A hard-fought but ultimately uninspiring encounter at The Shay Stadium saw Solihull Moors grind out a valuable 1-0 victory against FC Halifax Town, courtesy of Jack Stevens’ first-half strike. The narrow win, secured despite a late red card, propels the Moors to 12th in the National League table, leapfrogging their opponents who now sit 17th.
The opening exchanges were a tentative affair, with both sides struggling to establish any real rhythm. Halifax, buoyed by their recent draw against Dagenham & Redbridge, showed early promise, but Solihull’s defence stood firm. The match became increasingly fragmented by a series of fouls, with Solihull’s Jamey Osborne cautioned in the 26th minute for a robust challenge. Barely a minute later, Halifax’s Jamie Cooke received a yellow card for a similar infringement. The simmering tension continued to build, and just before half-time, Solihull’s Joe Newton was also booked.
The game’s decisive moment arrived on the half-hour mark. A well-constructed Solihull move culminated in Jordan Tunnicliffe delivering a precise pass to Jack Stevens, who calmly slotted the ball past the Halifax goalkeeper. Stevens’ goal injected some much-needed life into the contest, prompting Halifax to push forward in search of an equaliser. However, the Solihull defence, expertly marshalled by Tunnicliffe, remained resolute, repelling wave after wave of Halifax attacks.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions as both managers looked to reshape the game. Halifax introduced Aaron Cosgrave and later Zak Emmerson to add impetus to their attack, while Solihull brought on Conor Wilkinson and Joss Labadie to refresh their midfield. Despite these changes, clear-cut chances remained scarce. The stop-start nature of the game persisted, with yellow cards shown to Owen Bray (Halifax) and goalscorer Stevens (Solihull). In the closing stages, Solihull’s Conor Wilkinson also entered the referee’s notebook.
The match’s dramatic finale arrived in the 94th minute when substitute James Clarke, having only recently been introduced for Solihull, received a second yellow card, and consequently a red, for violent conduct. Despite being reduced to ten men in added time, Solihull held on to secure a vital three points, extending their slight advantage in the recent head-to-head record between the two sides, which now stands at two wins for Solihull, one for Halifax, and two draws across their last five meetings.