It was an afternoon to forget at Wetherby Road as Solihull Moors coasted to a 4-0 victory over Town.
Town were unchanged from the side that beat Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday evening.
The opening exchanges were even with Moors Liam Daly blazing high over the new stand and Town’s Jonathan Margetts firing over from thirty yards.
On 14 minutes Moors took the lead when Darren Byfield latched on to Lloyd Kerry’s weak back pass and shot at goal, Matt Heath made a vital block but Darryl Knights hit the rebound into the top corner.
Nine minutes later, Town were two down as a cross from the left evaded the Town defence and Byfield sidefooted past Phil Barnes to make it two.
Things went from bad to worse for Harrogate as on the half hour,Simon Lenighan’s heavy tackle on Michael Nottingham earned him a straight red card from Referee Shaun Hudson, although the Town faithful were of the opinion a caution would have been sufficient punishment.
Simon Weaver, sacrificed Margetts for Adam Nowakowski as he sought to shore up Town’s toothless midfield.
However,on the stroke of half time, Moors made their numerical advantage count when Nottingham’s long shot came back off the upright and Ryan Beswick was the first to react to make it three.
Moors kept up the pressure after the break with Omar Bogle shooting inches wide from Knight’s cross.
Town, with the tireless James Walshaw prominent, rallied briefly and Jake Speight went close with a cross shot past the angle of post and bar.
Normal service was soon resumed with Barnes keeping out a Beswick effort and Dave McGurk blocking Knight’s follow up on the line.
With twenty minutes left, Bogle scored his customary goal against Town when he shot low into the far corner giving Barnes no chance.
Town’s “Man of the Match”, Lloyd Kerry,was left in the clear by Dominic Langdon’s slip but Daly got back to clear off the line and deny Town a late consolation goal.
Town
1 Barnes, 2 Bloomer, 3 Meynell, 4 Lenighan, 5 Heath, 6 McGurk (c), 7 Kerry, 8 Kendall (Swain 69), 9 Margetts (Nowakowski 32), 10 Walshaw, 11 Speight (Rowe 60).
Unused subs 13 Crook, 16 Franks. Sent off Lenighan, Booked Heath.
Town Man of the Match, Kerry Att 458
By John Harrison.
