SOLIHULL Moors ensured their name was in the hat for the second draw of the FA Trophy after drawing 1-1 with National League promotion hopefuls Grimsby Town on Saturday.
Marcus Bignot’s side travelled to Blundell Park looking to reach the second round on the non-league competition for only the second time in their history.
Gavin Cowan came in for skiper Theo Streete while Andy Brown was back from injury.
It took Moors some ten minutes to acclimatise themselves to their new surroundings during which the dangerous James Alabi fired the first shot towards the Solihull goal and Omar Bogle drove the ball over the bar.
In the eighth minute Bogle knocked the ball down into the path of his strike partner Alabi which forced Ben Siegrist to make a save with his legs.
Moors’ first real chance fell to Akwasi Asante who took a pass from Brown and clipped the ball towards goal with the outside of the his foot which McKeown parried away for a corner.
Asante again tested the keeper as he met Darryl Knights’ cross with a low drive from the edge of the box towards the right-hand corner.
The opening goal came from the ensuing corner when Gaz Dean was first to the ball with a head down to Brown who slid in for the opening goal to put Moors in front.
The Mariners were straight back at Solihull with Henderson lobbing Siegrist but clearing the bar, while Bogle shot straight into the arms of the Moors keeper.
Alabi forced a great save from the Solihull shot stopper on 34 minutes after a short back pass from Dean which allowed the tall striker a clear run through.
Siegrist had to be alert again to deny Bogle again from ten yards out and as the ball was cleared the Moors keeper pushed Henderson’s goal-bound effort over the bar.
Brown was denied by McKeown as Moors ended the half brightly however it was the hero of the hour, Siegrist, who again foiled Alabi in added time to send Solihull one goal ahead at the break.
Alabi and Siegrist started the second period as they had ended the first with the Grimsby striker again being foiled and an early Bogle effort was cleared over the bar.
Asante was on fire down the left flank and he beat Nsiala before finding Brown whose curling shot was superbly saved by McKeown.
With an hour played Brown put Asante away for a one-on-one with the keeper but his chip was easily dealt with.
Grimsby’s equaliser came on 64 minutes when a counter attack led to Siegrist being beaten from close range by Alabi, but Moors felt that was a foul in the build up to the goal.
Manager Bignot introduced Jimmy Armson in place of the tiring Andy Brown as Moors searched for the winner and Beswick was unlucky as he lobbed the keeper from almost the half way line causing Mckeown to back peddled before he parried the ball at full stretch.
A crafted Armson through ball put Asante away but the Moors man could not unleash a shot as he was closed down.
And as added time beckoned, Siegrist dived to the near post to deny Henderson’s long range effort before parrying an overhead kick from within the box.
The replay will take place next Tuesday at Solihull Moors with the winner playing either Weston Super Mare or Wealdstone in the second round.
