Match Report: York City 2-3 Solihull Moors

Solihull striker Mark Beck opened his Moors account with a late winner against his former club. Two National League sides very much out of their usual form clashed in York on Tuesday night. Although Solihull were the ones in control for the opening stages, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock.

Solihull striker Mark Beck opened his Moors account with a late winner against his former club.

Two National League sides very much out of their usual form clashed in York on Tuesday night.

Although Solihull were the ones in control for the opening stages, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock.

Shaqai Forde poked home from close range for the only goal of the first half.

Just after the hour mark, Moors silenced their opponents with two strikes in as many minutes.

Joe Sbarra's first time hit from the edge of the box nestled nicely in the corner, before he set up Andy Dallas' low effort which sneaked under goalkeeper Ethan Ross.

The Minstermen ​​leveled the score through Olly Dyson's hopeful strike with 22 minutes left.

However, it was a hell-like ending for York, as ex-player Mark Beck headed in from a corner within the final 10 minutes, securing Solihull's second win in nine games.

Following defeat at Southend on Saturday, York manager David Webb finally made the popular decision to revert to a 5-3-2 formation, as Shaqai Forde rejoined the attack, and new loan signing Mark Ellis went straight into the defence, while Nathan Thomas and Alex Hurst both made way.

Solihull followed suit, with Callum Maycock returning, plus Mitch Roberts making his debut in place of David Davis and Jason Donawa.

Moors came close first, as Ben Coker floated a delivery towards the back post, and it was an unmarked Callum Howe who got his head on it, nodding onto the roof of the net early on.

A golden chance materialized 20 minutes in, as Joe Sbarra's low cross from the byline on the left created danger in the mixer. It was ex-Minsterman Mark Beck who arrived at the near post, and looked to stab it home, but managed to smash the wrong side of the post.

Although all the best chances were falling the visitors' way, it was York who had learnt from previous mistakes and took their opportunity when they got it. David Webb had never seen his side score first in a league game since managing his first match on Boxing Day, meaning it will have been a pleasing sight for him when Shaqai Forde, the man he brought to the club, poked home to give City the lead.

As the ball entered the box from the boot of Ryan Fallowfield on 25 minutes, Forde managed to get a touch, before some confusion amongst the Moors players allowed him to turn and prod it home, beyond the 'keeper.

The Watford loanee almost made it two, six minutes shy of the break, bursting into the box after capitalizing on another Solihull defensive error. He went for the exact spot he chose when he gave the Minstermen the lead earlier, but this time, Ryan Boot was quick to dive and smother the effort.

An unsuspected quality that came with new loan recruit Mark Ellis was his trademark long throw, causing countless problems for the visitors. It almost set up a perfect Olly Dyson goal, but the latter just couldn't get enough power on his strike to take it past Boot.

There wasn't a whole lot more to talk about in a fairly quiet first half, apart from Forde's fifth goal in just seven games, which came fully against the run of play.

Getting back underway, it took no more than eight minutes for the Moors to generate the best chance of the match. A crossfield pass aimed at the back stick saw Andy Dallas reach out to try divert it home from point-blank range, but instead, he somehow fired into Row Z, a shot which some may count as one of the 'misses of the season'.

Soon enough though, they had their goal. It came in the 62nd minute, as the ball dropped nicely for Solihull starlet Sbarra on the edge of the area, and he cleanly struck it into the bottom corner on his first touch, leveling the score.

Barely a minute later, the Moors had completely flipped this game on its head, edging into a 2-1 advantage, courtesy of Dallas. That man Sbarra was at it again, making a great run down the left, before cutting back and playing across to the striker, who slotted it under Ross, the strike met by a transformed atmosphere within the LNER Community Stadium.

Chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' and 'you're sending us down' rang around the arena, all evidently directed at manager David Webb.

That didn't last too long as the focal point, with City going on to grab an equalizer with 22 minutes left on the clock.

Quite similar to the away side's first goal, the ball fell to Olly Dyson inside the 18-yard box, and he made no mistake in squeezing a sweet half-volley past Boot and into the back of the net.

Even with York having scored, boos from the home contingent began to silence the cheers - all eyes were on the manager, where he plotted a substitution to bring Dyson off, a matter of seconds subsequent to the goal, replacing him with attacker Manny Duku.

Shortly after, Forde was in with a chance of restoring the Minstermen's lead, getting in behind and racing through on goal, and his eventual blasted shot was turned wide of the mark by the stopper.

But it was to be Solihull who would find that all-important winner, eight minutes from time.

An inviting corner delivery from Jamey Osborne meeting the head of a daring Beck at the near post to bullet it down past Ross and inflict a late goal on his former side.

It should have been the hosts pushing for a dramatic finale, but instead, they will have to thank their goalkeeper for preventing a fourth.

Osborne was eager for more than just an assist, and tried for goal himself, testing Ross with a strong shot, which was ultimately saved low, to the relief of an angered crowd.

Webb's side did get their chance in stoppage time, but all that could be conjured up was a Mitch Hancox effort over the top.

The final whistle confirmed a fourth straight loss for York.

York City: Ross, Fallowfield (Tanner 87’), Kouogun, Kerr, Ellis, Whittle (Hurst 87’); Pybus, Dyson (Duku 69’), Hancox; John-Lewis, Forde

Subs not used: Whitley, McLaughlin.

Goals: Forde (25’), Dyson (68’)

Yellow Cards: Hancox (33’)

Solihull Moors: Boot, Clarke, Coker, Howe, Sbarra (Osbourne 76’), Maycock, Dallas (Kelly 76’), Barnett, Roberts (Donawa 66’), Whelan, Beck

Subs not used: Davis, Cybulski.

Goals: Sbarra (62’), Dallas (63’), Beck (82’)

Yellow Cards: Kelly (90+4’)

Attendance: 3,605 (68 away)

Referee: Scott Jackson