Venue: Damson Park
Saturday, October 29 2021, 3pm kick-off.
Conditions: Cold, but bright and dry
Ground: “Flat and Grassy, Carpet-esque.” Ben Barrett.
Scorers: None
Attendance: 1607 (232 away)
Referee: Thomas Parsons
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Dan Moss 28
Solihull Moors: James Ball 65
Sendings off:
Yeovil Town: Max Hunt 70
Solihull Moors: Jordan Cranston 61
Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)
Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Jack Robinson
Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Jordan Barnett
Tom Knowles Adi Yussuf Charlie Wakefield
Substitutes: Joe Quigley (for Wakefield 72), Alex Bradley (for Knowles 87), Sonny Blu Lo Everton (for Yussuf 72), Toby Stephens, Max Evans.
Solihull Moors: Boot, Williams, Cranston, Maycock, Howe, Storer, Sbarra, Barnett, Ball, Dallas, Maynard
Substitutes: Gudger, Rooney (for Sbarra 75), Osborne (for Ball 68), Boyes, Donawa
Match Report
Here’s how Ben saw the game.
Yeovil Town take a point from high flying Solihull Moors after both sides were reduced to 10 men.
The Glovers started brightly which has been the case so many times early corners and throw ins from both flanks caused a Moors defence consistent problems.
But, having kept three recent clean sheets in victories, the play off chasers were often more than capable of dealing with all that was, quite literally thrown at them.
Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield were the out ball time and time again as the Glovers put their quick breaks to good use.
Half chances came and went at both ends, there were pot shots and scruffy moments for Adi Yussuf and Jordan Barnett in the final third, but the Glovers lacked that final moment of quality.
Solihull pushed and pushed and got more than their fair share of chances along the way too, Jamie Ball having not one, but two sights of Grant Smith’s goal.
As the half wore on the game continued to sway back and forth and just as the half drew to a close Yeovil missed what was probably the definitive moment of the match.
A dangerous throw in resulted in a corner which Dale Gorman whipped under the crossbar, somehow almost inexplicably Adi Yussuf put the ball over.
Half time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 0
The second half started in the same scrappy fashion as the first, quality, especially in the final third was lacking but the real spark came when Jordan Cranston was sent off.
Cranston and Williams on opposite flanks were a constant outlet for Solihull and when Knowles and Cranston collided on the side of the pitch what happened after was bonkers.
Cranston lashed out sending Knowles to the ground and was rightly sent off.
Knowles was a marked man after that and tackles began to fly in, Jamie Ball was lucky to stay on the pitch and not see his side reduced to nine after a nasty challenge and plenty of afters on the Glovers attacker.
No more than 10 minutes later, the numbers were evened. Max Hunt found himself the wrong side of the attacker and had no choice to bring down former Glovers target Andy Dallas and seeing red himself.
The numbers were evened up but the attacking intent was now firmly with the hosts.
The introduction of Jamey Osborne gave Moors an edge in midfield that the Glovers lacked at times.
Joe Quigley was introduced and he did have a half chance as the game wore on but by the time ticked over to 80 minutes Yeovil had shut up shop.
Solihull threw the kitchen sink, but solid defensive performances from Moss, Staunton, Barnett and make shift centre back Jack Robinson were more than a match for everything they had to offer.
In truth, it’s a good point and a big case of ‘nearly’ being more than that on occasions.
A point is a good one. Bring on the FA CUP
Full time: Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil Town 0