THE FIRST meeting between Solihull Moors and Woking proved to be a highly entertaining one in which Marcus Bignot’s side came from two-goals down to claim a point at the Automated Technology Stadium, reports John Clothier
On a bitterly cold Tuesday evening, Moors could have gone ahead in the opening seconds but Ryan Beswick’s low shot from 20 yards out was beaten away and on seven minutes Omari Sterling James steered his shot towards the corner of the net but the post came to Woking’s assistance.
Liam Daly saw his header from a corner pushed around the post as Woking continued to weather the storm but they started to look dangerous on the break.
After two forays into the Solihull half, the breakthrough came on 31 minutes when a cross from the right found Nathan Ralph unmarked in the six yard box and he headed down beyond Danny Lewis for Woking’s opener.
It was their first effort on goal and within five minutes a copy cat move again saw the ball on its way into the back of the net via the head of Murtagh but this time Daly was ready and waiting to head it clear of the line.
The visitors had ended the first half on a high and if anything were more dynamic after the restart before doubling their advantage when a header from Zak Ansah had Lewis in two minds as it sailed into the near corner.
Moors have a never say die attitude to these situations and they came back at Woking with Beswick going wide on 55 minutes but on the hour mark manager Bignot made what proved to be an inspired triple substitution with Akwasi Asante, Harry White and Darryl Knights all being introduced.
With 72 minutes on the clock Moors were back in the match thanks to suibstitute White who beat the opposition goalkeeper with a close range finish.
Moors were rampant now as Asante opened up the left flank and his cross to Knights on 78 minutes was a whisker from seeing the equaliser.
The home support however did not have wait long before their team were level.
Connor Franklin produced a long throw into the box and Harry White saw his shot blocked but Jordan Fagbola was ready to sore his first goal for the club.
With ten minutes remaining anything seemed possible but despite Sterling James curling cross wide and White shooting just wide, there were to be no further goals and the contests ended 2-3.
Attendance: 699
Team: Lewis, Murombedzi, Franklin, Daly, Gough, Brown (White), Beswick © (Knights), Fagbola, Moore ( Asante), Osborne, Sterling James. Subs unused Moseley, Vaughan
