Covid cases and five injuries coming into the match. We could have got the game called off but we’ve signed three players to get the game on and I’m really proud of the lads.

“They played their socks off and in the end it was just down to some poor decision making.”