TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @SteveHarris84
Match details: Solihull Moors versus Torquay United
Venue: Damson Park, Solihull
Date: Tuesday 23rd February 2021
Kick-off: 7pm
Current form (last six all competitions):
Solihull Moors: W, L, D, L, W, D
Torquay United: D, W, L, W, D, L
Top scorers:
Solihull Moors: Jimmy Ball, Kyle Hudlin, Joe Sbarra 4 each
Torquay: Danny Wright 8
Head to Head:
Solihull Moors: 2
Draw: 1
Torquay: 2
Last time the two teams met: Solihull Moors 3 – 0 Torquay United, Tuesday August 6th 2019
Jamey Osborne netted twice as Solihull Moors got off the mark at the second attempt with a 3-0 victory over Torquay. The previous season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists in the National League were 2-0 ahead after just nine minutes.
Osborne drove in a powerful effort from outside the box before Terry Hawkridge made no mistake from the penalty spot after Jamie Reckord was brought down in the box. Osborne then struck a sweet volley past goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald two minutes before half-time.
Torquay missed the chance to grab a consolation six minutes from time when Armani Little’s penalty was saved by Ryan Boot.
Manager: Jimmy Shan
After spending several years working as an Under-23 and first team coach at West Bromwich Albion, Jimmy Shan became caretaker manager of the Baggies in 2019 following the dismissal of former Gulls’ defender Darren Moore. Shan then left the Hawthorns after Slaven Bilic was installed as Moore’s permanent successor. His next port of call was Aggborough where he took charge of Kidderminster Harriers on an interim basis before he was appointed as manager of the Moors in February 2020.
One to watch: Adam Rooney
Former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international Adam Rooney is amongst the most experienced forwards in the National League. After starting his career with Stoke City, he first truly flourished with Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Premier League during the 2008-09 season, where he netted the division’s 6,000th goal when he found the target for Caley in a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren. Unfortunately he was not able to save them from relegation to the Scottish First Division. However, in the following 2009-10 season, he helped Caley to make an immediate return to the Scottish top-flight in a campaign that saw him win the Scottish First Division Player of the Year award. Rooney then had spells south of the border with Birmingham City and Swindon Town before returning to the SPL with Aberdeen in January 2014. In his first campaign at Pittodrie, Rooney scored the decisive spot-kick for the Dons as they beat his former club Inverness Caledonian Thistle to win the Scottish League Cup to claim their first silverware for 19 years. He then followed up his feat in the 2014-15 season, when he finished the campaign as the top scorer in the SPL.
He returned to England to join Salford City following their promotion to the National League in the summer of 2018. After helping the Ammies win promotion into the Football League in the 2018-19 season, Rooney signed for Solihull Moors in March 2020 – shortly before the National League was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
TORQUAYTALK 
JA scares me at full back. Midfield for him!
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