Victory for Solihull Moors on Saturday would have taken Solihull Moors into 11th in the table. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be on an afternoon that left those of the home persuasion concerned by the quality of officiating at the Autotech Technology Group Stadium.
Wrexham were always going to provide an acid test of the Moors’ ability to gain victory and having signed four players on loan as well as Football League stalwarts Izale McLeod and Russell Penn, Dean Keates had quickly put together a side that could press quickly and suffocate the opposition.
It meant Moors needed to be switched onto everything. Could they win each second ball, win their challenges, their individual battles and keep their heads when the rough and tumble escalated? After a tough opening it is fair to say they did. They reacted superbly to an early setback and offered as much, if not more, in the game than their more celebrated opposition.
McDonald made one change for this fixture with Nortei Nortey back in the starting XI in place of Simeon Maye who dropped to the bench. With Pearson Mwanyongo having moved to Barwell on loan there was a place in the squad for Omari Sterling-James.
Having gotten over the initial frustration of losing my regular spot on the halfway line below the cameraman the game kicked off with Wrexham isolating the left hand side quickly in a bid to get a foothold in proceedings but Kristian Green and Shepherd Murombedzi were sticking to task.
Yet after a strong opening the referee gifted Wrexham the chance to take the lead when Paul Rutherford’s cross was slammed towards Kristian Green. Green was turning to make his body bigger with his arm moving into his body to avoid the possibility of handball. The ball deflected off his upper arm and the referee gave the decision. Green could scarcely have done more to avoid handling the ball and there was no intention about it whatsoever. Handball is a grey area but that decision looked incredibly harsh and dare I say, wrong.
Anthony Barry stepped up and sent Baxter the wrong way.
Wrexham continued in the ascendancy after that with Moors making some interesting decisions with the ball and hindering themselves. Shenton’s long range effort was deflected wide while Izale McLeod hit a sumptuous free-kick off the bar though there would have been uproar if he had scored given the soft nature of the decision.
The hosts did improve and got hold of the second balls that were going to pivotal to the game. Jack Byrne was also looking tidy in possession to give Moors that foothold and it was he that had the first effort of note for the Moors having his 25 yarder blocked.
Mark Carrington, the Wrexham captain and left-back, was denied at the near post by Baxter, Flanagan spanked a speculative effort well wide of the target and the half ended after Nortey’s free-kick managed to sneak beyond everybody in the area.
The second half saw a stronger Moors outfit and Jack Byrne was the man again to take the initiative but his cutback was just behind the run of Nortey. There was controversy then when Harry White latched onto a Curtis Tilt clearance only for Riley to bring him down, refusing to let go of his shirt for about 15/20 metres. Nothing was given against the last man yet a few minutes later he did the same with covering bodies and a free-kick was given.
Green was another driving force for the Moors with his marauding runs down the right and when he allowed Charles-Cook to take over one run the Charlton loanee found Harry White who forced a point blank save from Chris Dunn. Byrne’s volley was cleared a couple of yards away from the line moments later.
McDonald made a triple substitution in a bid to secure a point with Oladapo, Sterling-James and Maye replacing Charles-Cook, White and Nortey. Moments later and we were down to ten.
As mentioned, the referee was causing problems of his own doing and one running theme during the game was the willingness to fall for every Wrexham fall regardless of whether it was a foul or not. There was a professionalism about the way Wrexham had gone about the game and while they were wily, the referee allowed them to be. And that frustration was threatening to boil over throughout.
So when Chris Dunn was knocked over when taking a corner kick, Russell Penn slammed himself into the frame of Jack Byrne who was stood by. Byrne reacted instinctively throwing his arm into the face of the midfielder in a fit of aggression. Wrexham bodies came flying in to face off against Byrne and handbags ensued. Byrne was sent off and while he will have to acknowledge his reaction was poor the referee was asking for something like this to happen throughout. He fell for every trap Wrexham provided and the Moors eventually followed.
Still, the Moors were actually invigorated with 10 men, Maye sitting in a diamond midfield, Carline moving back to the left and Sterling-James playing behind Oladapo.
Sterling-James broke into the area but had nobody available for the cutback before being scythed down by Riley a few moments later, a sign of Wrexham’s ever-growing fragility as McDonald’s men took control.
Carline’s header fell for Kettle who directed a left-footed effort wide of the target and when Wrexham did break Sterling-James was on hand to produce a fine last ditch challenge on Massaka who also forced Baxter into a wonder save towards the end.
The final whistle blew and we were defeated. I’m not one to sit there and blame the referee week in, week out but it has to be said that the referee’s decision making did cost Moors on the day. There was very little between the teams and the show of solidarity at the end when the supporters stayed to clap each individual player said a lot about the performance they had seen in front of them.
We remain 14th in the table and just 2 points off the top half of the table. A difficult defeat to take but one that showed the better characteristics of this group.
Starting XI: Baxter; Green, Daly, Kettle, Flanagan; Murombedzi, Byrne, Nortey (Maye), Carline; Charles-Cook (Sterling-James); White (Afolayan).
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