An impressive display from Sutton United wasn’t enough to take all three points back to South London, with Jack Stevens’ header cancelling out Eduino Vaz’s early opener.
Vaz gave Sutton the lead after just eight minutes when Dillon De Silva’s darting run into the penalty area resulted in a low delivery that was deflected into the path of the Guinea-Bissauan, who struck a first-time effort past Ollie Wright to open the scoring, although the U’s lead lasted just ten minutes when Olly Tipton’s header into the danger area fell perfectly to Stevens, who was in acres of space to send a looping header of his own past Jack Sims.
Sutton continued to push after the break though, and should have won a penalty when De Silva was taken out by Marcel Oakley at the start of the second half. Will Davies then went closest to a winner after Lewis Simper’s fizzing strike from the edge of the box was parried as far as the U’s top scorer, but he somehow couldn’t divert the ball on target to keep the score level, which is how the clash would end up.
A point at the ARMCO Arena means Sutton jump up a place to 13th, and will take plenty of heart from their performance heading into Saturday’s trip to Maidenhead United.
A change in formation saw Steve Morison revert to back four for the first time since the start of the season, with Jack Wadham replacing Alex Woodyard in the centre of the park and De Silva coming in for Ashley Nadesan on the flank, being rewarded for his positive impact after coming on on Saturday. Jack Taylor recovered from his quad strain sustained against Manchester United last week, returning to the starting XI in place of Harry Ransom.
It was De Silva who produced the first real opening of proceedings, picking up where he left off from the weekend, and his low cross into the box ended in an early goal for the U’s. His delivery was deflected as far as Vaz just inside the penalty area, who arrowed a first-time effort hard and into the bottom corner to break the deadlock inside the opening ten minutes.
This was immediately followed by a second chance for the visitors, as a loose ball was picked up by top scorer Davies and struck first time from distance, with his powerful effort whistling just over the crossbar, before a tricky run by De Silva ended in a shot that needed to be blocked from close range.
The Moors responded to going behind quickly, however, and were back on level terms just ten minutes after conceding when Tyler French conceded a free kick in a dangerous area. John Bostock’s delivery from deep was subsequently cleared as far as Tipton, who hooked the ball back into the six-yard box where Stevens was waiting to nod past Sims.
Just as the U’s had seen a speculative effort fall their way after scoring, Solihull almost took the lead in similar fashion when James Clarke tried a half-volley from 35-yards, with his hopeful effort flying well off target.
An even contest so far, Sutton continued to push as they looked to restore their advantage, with a cross from the right flank flying through a crowd of bodies to meet De Silva, who sent a tame volley on goal that Wright was able to easily gather, before Davies saw a shot deflected out for a corner.
Solihull then went close again with a couple of chances of their own, with Szhem Whyte-Hall carrying the ball from his own half before sending a poor effort over the crossbar, before Sims was forced into his first real save of the match, superbly getting down low to push Stevens’ effort from close range round the post.
A couple of chances for Coley then threatened to put Solihull to the sword, with Davies’ initial shot from close range being smothered and cleared as far as the U’s number seven, who saw a powerful effort blocked from point blank range by Alex Whitmore, before driving into the penalty area and striking over the crossbar minutes later.
Four minutes of added time then allowed the U’s to go close one more time before the interval, with Finley Barbrook turning Solihull’s midfield and driving forward, before testing Wright with a powerful drive from distance in the final minute of stoppage time, with the two sides then going into the break level.
Keen to recreate the start to their first half performance, Sutton came out the blocks quickly after the restart and created a promising chance after just four minutes, as Simper’s dangerous cross from the left was met by Wadham who sent a diving header just wide under pressure.
De Silva continued to cause havoc on the wing, and should have been awarded a penalty after racing into the box and being tripped by Oakley, but referee Stuart Morland somehow waved away the appeals.
Sutton looked to react though, and Vaz went close to a second of the evening when he brilliantly took down a long ball before cutting inside and drilling a low and powerful effort on goal that Wright was able to claim.
A couple of changes from Solihull – one of which was made at the interval – intended to add some intensity into their play, and the second almost had an instant impact with Oakley sending Fletcher Holman away down the right flank who picked out substitute Manny Duku, with Taylor needing to get in the way of his low effort.
This was followed by a glorious chance for Sutton though, and fell to the person who Sutton supporters would trusted most to score. A fizzing strike from Simper which was destined to nestle in the top corner was brilliantly stopped by Wright with a fingertip save, although he could only parry as far as the onrushing Davies. The U’s number nine was unable to add a 15th goal to his tally though, as he somehow skied the rebound on the slide with the goal gaping.
Sutton were gaining plenty of momentum, and De Silva was once again at the heart of it. After getting in a tangle with Oakley he was tripped by the Solihull player in a dangerous area, with Wadham’s resulting free kick being fired straight at Wright, and was followed by a brilliant strike from Barbrook from 30-yards that the home goalkeeper had to parry out for a corner.
Midfield counterpart Simper then went even closer to a goal, with Vaz almost turning from scorer to provider when he showed excellent determination to rob Holman of possession by the touchline, before cutting it back to Simper who found the space to shoot, curling his effort inches wide of the far post.
Despite their efforts throughout the second half, Solihull almost nicked a winner late on when a great run from defence from Clarke led to him picking out Stevens, who cut inside before forcing Sims into a crucial stop, and was enough to ensure it would be a point apiece.
Solihull Moors: Wright; Clarke, Whitmore, Cundy, Stevens, Oakley (Newton 75’), Bostock (Wells-Morris 46’), Tipton, Holman (Stevenson 82’), Hall-Johnson, Whyte-Hall (Duku 55’)
Sutton United: Sims; Jackson, French, Taylor, Vaz; Wadham, Barbrook, Simper; De Silva, Davies, Coley (Nadesan 56’)
Photo Credit: Stacey Gurney
