SATURDAY 9th FEBRUARY 2008

SOLIHULL MOORS 1 v 1 VAUXHALL MOTORS

BLUE SQUARE NORTH

Andy Mutch’s Vauxhall side earned a deserved point in the battle against relegation at Solihull Moors on Saturday in the Blue Square North.

Both sides took time to settle although it was the home side who had the better of the opening exchanges.  Vauxhalls first chances came when both Alan Griffiths and Craig Robinson went close with headers from two quick successive corners.

A further effort from Ashley Williams sailed over the home teams crossbar before a Simon Hollis cross at the other end should have been capitalised on by Darren Middleton only for his tame shot to go wide of keeper Lloyd Rigby’s left hand post.

However the hosts took the lead 2 minutes later when Lee Ayres was allowed space to head home from a Hollis corner.  Keith Smith almost levelled five minutes later for the Motormen only for his goalbound header to be cleared of the Moors line following a Tom Field corner.

At the other end Griffiths was on hand to clear off the Vauxhall line when Moors Jason Moore should have scored and Hollis fired over from the resulting corner.

Vauxhall manager Andy Mutch threw striker Mark Reed on at the start of the second half and within five minutes the Motormen were level.  Good work by Tom Field fed in Smith and his first time shot from the edge of the box went just inside the keepers right hand post.

Both sides had chances to win the game in the closing stages with Reed, Williams, and Field all going close as Vauxhalls went in search of the winner, while Solihull’s Tim Gould flashed a header wide of the Motors goal at the other end.

The Motormen now begin a run of thee home games starting on Monday night when Tamworth are the visitors to Rivacre Park, kick off 7.45pm.

Vauxhalls: Rigby, Williams, Dames, Field, Holmes (Owens), Robinson, Heler, Griffiths, Hitchen (Reed), Smith, Taylor.  Subs not used: Roberts, Murphy