YOUTH WHING IT FOR MOORS

SOLIHULL’S swashbuckling rookies could get more chances to shine in the FA Trophy despite shocks elsewhere opening up the path to Wembley.

Just six National League sides – Moors, Barnet, Bromley, Gateshead, Kidderminster Harriers and Wealdstone – remain in the last 16 after the likes of Chesterfield, Oldham Athletic, Hartlepool United and Aldershot Town all got dumped out by lower-ranked opposition last Saturday.

Moors boss Andy Whing made nine changes but the future looked bright by full-time with four academy graduates finding the net in a 5-1 dismantling of Step 4 Nantwich Town. Next up is a trip to National League North promotion chasers Chorley in round five, but with Solihull pushing for a place in the Football League, Whing’s selection will continue to be dictated by the bigger picture. “We are in it to win it and progress as far as we can,” he told The NLP. “Looking at the results, a lot of the big teams have gone out but we will take it game by game.

“We are taking it as seriously as we can and will look at it as each game comes along, if players need a rest they’ll have a rest, if not we will play the strongest team we can in every game and every competition. “Cup runs can help as well. At my previous club (Banbury United) it really helped our league form, keeping that momentum going. You don’t want it to be stop-start, you want that momentum whether it is with team selection or results.” Not only did Kian Ryley, Morgan Owen, Tyler Bruck and Finn Howell weigh in with goals but the young attacking options also created – and spurned – a hatful of other chances, providing hope that the Moors might just have the depth to push for Wembley on two fronts. “That’s the aim,” said Whing, who will be without Owen at Victory Park after the midfielder joined Redditch United on a 28-day loan.

“We know it is going to be difficult to stay in the play-off picture, really tough. We have done fantastically well this season but opportunities like these, to play the young lads, are great, and they have grasped them in the matches at Scunthorpe and against Nantwich.

“We will see what the next round brings and where we are in terms of squad depth. If we have injuries the young lads will come back in and play again.”