Penalty shoot-out heartache for Town after battling show

FOOTBALL

Stratford Town 1-1 Solihull Moors

Solihull Moors won 5-4 on penalties

Birmingham Senior Cup, First Round

STRATFORD Town’s hopes in the county cup were ended after Jazz Luckie’s shoot-out penalty was saved.

The striker was the only player to fail from the spot, with Solihull Moors’ keeper Charlie Bannister diving to his right to flip Luckie’s right-footed effort over the bar.

It was tough on Carl Adams’ side after they recovered from being on the back-foot in the first half to gain the ascendancy after the break against their National League opponents.

Solihull had the edge in terms of attacking intent and possession in the first half but the first goal on 43 minutes was simply a horrendous blunder from Town’s Loyiso Recci who presented the ball to Oladapo Afolayan to tuck home.

But Stratford were unrecognisable in the second period and deserved to be level when substitute Edwin Ahenkorah, back in action after a five-game absence, confidently slotted home a penalty.

For all their dominance in the first period, Moors found Town’s defence largely untroubled. When the ball did fizz into the box Andy Gallinagh and Liam Francis managed to intercept with bodies-on-the-line blocks.

Town keeper Louis Connor was quickly into action, with a flying at the near post to keep out Richard Brodie’s angled drive after five minutes.

Moors advancing full-back Shepherd Murombedzi was a threat down the right and lashed a 20-yard into the sidenetting and then had a penalty appeal waved away after being flattened by Charlie Evans.

Wes McDonald had a cracking shot blocked and then set up Courtney Richards but his effort from the edge of the area flew wide.

But there was no escape for Town two minutes before half-time but painfully it was self-inflicted. Recci miscontrolled and then tried to send a back-pass towards Connor, only to gift the ball straight to Afolayan who guided the ball into the far corner.

Stratford struggled to build up any head of steam as an attacking force in the opening period. Chances were few and far between but Mike Taylor should have done better when surging down the right but crossed weakly.

Skipper James Fry warmed up the hands of Moors keeper Bannister with a fierce 30-yarder and Bannister reacted sharpest to nick the loose ball from Taylor and Francis.

In the second half, though, Stratford were much more lively and started to show real menace.

Four minutes after the turnaround, Adams men were inches away from an equaliser. Taylor outmuscled defender Joel Kettle and laid the ball into the path of Eli Bako but he scooped just over.

Then only an excellent double save by Moors No 1 Bannister kept his side in front on 65 minutes as he parried Ben Stephens’ howitzer free-kick and then kept out Francis’ follow-up.

The momentum was with Stratford and they got their reward with an equaliser nine minutes from time.

Evans’ charging foray down the left was only halted by a lunging McDonald foul, leaving referee Simon Brown to point to the spot. Ahenkorah stepped up and smashed the penalty into the bottom right corner as Bannister hurled himself into the opposite direction.

There was still time for Town keeper Connor to produce an acrobatic one-handed save from sub Tahvon Campbell but the tie went straight to a penalty shoot-out.

Will Grocott, Ahenkorah, Stephens and Fry were all successful but Luckie, taking the second kick, had his effort saved while Moors quintet of Richards, McDonald, Campbell, Afolayan and Dan Cleary all found the net.

STRATFORD: Connor; Tudorache (Stephens 59), Gallinagh, Francis; Recci, Fry, Grocott, Evans; Bako (Luckie 77), Taylor, Marsden (Ahenkorah 76). Subs: Hancocks, Summerfield.

SOLIHULL: Bannister; Murombedzi, Kelleher, Kettle, Liburd; McDonald, Richards, Cleary, Carline; Brodie (Campbell, 76), Afolayan. Subs: Martin; Hill, Green, Coyle.