MOORS bounce back from FA Cup exit with convincing 4-1 win away at Oxford City in the Conference North.
With both teams prematurely dumped out of the FA Cup at the first opportunity the second meeting of the clubs was hastily re-arranged from the Sunday before New Year.
Oxford sat third in the league at the start of play having made their best start to a season in the Conference North.
They have scored an impressive 28 goals already and any loss of concentration in the Moors defence would be a potential disaster against a team who beat them 3-2 at the Autotech Stadium just two months ago.
It was evident from the start that Oxford were very fast moving forward and Solihull had Tony Breeden to thank as he saved with his feet as Jackson advanced and then on 11 minutes he produced a fantastic left handed save as an Oxford free kick looked certain for the back of the net. For a short while Knights and Byfield swapped wings as Moors took the game to their hosts and it was from a Knights pass to Beswick that Solihull opened their account on the quarter hour mark: Beswick rifled a shot to keeper Scott who spilled the ball to the incoming Byfield who tapped home from 10 yards.
Moors almost doubled their lead on 23 minutes when Jordan Gough drilled in a thunderbolt at an acute angle from the left but with Scott expecting a cross, the ball ricochet off the upright. Then with half an hour played, Knights launched a defence splitting pass to Bogle who having beaten the off side trap neatly rounded the out rushing Scott to put Solihull two up. Oxford were defied by the long reach of Breeden on 40 minutes and Moors were fortunate when a speculative effort took a deflection but fell wide of the post. Nevertheless at the interval it was 2 – 0 to the visitors
As the second half gathered pace it was end to end play with Byfield going close on 55 minutes, whilst Oxfords Kynan Isaac flashed the ball across the Moors six yard line but fortunately there was nobody there for an easy tap in. On the hour mark Solihull put the match to bed when Knights broke down the left hand flank and crossed to Beswick just inside the box to volley home in off the left hand upright. Three minutes later from a free kick Bogle picked out Byfield who took the ball round his defender before hammering it home into the left hand corner of the net for Moors fourth.
To their credit Oxford never stopped trying and Barcelos brought another great low save from Breeden with 15 minutes to go. At the other end Liam Daly was unlucky with a bicycle
Kick as he drove forward and Jay Denny was caught just off side in a one on one with Scott.
Moors kept up the momentum right to the end with substitutes Owen Story and Aitor Espejo combining well on the right flank, and for the second week running Solihull saw off the opposition with a 4 – 1 victory.
The win elevates Solihull to tenth in the league and with one game in hand on most of their rivals, the play off places are within sight. However, next Saturday they entertain second placed Chorley at the Autotech Stadium which will be a stern test for the Mighty Moors
Dareen Gough tussled for possession. (s)
