SOLIHULL Moors will travel to York City tomorrow with the Blue Square Bet North’s worst scoring record despite having two former Premier League strikers in tow.
Former England under-21 international Lee Morris, who once commanded a £3 million transfer fee when he moved from Sheffield United to Derby, is expected to partner one-time Aston Villa forward Richard Walker for the visitors during the FA Trophy first round clash at Bootham Crescent.
But even allowing for the pedigree of 31-year-old Morris, who started out with the Minstermen’s Centre of Excellence before going on to score top-flight goals against the likes of Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle, the Midlanders have netted just 17 times in 20 fixtures – four fewer than any other side in the division.
That tally was also swollen by last weekend’s 5-1 hammering of a Harrogate Town team featuring former City trio Liam Darville, Peter Bore and Paul Brayson.
Marcus Bignot’s men are particularly shot shy on their travels, having only scored four away goals in their ten league games this season, failing to net more than once in any of those matches.
As a consequence, the 16th-placed team have only taken maximum points twice on the road during 2011/12 following 1-0 wins against Boston and Nuneaton.
Solihull’s latest away defeat came on Tuesday night when they were beaten 3-0 at Histon.
Bignot’s boys do, however, boast the league’s sixth-best defence with 24 goals conceded only bettered by top-four teams Hyde, Stalybridge, Guiseley and Nuneaton, as well as seventh-placed Corby.
The Moors, currently lying between Histon and Vauxhall Motors in the table, are enduring a poorer campaign than the last one when they finished seventh in the final standings.
Formed following a merger between Moor Green and Solihull Borough, the club has existed under its current name since 2007 with the new team housed at the 3,250-capacity Damson Park, previously home to the latter.
Moor Green were originally based in the Birmingham suburb of Hall Green but had their stadium rendered unusable after an arson attack in 2005, beginning a groundsharing agreement with Borough that would ultimately lead to the formation of the new side.
The decision was then made to allow Solihull Moors to take up Moor Green’s place in the Conference North.
Taking their neighbours in as tenants almost amounted to Borough returning a favour, having moved in with Moor Green back in 1989 after financial problems led to them selling their Widney Lane ground.
They later shared with Redditch United before Damson Park was built.
Long-serving Moor Green manager Bob Faulkner originally took charge of the new team but, following his death from cancer last February, Michael Moore was handed the reins.
He subsequently left for a coaching role at Mansfield and former Kidderminster, Bristol Rovers and QPR defender Bignot was promoted from assistant manager in the summer.
Jas Singh’s penalty save ensured the Moors won 1-0 at Evo-Stik League first division outfit Ossett Town in a replay to reach the Trophy’s first round proper, following a 2-2 draw between the teams at Damson Park.
In the FA Cup, meanwhile, Bignot’s men lost 1-0 at home to AFC Halifax Town in this season’s fourth qualifying round.
Other than Morris and 34-year-old Walker, Solihull also have three other former Football League players who featured in Tuesday’s defeat at Histon.
They are one-time Bournemouth, Kidderminster, Doncaster, Cheltenham and Leyton Orient midfielder J J Melligan, ex-Chester, Wrexham and Lincoln winger Michael Blackwood and Jordan Fitzpatrick, who started out at Hereford.
Of the two old clubs, Moor Green’s highest-ever league finish was ninth in the Conference North in 2005/6, their longest FA Cup run saw them reach the first round in 1979 and 2007 and the furthest they have progressed in the FA Trophy was the fourth round in 1999/2000.
Solihull Borough’s highest-ever league finish was sixth in the Southern League premier division in 1992/2.
They also reached the FA Cup first round twice in 1993 and 1997 and the fourth round of the FA Trophy in 2001/2.
Ten thing you might not know about Solihull
1. Solihull is based in the West Midlands, nine miles south of Birmingham city centre and has a population of 94,753.
2. Those resident or born in Solihull are known as Silhillians.
3. Famous Silhillians include Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond, former England rugby captain and coach Martin Johnson and Barry Austin, reputedly Britain’s heaviest man when he peaked at 65 stone and was refused a seat for being too big when his beloved Birmingham City beat Arsenal in last season’s Carling Cup final.
4. Land Rover’s main production plant is in Solihull.
5. The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) actually lies within the borough of Solihull and not in Birmingham.
6. Solihull is linked to London’s River Thames by the Grand Union Canal.
7. Damson Park is built on the site of a former golf driving range.
8. The stadium is also home to rugby union team Pertemps Bees.
9. Birmingham City play their reserve matches there too.
10. Former Coventry City defender David Busst, who suffered a horrific, career-ending broken leg against Manchester United, once played for one of Solihull Moors’ founder teams Moor Green.
Match facts
This is the first time the clubs have met.
It happened on December 10
1955: In front of 13,326 at Bootham Crescent, City beat Mansfield Town 2-1 in the second round of the FA Cup with Arthur Bottom and Billy Hughes the scorers.
1960: Fourth Division leaders Crystal Palace won 2-0 at Bootham Crescent watched by 6,538. It was City’s first home defeat of the season.
1973: City went down 5-3 at Mansfield Town in a first round FA Cup replay. Chris Jones (2) and Barry Swallow were on the scoresheet.
Compiled by David Batters
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