Solihull Borough vs Gresley Rovers
Gresley Rovers did nothing to dispel the grim memories of their Boxing Day mauling by Burton Albion as they crashed to what in a way was a worse defeat in Hall Green, Birmingham, on Saturday.
While their humiliation by Burton at least came from a team on top of their game, the latest drubbing was at the hands of a side that had not won a Beazer Premier game since October.
It was easy to see why. Solihull might have a team full of big names but the gaps in their defence looked even bigger.
Rovers, though, were unable to exploit more opportunities than they would normally get in a month, while their own defensive display was nothing better than shambolic.
Denied what looked a clear penalty when Craig Gillett appeared to trip Mark Hurst in the second minute, Rovers then proceeded to miss a string of chances, Martin Devaney blazing over from 12 yards, then Hurst seeing a shot deflected wide by Robert Hopkins when a goal looked certain.
Two minutes later Solihull were ahead, Rovers failing to clear mark Wolsey's right wing corner effectively and Kim Casey heading in the winger's return cross from close in.
Devaney shot against the inside of a post after Scott Elliott and Hurst had laid on a golden chance to equalise, but then Mark Cogan's crossfield pass caught Nigel Simms the wrong side of Jan Mulders and the midfielder had time to beat Bob Aston easily.
Still Rovers wasted chances, Elliott heading Dave Swainston's cross straight at the keeper, before Graeme Rigg finally displayed how easy it could be, firing imperiously home from 20 yards after Elliott's blocked shot had fallen to his feet.
A revival seemed on the cards, but Rovers continued to look ropey at the back, Chris Burton again leaving Simms trailing but firing against a post with just Aston to beat.
Manager Steve Dolby said afterwards he had been confident at half time of a good result – but that was without the knowledge that his defence would collapse again.
Rovers let off by an offside flag when Swainston turned Casey's shot into his own net, simply couldn't get their act together and veteran defender Paul Dyson made it 3-1 with a straight forward header from Wolsey's corner.
A minute later it was 4-1, Casey lobbing Swainston and freeing Burton to beat Aston, again more exposed than a royal love affair.
Even now the chances came and went for Rovers, Hurst hitting a shot against the bar, then Devaney firing substitute Chris Moore's cross against the underside of the woodwork.
Moore proved that an invisible barrier had not been placed over the Solihull goal when he fired in Colin Loss's pass with eight minutes left but despite a late blitz that yielded seven corners in the final eight minutes, Rovers could not close the gaps any further.
Solihull Borough (2) 4
Gresley Rovers (1) 2
Scorers: Casey 22, Mulders 32, Dyson 66, Burton 67 (Solihull Borough); Rigg 39, Moore 82 (Gresley Rovers)
Solihull Borough: Houghton, Hopkins, Whittingham, Gillett, Dyson, Mulders, Judd, Wolsey (Crawley 70), Casey, Burton, Coogan (Canning 90).
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Blount, Swainston, Loss, Evans, Simms (Weston 70), Elliott (Moore 59), Rigg, Hurst, Devaney, Stanborough.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Colin Loss
Referee: R Lane (Leicester)
Attendance: 320
