FOOTBALL: LIAM McDonald has spoken of his pride after watching his Solihull Moors side come away from Dover with what could prove to be a precious point in their bid to remain in the National League this season.
The Moors manager had spoken about keeping the league’s top scorer Ricky Miller quiet during Saturday’s game and the visitors did just that by coming away with a clean sheet following a 0-0 draw.
It was the first time this season that Dover have failed to score at home, which was a testament to the strength and team sprit of the Moors and McDonald could hardly disguise his feelings.
He said: “Words cannot describe how proud I am of the players. It was always going to be tough at high-flying Dover, especially when the journey started at 8am in the morning.
“We stuck to our game plan and put in an energetic performance which almost saw us take all three points right at the end. This was a tremendous performance from such a young team.
“Our small contingent of very vocal supporters again made such a difference.”
Conditions were surprisingly firm at the Crabble Stadium despite heavy downpours where McDonald handed first starts to Ashley Sammons and Oladapo Afolayan.
The visitors made the best of the opening forages and could have taken the lead on five minutes when Sterling James whipped in a corner which just needed a touch and soon after Afolayan produced a delightful back flick for Kristian Green to cross but again there were no Solihull heads to make it count.
Orlu has Dover’s first real threat on 14 minutes but it sailed over the bar and Baxter was ready for Deverdics dangerous free kick from all of 35 yards which he punched away to safety.
At the midway point in the half Sammons launched a 25 yarder just wide of the upright and again Afolayan opened up the Whites defence as he screwed the ball back across the 18 yard box but nobody had followed up.
Miller had been well contained by the Moors back four and he had to wait until the 34th minute before he finally created space on the edge of the box but Baxter was equal to the shot pushing it over for a corner.
It was the sharp shooter again as the interval beckoned picking up a decent cross from Deverdics but Daly cleared off the line.
After the break Miller outrageously appealed for a penalty which was not given, and then when he did get through Daly was there to clear the danger.
On 67 minutes Sammon’s free kick from just outside the box was deflected for a corner which was headed wide by George Carline, while Regan Charles-Cooke, on for Sterling James, was denied by Arnold with 20 minutes remaining.
Miller had a rare pot on 76 minutes but skied the ball and his frustrations boiled over when he was booked on 83 minutes.
Lafayette’s effort was well saved by Baxter in the final minute of normal time, however Moors almost snatched victory in injury-time when Simeon Mare put Nortey through but his low drive towards the inside of the far post was pushed around for a corner by the diving Arnold.
Another point edges Moors up to 14th place in the National League ahead of this Saturday’s home clash against Braintree.
Attendance: 1,104
Team: Baxter, Murombedzi, Daly (Nortey 84), Kettle, Flanagan, Sammons, Green, Maye, Afolayan (Udoh 73), Sterling (Charles-Cook 62), Carline
Subs not used – Lewis, White.
