FOOTBALL: SOLIHULL Moors boss Liam McDonald has described Saturday’s 4-2 defeat at home to Barrow in the National League as a ‘reality check’.
The hosts conceded three goals in just four first half minutes and failed to recover with McDonald’s side now sitting eight points away from the drop zone.
“We had no answers – they bullied us off the park,” said McDonald. “It was disappointing and we need to look at ourselves. This was a reality check.
“We were too deep and communication was poor. We did not make enough second balls. The massive home crowd did their bit but on this occasion the lads did not respond. Torquay will be different but we need to be much better.”
After the success of Moors’ Big Celebration Afternoon, which was well attended by hundreds of fans, attentions turned to the pitch at The Automated Technology Group Stadium against high-flying Barrow.
The visitors threatened early on with Turnbull heading wide from a corner and Nathan Baxter saved well from a dangerous corner.
Oladapo Afolayan beat two defenders as he charged into the box but opted to shoot when a pass would have been better. At the other end Baxter rushed out to narrow the angle as Williams picked up a ill judged ball from jack Byrne and the shot was wide.
On 23 minutes Moors had their first real chance as the ball came out to Sammons after a goal mouth scramble and he thumped the ball towards the goal but his effort rebounded off Flatt’s chest but offside had been given.
The opening goal came with 26 minutes on the clock when Moussa Diarra caught Baxter by disguise by directing a header from a long range throw-in into the back of the net.
Almost from the re-start Barrow doubled their lead when Meikle’s long range shot was only parried by Baxter and Williams was on-hand to tuck the ball home.
Moors then found themselves 3-0 down with just under half-an-hour played. Hughes headed home a corner to put the visitors 3-0 in front and McDonald’s side now had a mountain to climb.
Sammons saw his exquisite 30-yard free kick thunder against the crossbar and when Byrne was brought down moments later Sammons was off target from a similar distance.
Barrow started the second half on the front foot again and any hopes that Solihull harboured for a come back were effectively dashed when Joel Kettle fouled Hughes in the box and Bennett sent Baxter the wrong way for the visitors fourth goal.
Moors might have opened their account on the hour mark when Dapo Afolayan put Carline through for a one on one with Flatt but the ball bobbled and he could not convert.
However, all credit to the Moors who still looked for that elusive goal and it finally arrived on 65 minutes when Liam Daly dinked the ball out of defence to Kristian Green who surged down the right before cutting in and blasting it beyond the stationary Flatt into the net.
Almost immediately Solihull were back on the attack; Daly provided Carline with a knock down in the box but Afolayan hit over. However on 74 minutes Meikle was robbed on the edge of the Barrow box and Afolayan coolly converted Moors second goal to make it 4-2.
With time ebbing away Afolayan was clattered by Anderton who was sent off for a second yellow card resulting in the dismissal of the tall left back who was perhaps fortunate to have stayed on so long.
It was too late to make any difference and with five minutes added time Barrow saw out a comfortable victory without further incident.
