Cian Harries struck late to deny former Shot Tahvon Campbell’s opening goal, as the Shots and Solihull Moors split the points in a 1-1 draw at the EBB Stadium.
Tommy Widdrington made a handful of changes to the side that were beaten in York, as Hady Ghandour, Theo Widdrington and Olly Scott came into the side in place of James Daly, Coby Rowe and Stuart O’Keefe.
The Shots had the better of the first half, but were unable to make any chances to really trouble Nick Hayes within 45 minutes. The opening exchanges saw Hady Ghandour nearly set up Lorent Tolaj with a pass across the box, and moments later the Shots captain on the day again tested the Moors defence as he beat a man and shot wide of Hayes’ goal.
Theo Widdrington, Lorent Tolaj and Olly Scott all troubled the Moors goal with half chances, but the best openings came from Ollie Harfield and Tyler Frost. The first came as Harfield put a good ball into the box from a corner, and any sort of connection should have put it in, but nobody was able to flick it towards goal.
On the stroke of half time Tyler Frost unlocked his inner Kevin De Bruyne as he played a wonderful reverse pass into the path of Josh Stokes, but it was just out of the reach of Stokes as Nick Hayes came and claimed the ball.
Neither side would blink in 45 minutes, and the two playoff chasers went into the break level.
HALF TIME: Shots 0-0 Solihull Moors
The best chance to take the lead came just after the restart, as Dylan Kadji did well to use his vision and accuracy to find Olly Scott on the left hand side of the Moors defence, in turn he put a good ball into the near post area, but Hady Ghandour headed over.
Solihull Moors had grown in confidence, but the Shots again had a good chance to take the lead just before the hour. Hady Ghandour did well to flick a ball around a tight corner to find Tyler Frost, and darting towards the box with Stokes and Tolaj arriving Frost squared the ball, but Tolaj got the ball stuck under his feet and the chance went away.
Despite all the Shots half chances it was Solihull Moors who made the clearest of openings just before 65. Jon Benton did well to drive down the right with Olly Scott on his back, and Tahvon Campbell also did well to hold off Dyaln Kadji and play the ball into Tyrese Shade, who opened his body and hit the near post from close range.
It would be the Moors who took the lead with 72 minutes on the clock, former Shot Tahvon Campbell returning to the EBB Stadium to score it. A good corner came in from the Moors, and was flicked on towards the back post area where the former Aldershot striker was waiting to tap home from close range.
Straight up the other end the Shots went from the resulting kick off, and Olly Scott came close as he hit the post from just inside the box, and from the rebound Lorent Tolaj volleyed a first time effort over the crossbar.
The Shots were really pressing for the next goal, and a goalmouth scramble involving Lorent Tolaj and James Daly somehow ended with the ball over the line for a throw-in rather than a goal with just over 10 minutes to go.
Aldershot were given a lifeline in the 88th minute, as Lorent Tolaj got on the end of a ball over the top and was taken out by Richard Stearmen, giving the Shots a penalty and Solihull Moors a red card. Cool, calm, Cian Harries stepped up from the spot and gave the Shots a goal in the 89th minutes to level the game.
Despite the man advantage, the Shots were unable to find a winner, so both sides ended the game a point better off. The Shots now turn attention to an Easter double with trip to Maidenhead on Good Friday and a game at the EBB Stadium on Easter Monday.
Shots XI
- Jordi Van Stappershoef, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Cian Harries, 6. Theo Widdrington, 8. Tyler Frost (20. Josh Barrett, 687), 9. Lorent Tolaj (C), 10. Josh Stokes, 11. Ryan Glover, 18. Olly Scott (24. Maxwell Mullins, 89′), 23. Hady Ghandour (23. James Daly, 67′), 28. Dylan Kadji
Unused subs
7. Stuart O’Keefe, 13. Ashley Akpan
Attendance: 3501 (65 away)
