TT MATCH PREVIEW – SOLIHULL (A) by Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Steve Harris previews the game at Damson Park

SOLIHULL MOORS VS TORQUAY UNITED

Venue: Damson Park, Solihull

Date: Tuesday 7^th March 2023

Kick-off: 7.45pm

CURRENT FORM

Solihull Moors: L, D, D, D, L, W

Torquay: L, L, W, L, L, D

TOP SCORERS

Solihull Moors: Andrew Dallas (14)

Torquay: Aaron Jarvis (13)

HEAD TO HEAD

Solihull Moors: 5

Draw: 1

Torquay: 4

SOLIHULL FACTFILE

Year founded: 2007

Nickname: The Moors

Last season’s league finish: 3^rd in the National League

Notable honours:

National League North:

Champions: 2015-16

MANAGER: NEIL ARDLEY

Neal Ardley spent most of his playing career with the ‘original’ Wimbledon for whom he made over 300 career appearances in all competitions between 1991 and 2002. He was also capped ten times by England at Under-21 level. He also had spells with Watford, Cardiff City and Millwall before he announced his retirement from playing in 2007.

Ardley’s coaching career began when he was appointed as Cardiff City’s academy manager, a role that he would hold for five years until he took on his first senior managerial role with AFC Wimbledon in October 2012, when he was appointed as successor to Terry Brown.

In his first season in charge, Ardley helped to the Dons to avoid relegation from the Football League, with a 2-1 win over Fleetwood Town on the final day of the 2012-13 campaign. Three years later, he guided the Dons to their first ever promotion as a Football League club when they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the 2016 League Two play-off final.

Ardley then went on to establish the Dons in League One and was the third longest serving manager in the Football League at the time of his departure on November 12, 2018. Eleven days later, he was appointed as Notts County manager, but failed to prevent the Magpies from being relegated from the Football League for the first time ever. After missing out on an immediate return in the 2019-20 season, when they were beaten in the National League play-off final by Harrogate Town, Ardley was sacked as County manager in March 2021 and was installed as Moors boss in June 2021.

In the 2021-22 season, Ardley led the Moors to the National League Play-off final where they were beaten by Grimsby Town.

PLAYER TO WATCH: JOE SBARRA

After initially joining the Moors on loan from Burton Albion in 2019, Joe Sbarra moved to Damson Park on a permanent basis in 2020 following his release by the Brewers.

He has since gone on to make a century of appearances for the Moors – and was an influential in helping Neal Ardley’s side reach the National League Play-off final in 2022, where they were beaten by Grimsby Town.

Sbarra has also represented England C in a friendly against Wales C in March 2022.

SBARRA STATS:

Position: Attacking-Midfield

Date of Birth: 21st December 1998 (24 years old)

Place of Birth: Lichfield

Height: 1.68m

Former Clubs: Burton Albion

NL Stats 22-23: Played 29, Goals 8, Yellows 1, Red 0

OLD BOYS

Solihull Moors: None

Torquay: None

LAST MEETING

Torquay United 1-4 Solihull Moors

Tuesday 13th September, 2022

Andrew Dallas scored twice as Solihull turned an early setback into a thumping win at Torquay.

The Gulls, who have now taken a single point from four games at home, started brightly when Will Goodwin converted after just eight minutes following a smart recovery by Corie Andrews.

But that merely stung Neal Ardley’s team into action. Dallas levelled within five minutes, rounding Rhys Lovett before slotting home, and Joe Sbarra put the visitors ahead with a clinical first-time hit.

Dallas struck his second from the penalty spot after a foul on Josh Kelly and the finishing was added in stoppage time as Callum Maycock picked up the leftovers of Ryan Barnett’s saved effort.

Moors have now won four of their last five games and stay in touch with the National League’s pace-setters in fourth place.