SOLIHULL Moors boss Matt Taylor described his team’s attitude as ‘phenomenal’ after they were reduced to 10 men after just six minutes on Saturday.
Moors fought to rescue a point to record a 2-2 draw in their National League opener at home to Forest Green – now managed by ex-Birmingham City midfielder Robbie Savage.
On-loan Stoke midfielder Darius Lipsiuc was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Yahya Bamba early on – to stack the odds against Solihull.
But the Moors took the lead just 10 minutes later as summer signing Oscar Rutherford opened his account on his debut with a diving header.
The visitors equalised nine minutes after the break as Christian Doidge headed home – after hitting the woodwork with his initial effort – from fellow second-half substitute Nick Haughton’s cross.
Haughton turned the game around on the hour as he fired into the far corner but Solihull were not done yet – and James Clarke levelled with 15 minutes remaining.
Taylor told the club’s X account: “The determination of this group of players was just phenomenal.
“To put it into context, we played one of the favourites to win the league, against really good players, they’ very club, really a little bit of transition.
“We knew it’d be a difficult game, and it was, but I think if you were to speak to them, it would’ve been a difficult game for them as well.
“So what’s really important now, is that we need to build on it, everything that we’re going to achieve this season, we build around teamship, togetherness. There’s no cheat code to it.
“There’s no easy way of winning football matches and staying in football matches, and this games epitomises what this team are starting to become.
“II said to him a half time, the fans here are totally and utterly behind them. You know why? What they saw as a team that would give everything for the badge.”
