JON HAMER bagged a hat-trick for AFC Solihull who moved up to second in Midlands Three with a 3-1 victory over Inkberrow.
Solihull got off to the perfect start with just a minute on the clock when Andy Matthews played in strike partner Hamer one-on-one and he finished brilliantly with the outside of his boot to give the hosts the lad.
Solihull maintained the early pressure and felt hard done by not to have a penalty.
Elliot Price’s shot in side the box was seemingly blocked by an Inkberrow defenders hand but the officials were unmoved.
Inkberrow began to hit back and last season’s 40-goal striker Nathan Davies saw an effort parried by keeper Dan Wright who got up to make a double save from the rebound.
Sensing an equaliser, Solihull went up the other end and managed to secure a two-goal cushion.
The same combination as the opener saw Matthews cross from the byline for Hamer to tap home inside the six yard box.
The first half continued at a decent tempo with both teams playing some good football but no more goals came once the half-time whistle was blown.
The second half started as the first with Solihull in the ascendancy and the strikers causing problems.
This time Hamer drilled a ball across the six yard box for Matthews to tap home, but the striker miscued his effort and the keeper saved.
Solihull didn’t have to wait long for their third, though, and on 55 minutes Hamer produced the moment of the game.
Receiving the ball on the edge of the final third, he showed all his pace and skill to leave three Inkberrow defenders for dead.
One-on-one with the visiting keeper, he then bamboozled the Inkberrow shot-stopper, rolling the ball to one side to go past him and blasted into the unguarded net.
Solihull seemed to drop off from this point and made the game more difficult than it should have been.
With 25 minutes remaining Inkberrow made them pay, with George Thomas’ neat spin and finish inside the box pulling one back for the visitors.
A few minutes later Davies had the chance to reduce the deficit even more as he raced onto a ball and tried to chip it over the onrushing Wright.
But Solihull skipper Tom Reynolds slid in to get a crucial deflection and send it wide.
The last 15 minutes saw chances at both ends with Inkberrow going for it and sending on ex-Alcester Town striker Ellis Kalach.
Hamer could have had a fourth but saw an effort saved and Kalach headed a great chance over the bar for Inkberrow.
Solihull make the trip to Castle Vale Town on Saturday.
