National League Play-Off Eliminator: Solihull Moors 4-2 FC Halifax Town
Solihull Moors book their place in the semi-finals as FC Halifax Town crash out at the first hurdle.
Solihull Moors booked their place in the National League play-off semi-finals with a 4-2 win over FC Halifax Town.
The hosts started the better and flew into a three-goal lead thanks to Tahvon Campbell, Jack Stevens and a Tylor Golden own goal. Jack Evans and Florent Hoti gave the visitors a chance of an unlikely comeback and Robert Harker almost completed it with a header against the bar late on before Jamey Osborne rubber-stamped Moors’ qualification to the final four.
Both clubs had endured a messy week or so leading into the game, Solihull Moors originally slated to host Gateshead on Tuesday with Halifax expecting to travel to Altrincham on Wednesday.
What followed was a bizarre sequence of events with Gateshead told they weren’t allowed to compete. Solihull Moors were initially given a bye, only for that to be given to Altrincham, a decision Moors agreed with. But it meant their home tie moving from Tuesday to Wednesday while Halifax, having completed prep and travel to Altrincham, were left needing to alter their arrangements for a trip south.
As complaints continued to poor into the National League office, who further buried any good feeling towards them by siding with the Premier League on various matters this week, Andy Whing and Chris Millington set about putting the noise aside ahead of a big encounter for their respective outfits.
Both clubs have done remarkable things in recent years, both reaching the play-offs for the second time in three years while Halifax beat Gateshead to win the FA Trophy last season, something Solihull Moors are hoping to replicate at Wembley this year.
Whing made one change from their final day victory over York City, bringing Joe Sbarra back into the fold. Despite Millington’s playing their fifth game in 11 days, he backed the same XI that dispatched of Eastleigh, the only change to the 16 being the return of Florent Hoti on the bench.
Moors set about getting at their tired hosts with a high energy start and though Sbarra curled wide, Hayes also had to be on hand to claim a tame Andrew Oluwabori effort while Max Wright saw a strike blocked.
The hosts took control of the game and soon made their dominance pay, drawing first blood just before the quarter hour mark. Tahvon Campbell’s first major involvement saw him receive the ball from Tyrese Shade and send Jack Stevens in behind. Sam Johnson was equal to the effort but Campbell was first to loose ball, beating Evans and finding the net fire the leg of Jamie Stott.
Campbell’s involvement was key to Moors’ play and he nipped in on the edge of the area to find Stevens who was again denied by Johnson before sliding the rebound wide.
Shade was also having a sizeable impact and after Osborne found him with a switch of play, he showed sharp feet to beat Evans and find Campbell free to finish via the boot of Stevens for 2-0.
Millington’s side woke up around the half hour mark with Oluwabori curling over, Wright’s volley blocked and Luke Summerfield finding the gloves of Hayes from distance.
However, things got worse a few minutes later. Campbell received the ball on the turn and quickly set Stevens away. His cross found Sbarra whose knockdown was struck towards goal by Campbell. The effort was heading wide until Tylor Golden stuck out a leg. He and his team-mates could only watch as the ball agonisingly trickled over the line.
Campbell and Stevens almost linked up again for a fourth, Johnson winning the battle with the winger one more time before a wayward Kane Thompson-Sommers effort all but summed up Halifax’s half.
That was until a late twist. Evans was inexplicably left free to walk into the area and head home a corner delivered to the back post. Game on.
Whether it was nerves due to what lay ahead or the arrogance of believing the game was done, Moors allowed Halifax back into the game after the break and had to begin breaking the game up to stop the visitors gaining momentum. Chances were few and far between, Jamey Osborne putting a free-kick into the side netting and late firing over from distance.
The game was beginning to peter out until substitute Florent Hoti produced a moment of quality belonging to a higher level. Tidy player allowed Robert Harker to find the Kosovan, who feinted one way, put the ball back on his left foot and hit a wicked, dipping effort that lobbed Hayes and bounced in off the bar. They couldn’t, could they?
They almost did. A left-wing cross found it’s way to Jamie Cooke on the right. He controlled, placed the ball over Hayes and onto the head of Harker who rose just above James Clarke only to see his header bounce back off the bar.
He could only watch on a few minutes later as Osborne killed the game off. The Moors captain was first to a loose ball and showed the composure and quality to leave five bodies in his wake before firing through Johnson to make it four.
Halifax huffed and puffed as the minutes counted down, Thompson-Sommers and Summerfield seeing efforts deflect wide while goalkeeper Johnson headed a corner back its taker.
A near-heroic effort from a tired visiting outfit playing their 5th match in 11 days but the hosts’ strong start was enough to see them progress.
Lineups
Moors: Hayes; Benn Clarke Whitmore Newton; Osborne Maycock; Shade (Boateng 89) Sbarra (Benton 81) Stevens (Labadie 76); Campbell. Unused: Morrison Beck.
Halifax: Johnson; Benn Senior Stott Evans; Summerfield Thompson-Sommers; Wright (Hoti 61) Cooke Oluwabori; George (Harker 46). Unused: Hunter Jenkins Cosgrave.
Tactics
Both sides lined up in 4-2-3-1 shapes on paper, albeit Solihull Moors’ looked more like what you would expect in principle.
Moors had plenty of the ball on the night. Their plan appeared to be finding the pass through the centre of the pitch then turn out and play into wherever the space was. This was often wide with the aim to find a way back inside or an overlapping run.
In deep possession, the centre-backs would split with Osborne and Maycock often close together. The job of all four was to work the ball so they could make the forward pass with Shade, Sbarra and Stevens looking to occupy the Halifax defensive midfielders and overload. They would then have each other and the full-backs available to support when turning out. With one or two making forward runs, the aim was to drag bodies out of position and open up space to play in the centre.
Halifax’s plan was to be patient out of possession, waiting for Moors’ centre-backs to step forward or play forward before closing. Cooke and George generally sat on Maycock and Osborne, trying to cut off angles for the pass with the defensive midfielders expected to be sharp in support. However, they simply lacked the energy or timing to get this right for much of the first half. This even included when Whitmore would charge out from the back and step forward.
In possession, Halifax tried something we tend to see a lot at higher level. They would shift from a 4-2-3-1 to more of a 3-2-4-1. This was perhaps designed by their previous run in a 3-4-3 shape, the move to 4-2-3-1 coming as a result of additional trust in Tylor Golden and the emergence of Max Wright for a regular run after a number of injury problems.
They would work this either by Golden tucking in as a third centre-back with Senior and Stott alongside him, or Golden playing the ball and stepping into a midfield position with Summerfield dropping between Senior and Stott, the latter being something we saw more of in the second half to take Moors out of their shape. Evans and Wright would stay higher and wider with Oluwabori and Cooke in more central positions. The substitutions didn’t alter this either, Cooke replacing Wright on the right and Hoti taking the central berth.
Moors tried first half to ensure Summerfield didn’t see much of the ball first half, Sbarra generally sitting on Summerfield and making sure Campbell was ready to take over if he wanted to close Senior or Golden. Otherwise, it was pretty standard stuff, sitting in a narrow 4-4-2 shape and closing as a unit, ensuring there was always back up to the ball. Shade and Stevens had license to go and close down the ball with the belief somebody was there to close the next pass.
Halifax were more aggressive in their approach during the second half. As mentioned, Summerfield dropped a little deeper. Harker was also on the pitch, providing more of a target to hit. And they were quicker to switch play out wide, which allowed Wright then Cooke to move 1v1.
Moors changed in the second half, bringing Joss Labadie on for Stevens with him dropping in alongside Maycock. Osborne stepped up alongside Campbell with Sbarra shifting to the right and Shade to the left.
Players
Moors had the best three players on the pitch and it was the three players they rely on most to make things happen: Jamey Osborne, Tyrese Shade and Tahvon Campbell.
Osborne was brilliant, constantly showing, switching play, winning tackles and performing as you’d hope your leader would on such an occasion. His goal to finish the game off was superb. Shade was electric in moments, playing key roles for the first and second goals and generally being Moors’ best route forward. Campbell wasn’t always involved but when he was, he was exceptional, playing important roles in the first three goals and working hard throughout, always looking to move the ball forward.
For Halifax, it was a pretty disappointing affair. Thompson-Sommers was about the most active player on the pitch, committing a fair few tackles and fouls. Harker and Hoti had impacts and you wonder if there will be a tinge of regret at not starting the former.
Conclusions
Solihull Moors move on.
They deserved it on the night. Andy Whing is a pretty open and honest character and his side did exactly what he wanted them to do early doors, which was run forward and make a tired Halifax side move quickly or chase them. His key players stepped up on the night.
They face the play-off favourites next. A Barnet side that finished 2nd, have an excellent home record and a scary amount of depth. Brennan has taken the time afforded by managing his squad back to full health ready for the play-offs and it’s anticipated that they will name a 16 that doesn’t include Laurie Walker, Ben Wynter, Connor Stevens, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Gary Hooper and one of Ade Oluwo, Adam Thompson and Jordan Cropper. Frightening.
But Moors have enjoyed their underdog tag this season. They’ve drawn both games with Barnet this season and showed a dogged determination when they need to. And Barnet have won just 3 of 12 matches against their fellow top 7 sides, including 1 of 6 at home. Like most, I expect the Moors’ journey to end this weekend, but that doesn’t mean it will.
As for Halifax, they deserve huge credit. To secure their play-off spot on the back of four games in seven days and almost turn around a 3-0 deficit in the eliminator takes some going.
Much about the club suggests they should be heading downwards given issues with their pitch, the council, the low budget they have in order to boost their squad. But they continue to find hidden gems, give players the chance to develop and perform.
There is no shame in them finishing 7th and having another play-off campaign. The challenge for Millington is being able to build upon his young group rather than watching half of them depart for bigger clubs or more money elsewhere.