Match Report Solihull Moors 2 St Albans City 0
Pre Season Friendly @ The Autotech Stadium
Moors second pre season friendly saw an intriguing encounter with St Albans City who won promotion to the Conference South through the play offs last May.
This was the first ever meeting between the clubs on a warm sunny afternoon at Damson Park. Solihull were without the injured Omar Bogle, Ryan Beswick and Jordan Gough but it provided a stern test for all the players still fighting for a position at the club for the forthcoming season.
Marcus Bignot’s four new signings were all in the starting line up along with Dom Langdon recently returned from Brackley Town.
Although Tony Breeden had a quiet afternoon between the sticks, Aaron Brown and Owen Story were operating down the flanks with Junior English fronting the attack and it was Solihull pressure from the first whistle.
Aaron Brown headed over on seven minutes from a Keenah Rosser cross and it was the new signing again going close on 19 minutes.
With Darryl Knights spraying passes from mid field St Albans had to wait 30 minutes before their first meaningful attack when Howard Hall shot over the bar.
On thirty five minutes Dom Langdon’s header from a Knights corner was on target but lacked the power to worry keeper Welch, and as the first half ebbed away Knights chipped the keeper but was just wide of the upright with Story unmarked on the far post. English was ruled off side to prevent a one on one, whilst Langdon headed over from a Brown cross – his overlapping runs down the left side as he combined well with Brown were a feature of the half
Club Captain Rob Elvins was on for Rosser from the re start and immediately Brown was through but slewed his shot wide whilst Ward went close as Tony Breeden made an excellent save.
On fifty three minutes Knights found Story who split the Saints defence as the effervescent English waited on the far post but an interception by Saints Tom Ward resulted in an own goal giving the stranded Welch no chance. A left footed bullet on 55 minutes from The Moors striker was well saved.
With half an hour to play Marcus Bignot made his substitutions bringing on Taundry, Braithwaite, Cooper, Denny, Taylor and Ellis.
Almost immediately Alex Cooper was brought down in the box and Liam Daly stepped up to smash the penalty into the right hand corner of the net sending Welch the wrong way; it was the culmination of a strong performance from the central midfielder re signed from Leamington in the close season.
St Albans upped their game as full time approached and Loick Pires was close on 86 minutes. Then with the last kick of the match Frendo’s shot looked certain to hit the back of the net but great anticipation from Moors keeper saw Breeden produce the save of the day to send Moors in with a win and clean sheet.
