Match Report: Bromley 2-2 Solihull Moors (Bromley win 4-3 on penalties) | Solihull Moors FC

Heartbreak for Moors fans, as we lose the 2024 National League final on penalties in our first match at Wembley against Bromley.

Ahead of our first appearance at Wembley, Andy Whing made one change to the starting XI with Jay Benn dropping out of the matchday squad due to injury.

Kyle Morrison comes in to replace him, with Max Taylor coming in to start on the substitutes bench.

This means that the frontline remains the same after scoring eight goals during the two playoff games so far.

Solihull Moors unfortunately lose at the final hurdle in our first Wembley appearance against Bromley in the 2024 National League playoff final, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 after 120 minutes before losing on penalties 4-3.

The first shot came from Bromley in the second minute, after Louis Dennis picked up a loose ball from 25 yards and curled the ball just past the far corner.

A minute later, Idris Odutayo struck the ball just wide of Nick Hayes’ goal as Bromley had a majority of the ball in the opening exchanges.

On eight minutes, Alex Whitmore made a vital challenge to deny Corey Whitely a shot on goal, before the Moors defenders cleared the resulting throw-in.

The Moors then took a hold of the game, keeping the ball deep inside the Bromley half but without testing Grant Smith in the Bromley goal.

In the 24th minute, Solihull had their first shot on goal after Jack Stevens won the ball back inside the Bromley half and played the ball out to Joe Sbarra. Sbarra rolled the ball onto his right foot and struck towards goal from the edge of the box, but the deflected effort was held by Smith.

Four minutes later, Joe Newton played a long ball over the top of the Bromley defence for Tahvon Campbell to chase. The striker went down under the challenge of Byron Webster, but the penalty appeals from the Solihull fans were waved away.

On 36 minutes, Bromley broke on the counterattack after a Solihull corner with Michael Cheek releasing Corey Whitely on the left-hand side. Whitely’s tame effort was saved by Hayes.

In a half with few chances, Bromley took the lead with four minutes of the first half to go through Cheek. A threaded pass played by Whitely was played in for Cheek and the Moors defence failed to stop the striker from placing the ball past Hayes and make it 1-0.

The second half began with the Moors on the front-foot and made it count inside three minutes with Sbarra equalising. Campbell received the ball on the edge of the box, turned and shot towards goal. His effort was parried by Smith and Sbarra was in the right place to make it 1-1.

Bromley responded well to conceding and Myles Weston found himself in a good position on the right-hand side to send a dangerous cross towards the middle, but Hayes claimed the ball.

On 57 minutes, Bromley were awarded a penalty after a loose back pass saw Cheek by brought down by Hayes in the area. After winning the penalty, Cheek smashed the ball in from 12 yards to give Bromley back their lead.

On 65 minutes, the Moors found an equaliser again out of nothing through our captain Osborne. He picked the ball up on the halfway line and ran with it up-field until he found himself on the edge of the Bromley box. From there, he fired the ball across goal to make it 2-2.

Ten minutes later, Campbell was fouled from 30 yards out with Osborne stepping over the free kick. The ball found itself land at Jon Benton’s feet, but the substitute’s shot flew over the bar.

On 80 minutes, the Moors were looking for a third with Sbarra sending a couple of low crosses into the six-yard box that caused the Bromley defence problems.

A minute later, Benton again had a shot towards goal after the Moors worked the ball well.

On 82 minutes, Bromley won the ball back in the Moors half and sparked a counterattack leading to Whitely hitting the side netting with his shot.

Five minutes later, Joe Newton found himself free on the left-hand side and sent in a low cross towards the box and was caused some panic in the Bromley defence.

In the fifth minute of added time, James Clarke had a chance to win the game as he had the ball from 20 yards out, but his curling effort went over the bar.

A minute later, Bromley had a chance of their own to win it when Jude Arthurs had a shot from a similar position. But his effort rolled into the path of Hayes as the game ended level after 90 minutes.

In the first half of extra-time, Bromley had the first chance after Alex Kirk got in behind the Solihull defence after three minutes and aimed his shot for the far corner, but the ball went off target.

Two minutes later, Bromley hit the post after a corner to the back-post was met by Kirk, but his header crashed the woodwork before Clarke cleared the ball.

Cheek tried the spectacular after 102 minutes, as he tried to lob the ball over Hayes from over 40 yards, but his lob caused no threat to Hayes’ goal.

In the second half of extra time, the Moors started the half with Sbarra winning a free kick just outside of the penalty box, but the Bromley defence did enough to clear the cross.

With six minutes of extra time to play, Bromley thought they had won the game when Kirk struck the ball on the edge of the box. His powerful strike had Hayes beaten but could only hit the post and bounce out of play as the game remained level.

After 119 minutes played, Solihull had one more chance as a free kick from Benton was sent into the area and not fully cleared by Bromley. The ball was passed back by Alex Whitmore for Maycock to shoot, but he skewed his effort wide as the game would be decided by penalties.

In the shootout, Tyrese Shade saw his penalty saved after Grant Smith dived the right way, pushing the ball away before Cheek scored his second penalty of the game.

Substitute Joss Labadie was the second Moors player to step up and was again denied by Smith, who guessed the right way. However, Hayes denied Ashley Charles with a great stop.

Campbell cooly placed his penalty in the bottom right corner of the goal to score, before Olufela Olomola scored his to make it 2-1 after three penalties each.

Nana Boateng scored his penalty by sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, before Jude Arthurs also converted from 12 yards.

Benton took the fifth Moors penalty as his shot kissed the post as it went in, with the fifth Bromley penalty scored by their captain Byron Webster for them to win the shootout and the match.

Our season is not over, as we will be back under the famous arch to play Gateshead in the 2024 FA Trophy final on Saturday 11th May.