Moors Denied Win By Ten Man Gateshead

Solihull Moors remain in the relegation zone after conceding an injury-time equaliser against Gateshead.

Things were going our way in the first-half with Gateshead down to ten men and Alex Reid having opened the scoring. Paddy McLaughlin responded for the hosts in the second half but Chris Lait’s first goal for the club appeared to gift The Moors victory.

However, Mark Yates was left seething after witnessing his side concede a needless equaliser via the boot of Kyle Storer.

The gaffer made one change from the side that lost 1-0 to Sutton United on Saturday, Alex Reid given his first start since joining on loan from Fleetwood Town, replacing the suspended Adi Yussuf. Ben Frempah and Romario Martin were recalled to the squad with Kristian Green also missing.

We were the better side for the brief period both sides had 11 men on the pitch, Jamey Osborne managing to beat the goalkeeper but not Jamal Fyfield.

The hosts were enraged on 11 minutes when Rees Greenwood was shown a red card. He and Carter went up against one another in the air with the on-loan Sunderland midfielder catching The Moors captain with his elbow. Watching the replay over and over, it’s certainly not a pleasant challenge and it’s understandable as to why the referee has given it. That said, you can understand the frustration from the home side – it certainly wasn’t intentional and I can’t help but feel I’d have complained if it was the other way round.

After two minutes of bickering and treatment for Darren Carter, Jamie Reckord flashed the resulting free-kick wide. Richard Peniket’s header was well held by Max O’Leary before the visitors ramped up the pressure, Carter’s wicked effort landing on the roof of the net, Osborne skewing an effort wide and Alex Reid unable to find the target after good work from Kwame Thomas.

On 32 minutes, that pressure paid off. Jamie Reckord collected possession on the left and crossed towards Reid whose control was near immaculate despite Thomas’ trying but failing to make connection with the ball. With Fyfield for company, Reid turned well to fire home into the bottom corner.

Kyle Storer almost made it two but saw his side-footed effort fall just the wrong side of Montgomery’s goal while Gateshead could have gone into the break level, Danny Johnson’s sharp turn not matched by his finish.

One goal to the good, Solihull Moors started the brighter in the second half with Jamey Osborne stinging the palms of Montgomery who also showed his ability a minute later when denying Jermaine Hylton. Thomas reached the rebound but his effort was blocked.

Scott Barrow’s free-kick was inches too high before Hylton was again denied, this time his low shot being cleared off the line. As is often the case, our failure to take chances cost us dearly.

On 68 minutes, centre-back Fraser Kerr drove down the right-hand side and the ball bobbled perfectly as he crossed towards the penalty spot where Paddy McLaughlin was on hand to volley home.

Kerr’s good work for the goal was almost undone when he cleared Hylton’s cross towards his own goal, the effort unfortunately rebounding off Montgomery and out for a corner. Substitute George Carline teed up Reid whose curler couldn’t quite find the target before Barrow forced O’Leary into a fine stop.

Chris Lait’s rotten luck with injuries was almost put aside in the perfect way when he scored what he thought was the winner with three minutes left to play. He had only been on the pitch for a minute but George Carline’s low cross was palmed into the path of the substitute who couldn’t miss from a couple of yards out.

However, disaster struck in injury time. Wes York’s pot-shot was heading miles wide of the target until Kyle Storer’s through a leg at the ball, diverting it into his own net.

An absolute killer so late on. Hopefully the boys can pick themselves up for another big game on Saturday – Torquay United at home.

Starting XI: O’Leary; Williams, Daly, Kelleher, Reckord; Osborne, Storer, Carter; Thomas (Carline), Hylton, Reid (Lait). Unused: Frempah, P.Green, Martin.