SOLIHULL Moors suffered FA Cup heartbreak after Neal Ardley’s side were beaten on penalties in a first round replay against League Two Hartlepool United in midweek.
Moors conceded in the final minute of normal time after Ryan Barnett’s early goal looked to have secured Solihull’s place in the second round.
However, Reghan Tumilty’s late goal forced extra time before Kyle Storer and Josh Kelly both missed penalties as Pools won 4-3 in the shootout at Victoria Park.
Solihull took the lead on eight minutes when Barnett drove into the penalty area and fired a low effort across the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner.
Moors should have sealed the win when Joe Sbarra broke free down the right and played the ball across to Callum Whelan only for the midfielder to shoot straight at onrushing Pools goalkeeper Ben Killip when one-on-one.
The visitors went close again when Kelly fired inches past the post from Ben Coker’s pass before Dallas’s venomous shot was superbly pushed behind by Killip with the ball destined for the top right corner.
And Moors were thwarted by Killip again later in the half when Sbarra latched onto Kelly’s through ball and was denied by a stunning one-handed save when one-on-one with the Hartlepool stopper.
It was then Louie Moulden’s turn to make an acrobatic stop as he somehow clawed away a header that almost looped over Moors on-loan keeper.
However, there was nothing Moulden could do to keep out Tumilty’s 90th minute leveller as the full-back’s first time effort found the net via the aid of the left-hand post.
Moors had chances to win the game either side of extra time as Alex Reid’s effort from close range was saved by Killip before Kelly fired narrowly wide when one-on-one which meant the game would be decided on penalties.
And Moors missed their first two penalties after Storer slipped and Kelly’s tame effort down the middle was saved before Joseph Grey scored the winning spot kick.
Solihull are next in action away at Chesterfield on Saturday, November 19 with kick-off at 3pm at the Technique Stadium.
