Solihull Moors 2 AFC Telford 2 - match report
AFC Telford United's fate in the Skrill Conference North title race is back in their own hands with a game to go after picking up a point at Solihull Moors.
A nightmare start saw them go 2-0 down in 13 minutes, goals from Reece Fleet and Junior English leaving the Bucks absolutely shell-shocked.
Adam Farrell spurned a penalty awarded to Telford for the second game in succession before Stuart Pierpoint's own goal got them back in it, Mike Grogan netting the all-important equaliser.
League leaders North Ferriby United, at the top on goal difference, blew their own lines by losing at play-off chasers Boston United, allowing Telford to go a point ahead with one game left.
They were handed a slice of luck with just five minutes gone when Solihull midfielder Richard Taundry, arguably their most capable performer, had to be replaced with an ankle injury.
All notions of that were expelled a minute later when they went behind, Michael Taylor breaking on the left to cross in for Reece Fleet, whose header looped over goalkeeper Ryan Young.
An immediate response was needed and it was nearly so through Tony Gray two minutes later, the striker found in the centre by Shaun Whalley's ball from the right.
They were made to pay with still just 13 minutes on the clock when Pierpoint's long ball forward from the back caused disruption.
Confusion between Young and captain Simon Grand allowed English to creep in-between the pair of them to poke the ball into the net.
All eyes turned towards referee Sian Massey five minutes later when Farrell's header bounced off the arm of Rob Elvins, from Whalley's cross. She ruled it was unintentional.
Farrell couldn't quite reach a loose ball that surely would have ended up in the net with any sort of connection with 20 minutes gone, Whalley's cross-cum-shot flashing across the box.
They did finally get a goal back in the 22nd minute, Whalley's cross headed goalwards by Grogan with Pierpoint eventually steering the ball into his own net.
If that was fortuitous, Solihull goalkeeper Jasbir Singh nearly handed them an equaliser when he allowed Wes Baynes' effort from right-back to creep in under him and luckily away from goal.
Telford just couldn't claim the leveller, even when a penalty came in the last minute of the first-half when Gray's shot struck the hand of substitute Joshua Hawker.
Up stepped Farrell to take another spot kick, after missing and scoring one at home to Gloucester City on Saturday, but Singh guessed right and claimed a low shot to his right.
Telford pressed again for an equaliser after the break when Whalley missed a sitter, Grand's ball from the back presenting the chance to chip the ball over Singh only to drop wide of the woodwork.
Parity was finally restored on 63 minutes when Whalley's corner from the left found Grogan, who had such a significant hand in the first goal, to launch himself at a header that crept past Singh.
Gray was denied one-on-one with Singh with 20 minutes left, the Solihull shot-stopper saving at his feet with a super save.
Grand had to act at the other end in the 77th minute, hacking off the line from English's effort with Young committed and out of the equation.
Baynes had a hand in what could have been a winner with 10 minutes to go when Singh again intervened, Whalley nearly deflecting the ball home. In the end, a winner didn't come.
