Solihull Moors had to battle for the points against 10-man Fleet and it took the home side until five minutes from the end to get the crucial breakthrough. Manny Duku netted twice for the hosts, with a Kwame Thomas penalty evening up the scores plus a second yellow card for Toby Edser on 51 minutes in between.

Fleet took to the field with three changes, Mustapha Olagunju back from suspension along with Lewis Page and Aaron Cosgrave. They replaced Anthony Stewart, Josh Passley and Franklin Domi.

A sedate opening in the Solihull sunshine might have been enlivened on eight minutes when George Moncur was well placed with a free-kick that he lifted high to drop into the box for the attacking red shirts but goalkeeper Ollie Wright was first to it.

Moments later, there was a free-kick at the other end when Alex Lankshear brought top scorer Jack Stevens down on the edge of the box and after lengthy treatment for their player (who later had to be substituted), Moors hit the set-piece off for a corner via Page’s midriff. Page conceded another free-kick a few minutes later on the other side of the box but that one was fired well over.

Fleet came ever so close to the opener on 18 minutes when Dom Samuel laid off a long throw into the box and Chapman connected well, smacking a shot off the post. That chance was costly for Samuel, however, who had to make way for Kwame Thomas as a result of his fall in the build-up.

It was a while until the next chance but it came on 33 minutes courtesy of a delightful searching ball up the left flank from Page. Cosgrave’s speed took him clear of the last defender but his approach was at an angle and Wright was able to get the block in at the cost of a corner.

Mark Cousins had a corner of his own to deal with, punching that clear under pressure from beneath his crossbar before Bradley Stevenson broke through the middle and had a two on one against the Fleet back line but former Havant striker Duku fluffed his lines when he took the pass.

But Duku made amends two minutes from half-time with the opening goal. James Clarke took possession out wide on the right and launched a long-range delivery all the way to the far post. Duku threw himself at that and his header left Cousins no chance.

Fleet enjoyed the bulk of possession in eight minutes of added time and they earned a penalty deep into that time when Lankshear was taken out by an unnecessary two-footed lunge from Jack Wells-Morrison. Up stepped Thomas – on his old home ground – and he buried the equaliser over the goalkeeper who dived the right way.

While Fleet ended the first-half in the best possible way, they started the second in the worst. Six minutes in, Edser – who had been booked for dissent in the first period – was given his marching orders via a second yellow card for a fairly innocuous challenge in midfield.

Solihull pushed forward and substitute Jamey Osborne sent a free-kick whistling past the post before Ollie Tipton planted a header on target with 20 minutes left but Olagunju did ever so well to come across and head clear.

Lankshear emulated that defensive resilience 10 minutes later when a good move down the flank by Moors ended with Shzem Whyte-Hall getting sight of goal but his shot was well charged down by the Fleet loanee.

Lankshear’s foot again made the difference two minutes later. Dallison pulled up as his hamstring went in a chase down the wing, allowing Duku to swing a shot across that Cousins flung himself at. Clarke was on to the loose ball and drove it low at the empty target but Lankshear, on the floor, managed to divert it round the post with his oustretched leg.

But despite those brave attempts, Solihull went ahead from the resulting corner as Duku popped up on the far post to convert it. And that late conversion proved to be the winner despite a late flurry of corners and pressure from the Fleet.

EUFC: Cousins, Lankshear, Page (Domi 64), Dallison (Bingham 85), Olagunju, Bolger, Chapman, Edser, Moncur (Aoraha 55), Cosgrave (Manktelow 74), Samuel (Thomas 23). Subs: Stewart, Firth
SMFC: Wright, Newton (Labadie 90), Whitmore, Cundy, Tipton, Oakley, Clarke, Wells-Morrison (Osborne 46), Hall-Johnson (Whyte-Hall 72), Stevens (Stevenson 17, Holman 58), Duku. Subs: Bostock, Flahavan
Attendance: 848 (54 EUFC)

Vote for your man of the match.