FOOTBALL: LIAM McDonald made the perfect start to life as manager of Solihull Moors after guiding the club to the second round of the FA Cup for the first time thanks to a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory over League Two outfit.
Tuesday night’s first round replay ended in a 0-0 draw and despite falling behind in extra-time to a Francois Zoko goal, Akwasi Asante forced the game to penalties and Moors held their nerve to produce one of the shocks of the tournament so far.
Yeovil’s Otis Khan was first into the action as he broke down the left side before firing over but Solihull were soon in their stride as Shep Murombedzi shot wide from 25 yards and Jamie Osborne’s effort sailed over.
Andy Brown tried a low 25 yarder on the quarter hour mark but Krysiak produced a good save to quell the danger.
Eaves met a corner and as the home crowd held its breath Jordan Gough cleared of the line before Osborne produced a solo run down the right flank but a punishing cross into the box eluded the Moors front men.
On 27 minutes Khan put in a curling shot from the edge of the box but as it sped towards the top right hand corner of the net, Vaughan, at full stretch, tipped it over for a corner.
Three minutes later Murombedzi was thwarted with a 20 yard effort after a Brown cross, before Osborne shot over with only Krysiak to beat.
Brown blasted goal wards as half time approached but it was deflected up into the air, still needing the keeper to produce a good save as both sides went in level at the break.
Moors continued to create chances after the break with Osborne firing wide from the edge of the box and Omari Sterling shot narrowly wide, while at the other end Jordan Gough headed away the danger as Ward shot on target.
Knights produced a perfect close range lob for Murombedzi which was cleared for a corner whilst Brown hammered a Connor Franklin throw producing a terrific save from Krysiak.
The Glovers’ number nine Eaves was just wide as he struck from the 18 yard line before Moors could have won it late on.
Five frantic minutes of added time saw substitute Eddie Jones inches wide on the end of Franklin’s cross, Murombedzi’s effort from 12 yards was cleared, Sterling James’s shot went for a corner before Daly’s tap in from a corner forced the impressive Krysiak into another fine save.
Moors had seemingly given everything to find that elusive goal but three minutes into added on time Yeovil went in front when substitute Zoko collected the ball just inside the Solihull half and ran with it before unleashing an unstoppable shot which cannoned in off the underside of the cross bar.
Moors hit back with Sterling-James coming close on 95 minutes before he was fouled inside the area and referee pointed immediately to the penalty spot. Substitute Asante duly converted to make it 1-1 which is how it stayed at the final whistle.
Moors won the right to have the shoot-out in front of their fans and it paid off with Jack Byrne, Eddie Jones, Jordan Gough and Omari Sterling all scoring from the spot to make it a night to remember for the Moors.
