SOLIHULL SEND A WARNING TO SPIREITES IT’S NOT OVER YET
CHESTERFIELD may well be threatening to run away with the National League title but Solihull Moors fired a Boxing Day reminder as to why it isn’t done just yet.
Moors stunned Paul Cook’s high-flying side with two goals inside the opening 15 minutes to set them on their way to three points.
Andy Whing’s men took the lead when Mark Beck capitalised on a poor back pass to put the hosts in front on 11 minutes.
And just four minutes later it was two, when Callum Maycock finished Beck’s flick.
Chesterfield had a Will Grigg strike ruled out for offside and later saw captain Jamie Grimes sent off in stoppage time as their sixgame winning run in all competitions came to an end and boss Cook said: “We have certainly had enough penalty box entries.
“In the second half we did what we were supposed to do. We got in the areas, we had chances, we put crosses in the box, we had shots, we had everything.
“I just felt at halftime that if we could get one then our tremendous support would have got us home but unfortunately we could not give it to them today.”
The result kept Solihull Moors and also allowed Bromley to cut the gap on Chesterfield to seven points, albeit having played two games more.
Andy Woodman’s Ravens have built on last season’s play-off semi-final appearance and continue to do so as they made it five league games unbeaten with a 3-2 win at Ebbsfleet United.
Goal machine Michael Cheek opened the scoring for Woodman’s side on eight minutes.
Dom Poleon, Fleet’s top scorer as they won the National League South title last season, levelled seven minutes after the break but parity didn’t last for more than 15 minutes.
Olu Olomola won the ball back in Ebbsfleet’s half before scampering up the left flank and cutting a low ball back to Ben Krahaus on the edge of the box. The youngster set himself and sent the ball low into the bottom corner via a deflection.
High energy
Olomola grabbed the third on 74 minutes when he, again, escaped up the left before driving into the box and flashing a low shot past Mark Cousins.
Poleon pulled one back for Ebbsfleet on 89 minutes but the visitors held on.
“I say this without an embarrassment, it’s all about results over Christmas,” Woodman said.
“The games come thick and fast, the legs are tired, people are tired – I know people don’t really get that at home but it takes its toll. Particularly the way we play, we’re a high energy, high tempo team so we’re going to have moments where we look leggy. It’s all about results and we got the result today.”
Barnet are third after their 2-0 win at Southend
United. The home side were on a high following the news contracts had been exchanged in the next step of the takeover from Ron Martin, who was in attendance.
But Dean Brennan’s Bees led with just four minutes gone when Reece Hall-Johnson’s deflected strike went in.
Captain Harry Pritchard wrapped things up with 12 minutes remaining from the penalty spot after Nicke Kabamba had been felled by keeper Collin Andeng Ndi.
“Obviously the news they had here in the last few days has given them a boost and we knew it was going to be a hotbed here,” Brennan said.
“To be fair to our lads, we stood up when it mattered. Our goalie made some good saves at crucial times, we cleared balls off the line.
“At half time we spoke could we go more direct and play off Nicke (Kabamba) a bit more rather than play out of the back because they were trying to press us.
“Kev’s (Maher) teams work extremely hard and it was a tough afternoon. But a fantastic victory for us.”
Showpiece
Gateshead are fourth thanks to Kyran Lofthouse’s late goal against York City.
The Minstermen led through Ryan Fallowfield’s drilled opened on 32 minutes.
The right back later had
a goal disallowed and Lofthouse popped up on 82 minutes to make it 1-1.
Aldershot Town shared a goalless draw in their big local derby with Woking, whose new boss Michael Doyle picked up his second point in two games.
That allowed FC Halifax Town to leap above them into the play-off places as they beat sixth-placed Altrincham 2-1. Millenic Alli fired them in front on 36 minutes before Jamie Cooke doubled the lead on 69. Alty’s Chris ConnClarke halved the deficit with a stoppage-time consolation.
Rochdale also moved up the table to eighth with a 2-0 victory over struggling AFC Fylde.
Veteran forward Ian Henderson’s fine finish put Jimmy McNulty’s side ahead at the break.
Keeper Louie Moulden made some good saved to keep his side in front before substitute Kwaku Oduroh made the points save.
McNulty admitted: “I had concerns pre-game about how we were going to find the energy to bring a Boxing Day showpiece to the ground today. I don’t blame the players one bit for being down on energy.
“They weren’t down on fight, but they were definitely down on energy. You could see there was a loss of energy in the performance compared to what we’ve had recently.
“But how they found the fight to stay in the game and show enough, in the end, to get a victory against a really dangerous opponent, is really commendable.”
Favour
James Norwood continued his fine run of goalscoring form with a double in Oldham Atheltic’s 3-1 win at Hartlepool United.
The 33-year-old striker made it seven goals in six games – and 14 for the season – as the Latics moved into the top ten.
Pools led through Joe Grey’s fourth-minute opener but Micky Mellon’s side quickly levelled when Josh Stones tucked in from Norwood’s flick on nine minutes.
Wigan loanee Stones returned the favour on 17 minutes when he sent Norwood clear before the former England C captain finished well.
And Stones was provider again on 63 minutes, wriggling free in the box before sending in a low cross Norwood was on hand to tap in.
“To a man we were fantastic today, I really enjoyed watching them play,” boss Mellon said.
Dagenham & Redbridge boss Ben Strevens saw his side take three points from his former employers Eastleigh.
Inih Effiong scored twice either side of goals from Keenan Appiah-Forson and Tom Eastman in the 4-1 win over the Spitfires, who had earlier equalised through Aidan Barlow.
In-form striker Sean Jordan Adarkwa followed up his hat-trick against Hartlepool United with a brilliant curling opener to put Wealdstone ahead at Maidenhead United.
Max Kretzschmar doubled the Stones’ lead with the damage done inside the first 16 minutes.
Ashley Hemmings rescued what could be a crucial late point for Kidderminster Harriers with a cool stoppage-time penalty to make it 1-1 against Boreham Wood, who had earlier led through Billy Sass-Davies. And Oxford City completed their eventful 2023 with a 2-0 win at stuttering Dorking Wanderers.
Captain Reece Fleet made the points safe in time added on after Renny Smith put the Hoops ahead on 75 minutes with a good finish to cap a counter attack.
“We didn’t play our normal stuff but we had a job to do which was to try and get something and we did that,” City boss Ross Jenkins said.