Solihull Moors vs. Latics

3 December 2022

Next up for Latics is a trip to Solihull Moors for another National League fixture.

Last time out, Oldham picked up a point on the road as they played out a goalless draw away at Maidstone.

David Unsworth’s side is boosted by the arrival of striker Alex Reid. The forward has played for Solihull this season, scoring seven goals in 17 league outings.

The Opposition

The Moors were founded in 2007 through the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough and entered into the Conference North.

They stayed in the sixth tier until their promotion in 2016.

The first two seasons in the National League saw them achieve survival comfortably finishing 16th and 18th.

Since, they have come in the top half every season. Twice they have missed out on promotion due to the playoffs with a 2nd placed finish in 2018/19 and 3rd last term.

Form Guide

Solihull are currently enduring a tough run of form that has seen them lose their last three in the league and also exit the FA Cup.

The last game that they secured all three points in came in late October, with five league games coming since.

Their FA Cup exit came against Hartlepool United. They drew twice with the Football League outfit but crashed out on penalties.

Prior to this recent dip in form, the Moors had been in fine form and as such still boast a spot inside the playoffs.

The Moors’ last six

Chesterfield 2-0 Solihull Moors

Hartlepool United 1-1 Solihull Moors (lost on pens, FA Cup Round One replay)

Solihull Moors 0-3 Dagenham and Redbridge

Solihull Moors 0-1 FC Halifax

Solihull Moors 1-1 Hartlepool United (FA Cup Round One)

Maidstone United 0-0 Solihull Moors

Watch out for

Andy Dallas is the danger man for the Moors.

Scoring an impressive 20 league goals for the Moors as they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Football league last term, the 23-year old has picked up where he left off.

He has eight league goals, putting him up there as one of the deadliest forwards in the division as well as scoring one in the FA Cup.

The forward joined the club in August 2021 from Cambridge United after a successful loan spell at Weymouth.

The Glasgow born striker came through the ranks at Rangers but never made a competitive appearance for the side.

Solihull Moors v FC Halifax Town preview | Halifax Courier

In the dugout

Neal Ardley is the man in the dugout for the hosts.

The 50-year-old has been in charge at Damson Park since June 2021.

His previous managerial stints have come at Notts County and AFC Wimbledon, as well as time spent in charge of Cardiff City’s academy side.

As a player, Ardley played for Wimbledon for over a decade, making over 250 appearances before moving on to Watford, Cardiff and finally Millwall.

He was also capped 10 times for the England under 21 side.

Solihull Moors' Neal Ardley on history-making promotion push and Crazy Gang life - Mirror Online

Odds

Solihull Moors are 4/7 with Sky Bet to secure all three points and put an end to their winless run.

Meanwhile, Latics are out at 4/1 to claim a big three points whilst the draw is 11/4.

Officials

Steven Copeland is the man in the middle, and he'll be assisted by Karl Buckley and Stuart Kane. Neil Pratt is the Fourth Official.

Match Reports

Solihull Moors 2-1 Latics

3 December 2022

Two quick-fire goals at the start of the second half proved costly as Latics fell to defeat at Solihull.

The home side struck twice in the space of three minutes through Joe Sbarra and Andrew Dallas to pick up maximum points at Damson Park.

Substitute John Rooney scored directly from a corner with a minute of regular time to play but despite a late rally from the visitors, it wasn’t enough to find a way back into the game.

Latics looked to have emerged as the stronger side as first half progressed, Alex Reid being denied on his debut before Ben Tollitt struck a post with the interval approaching.

But just when it appeared as though the visitors would gain a foothold, the good work quickly fell apart.

On his debut, Reid was deployed as the main striker having already netted eight goals during a loan at Solihull this campaign. He was one of two changes from the last game at Maidstone a fortnight ago with Ben Tollitt also returning from suspension.

After a tight opening, it was the home side who first posed a threat, John Kelly drawing a smart save from Magnus Norman after breaking down the right wing before Alex Gudger directed a header wide from a free-kick.

Kelly also sent a shot wide but with half-time approaching, Latics created a number of clear chances.

Having already gone close himself, Sydie Peck cleverly let the ball run through to Reid, whose strong effort was turned aside by Ryan Boot.

And just before the interval, Tollitt was played in by Hope before making a run into the area from the left, only for his shot to strike a post.

Yet the start of the second period was to signal a collapse for Latics, as within 60 seconds of the re-start Kelly broke from midfield before finding Dallas, who squared the ball for Sbarra to convert.

Soon it was two as the hosts put together another counter-attack, Sbarra playing the ball into Dallas to slot home from close range.

Solihull proceeded to control of the second period by enjoying the majority of the play, with Latics introducing three substitutes in an attempt to get back into the game.

Norman had to be alert to deny Sbarra at his near post whilst the goalkeeper also saved from Ryan Barnett.

After Boot had saved from Hope, Latics found a lifeline when an inswinging corner from Rooney went straight into the goal past a cluster of bodies in the area but despite late pressure, the visitors were unable to complete a recovery.

Oldham Athletic: Norman, Hogan, Gardner (Maynard 60), Hope, Sheron, Tollitt (Abraham 60), Reid (Rooney 74), Kitching, Peck, Chapman, P Clarke.

Subs not used: Hudson, Couto.

Solihull Moors: Boot, Clarke, Coker, Storer, Gudger, Sbarra (Whelan 85), Dallas, Osbourne, Barnett, Kelly (Donawa 77), Jones.

Subs not used: Vaughan, Cybulski, Parsons.

Referee: Steven Copeland

Attendance: 2,005 (634 away)

Standings