Hednesford Town vs Solihull Moors

Wilkinson's 76th-minute equaliser changed the game decisively. Hednesford had defended resolutely for 75 minutes, but once Solihull found a way through, the second followed quickly. The quick double — two goals in five minutes — meant Hednesford had no time to reset before falling behind. Davis later acknowledged: "We made changes and the game changed a little bit. That's acceptable during pre-season."

Conner Wilkinson (Solihull Moors) — Introduced from the bench on 57 minutes, scored the crucial equaliser 19 minutes later that broke Hednesford's resistance.

Kian Ryley (Solihull Moors) — Came on in the 71st minute and made the decisive contribution by rounding the goalkeeper to score the winner 10 minutes later.

Jamie Cooke (Hednesford Town) — Took his headed goal well from Cirino's delivery and led the line effectively before being substituted on 62 minutes. This was his first goal for the club since his summer move from Halifax Town.

Sam Hornby (Hednesford Town) — The former Walsall goalkeeper made several sharp saves and could do little about either Solihull goal. Davis praised his fitness, noting he played 90 minutes.

Player of the Match: Conner Wilkinson (Solihull Moors)

The match was finely balanced for 75 minutes — Hednesford led from a single set-piece goal, while Solihull created several chances without converting. Solihull's second-half pressure eventually told: both their goals came from substitutes, reflecting the deeper squad depth of the National League side. The attendance of 1,249 was strong for a pre-season friendly at Keys Park, with Davis calling it "pretty good numbers."

For Solihull Moors, managed by Chris Millington, this was their first pre-season victory after defeats to Knowle and Birmingham City (the Arthur Cup) and a 1-1 draw with Alvechurch. Joe Sbarra had scored their only goal across those three games. The Moors now face Hereford away on 25 July before hosting Burton Albion (28 July) and Northampton Town (1 August).

For Hednesford Town, managed by former Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, this was their first pre-season defeat after a 2-2 draw with Stratford Town on Tuesday. The newly-promoted National League North side have been active in the transfer market this summer, bringing in players such as George Langston (Braintree), Aaron Hayden (Carlisle) and Dale Gorman (Woking). Davis said post-match: "I'm not concerned about the result. There was a lot of good stuff, large parts of the game. Tough opposition, a test for us."

A pre-season friendly that followed a familiar script: the lower-league side led through a set-piece goal, but the National League visitors' superior fitness and depth told in the final quarter. Solihull will be encouraged by their response after falling behind; Hednesford can take positives from 75 minutes of disciplined defending against a side two divisions above them. Davis was honest afterwards: "I don't care about the result — I think every manager lies when they say that. You don't want to lose games. But there's a reason and we understand the reason."