CALLUM Maycock’s first league goal helped Solihull Moors earn a narrow win against Halifax Town to move back into the National League play-off places at Damson Park.
Maycock rolled the ball into the bottom left corner on 52 minutes after he was picked out by the lively Andrew Dallas to score his first goal for the club.
The goal represented the only clear-cut chance all afternoon in a hard-fought contest between two of the league’s promotion hopefuls.
Victory for Solihull moves them into seventh place in the National League table – just seven points behind leaders Grimsby Town after 12 matches.
Moors made one change from their last league outing against King’s Lynn Town a fortnight ago with Tyrone Williams replacing Adam Rooney who dropped to the bench.
The visitors started brightly and could have gone ahead after just three minutes when Kieran Green slipped Jack Senior in down the left-hand side of the penalty area only for the full-back to blast an effort into the side netting.
Solihull responded with their first chance soon after when Jordan Cranston found space down the left only to drag his low effort well wide of the target.
The home side then forced Halifax goalkeeper Sam Johnson into a save when James Ball’s header looped comfortably into the keeper’s arms.
As both teams wrestled for control of the game Town’s Matty Warburton saw his effort deflected over before Tom Bradbury fired wide from the resulting corner.
After another period of few chances, Cranston’s cross from the left caused trouble for Halifax at the near post before the visitors eventually scrambled the ball to safety.
Both sides struggled to create any clear-cut openings in the first-half although Halifax will have been the happier of the two teams having looked the more threatening in attack with the game scoreless at the break.
However, Moors upped the tempo after the interval and took the lead in the 52nd minute when Maycock found the bottom left corner after being set-up by Dallas following some excellent work in midfield from Ball.
That goal sparked the game into life as Halifax looked for an immediate equaliser only for Williams to make a pair of crucial blocks before eventually relieving the pressure.
Town continued to search for a leveller when Warburton’s free-kick from 25-yards out was well held by Moors keeper Ryan Boot.
Neal Ardley’s side looked to put the game to bed when a free-kick from the right caused problems for the Halifax defence only for Dallas to miscue his effort tamely into the hands of Johnson from close range.
The chances continued to flow at Damson Park when Warburton was denied by Boot at his near post as the game looked set for a fascinating final 15 minutes.
Substitute Martin Woods saw his powerful half-volley pushed away by Boot in injury-time as the Shaymen defended superbly to see out the win and secure a fifth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.
Solihull are next in action against Altrincham on Tuesday, October 26 with kick-off at Moss Lane at 7:45pm.
