Report: Solihull Moors 3-1 Iron

Will Smith was on target but United were beaten 3-1 at Solihull Moors in the end on Tuesday night, despite having numerous chances.

The Iron made four changes going into the game as Andrew Boyce, Tom Pugh, Finley Shrimpton and Sean Shields came in for Ben Richards-Everton, Harvey Bunker, Liam Feeney and Elliott Whitehouse.

Inside a minute, there was good build-up from the Iron as Pugh pulled out wide right before Cameron Wilson spread the ball left to Jake Leake. He found Shields, who cut onto his right foot, with his cross seeing Richie Bennett glance a header across goal and wide.

Soon after, Leake coasted past three players on the left channel before picking out Bennett inside the box with his back to goal. The ball got away from him but Reagan Ogle picked the ball up and the Iron continued the attack.

With four minutes gone, a Scunthorpe shot bounced back into play off the post, as Wilson was fed the ball on the edge of the box. His first touch was to control, his second took the ball to his right and the third was an attempt across goal. It looked destined for the net but Ryan Boot got a slight touch, with the ball coming back into play off the upright.

Then, Will Smith latched onto a deep cross, heading the ball across to Bennett. He generated a lot of power with his header towards goal, but the effort dropped wide.

The 11th minute saw a fine save from Aaron Chapman, as he got down low to his left to push away a header from Mark Beck following a cross in from the right channel, resulting on a corner to Solihull.

Gudger won the header from the resultant corner, but saw his effort go wide of the post.

On 16 minutes, the hosts took the lead via Josh Kelly as he capitalised on an error by Chapman, who was looking to clear his lines.

The 20th minute saw a big chance for an equaliser as Bennett stole possession and found Shields. He played in Wilson on the right. The return cross across the six-yard box was there to be put in, but the hosts got the ball away.

A minute later, Wilson again was played free on the right, this time by Jacob Butterfield. He cut the ball back to the edge of the box this time, with Butterfield letting the ball roll for Bennett. He cut onto his left foot before seeing his effort saved.

There was then a corner to the Iron after more good play orchestrated by Butterfield. He got the ball back from Shields inside the area and got a deflection for the corner.

On 25 minutes, Ogle sent in a cross from the right, with which Bennett connected, but the header went wide of Boot’s right-hand post.

The Iron got themselves level on 35 minutes though, as they won a free-kick on the right channel following a foul on Ogle. It was another Butterfield assist as he sent in the cross, with Smith nodding the ball into the net for his second Iron goal.

United then broke quickly, with the ball spread left to Shields. He cut onto his right foot just inside the area and sent a strike on goal which was well handled by Boot.

On 41 minutes, Boyce slid in to deny Kelly’s progress into the penalty area as he looked to pull the trigger. The resultant cross sailed over the bar and out for a goal kick.

A minute before the half-time break, Butterfield found Smith again, who chested the ball down for Bennett, with his shot towards the top corner pushed around the post for another corner.

At the start of the second period, Leake got his body in the way of a shot from Donawa as Solihull came down the left.

The Iron then broke with Bennett controlling well and sending a low cross for Wilson. The ball was turned behind by a defender, but bizarrely a goal kick was awarded.

In the 51st minute, Chapman made a fine save low to his right to deny Donawa as he looked to turn a low cross from the right into the net.

Three minutes later, the Iron shaped for a long throw but then took it quickly for Pugh. The cross was headed into the area by Butterfield with Bennett’s deflected effort flashing wide for a corner.

From it, Butterfield’s corner was headed goalwards by Boyce, with Boot saving down to his left.

On the hour mark, the home side's Beck climbed highest from a right-wing long throw, but sent his header wide of the target.

The hosts then spread play to the left, with a low cross rolling across the area with Donawa blazing his eight-yard effort wide.

With 63 minutes gone, there was a big handball shout for the Iron as a stray arm looked to connect with a cross into the area following Leake’s long throw. Nothing was given, but the hosts broke and had a long throw opportunity at the other end.

With 67 minutes played, Shields was replaced by Feeney in the first Scunthorpe change of the night, while the second change arrived two minutes later when Danny Elliott came on for Wilson.

After 71 minutes, Chapman was down to his left again, this time to deny Maycock’s low effort.

Six minutes later, a quick break from the Iron saw Elliott check back and slotting in Pugh. He took the ball into the box but put his shot wide.

Soon after, Butterfield was replaced by Whitehouse for the final United alteration.

On 82 minutes, another well worked move for the Iron saw the ball go from left to right. Ogle got in space and cut back a cross for Bennett. He teed up Whitehouse but the effort was off-target.

In the 85th minute, the Iron broke quickly with Pugh’s cutback cleared. The hosts then went up the other end with Beck sending a left-footed effort narrowly wide.

Nevertheless, a minute later the hosts went back ahead when Sbarra swept home from just inside the box.

Pushing for a leveller, Feeney sent an effort off target from the edge of the box on 89 minutes.

In the second minute out of four in stoppage time, Feeney sent a free-kick in from deep, which Bennett connected with but his effort cleared the crossbar. It was the final chance of the game for the Iron.

Then, right at the death, Josh Kelly added a third for the hosts on the break, clipping home from the right side of the area.

United return to action when they host Wealdstone on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

SOLIHULL MOORS: Boot, Clarke, Howe, Gudger, Sbarra, Maycock, Kelly, Roberts, Donawa, Whelan, Beck.

SUBS NOT USED: Jones, Mills, Howell, Brogan, Wood.

IRON: Chapman, Ogle, Boyce, Butterfield (Whitehouse, 78), Wilson (Elliott, 69), Shrimpton, Leake, Smith, Pugh, Shields (Feeney, 67), Bennett.

SUBS NOT USED: Taft, Daniel.

ATTENDANCE: 1,421 (252 away).