A pulsating five-goal thriller at Boundary Park saw Solihull Moors emerge victorious, snatching a 3-2 win against Oldham Athletic. A tense first half, marked only by yellow cards for Solihull’s Jordan Tunnicliffe and Oldham’s Jake Caprice, gave little indication of the drama that would unfold in the second.
The deadlock was broken six minutes after the restart when Jack Stevens gave Solihull Moors the lead in the 51st minute. Oldham, roared on by their home support, responded with an equaliser in the 78th minute. Substitute Dan Gardner provided the assist for Mark Kitching to level the scores. With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Solihull Moors manager Neal Ardley’s double substitution proved decisive. James Gale, just moments after coming on, restored the Moors’ lead in the 81st minute, converting a chance created by Jack Stevens. Fellow substitute Marcel Oakley then extended the advantage to 3-1 in the 93rd minute, finishing a move orchestrated by James Clarke.
Oldham’s Josh Lundstram set up a grandstand finish with a goal in the 96th minute, assisted by Mike Fondop-Talum, but it proved to be mere consolation. The frenetic final minutes, which saw three goals and a yellow card for Oldham’s Mark Kitching, epitomised the thrilling nature of the contest. Solihull’s astute substitutions ultimately made the difference, leaving Oldham to rue what might have been despite their late rally. The victory boosts Solihull Moors’ position in the National League table, while Oldham remain in 6th place. The two sides have met just four times in recent seasons, with Solihull now holding a slight edge in the head-to-head record with two wins to Oldham’s one.