Morecambe 4-2 Solihull Moors (AET): Two-goal Cole Stockton stars as Shrimps knock out Moors
- Published
League Two Morecambe booked their place in the FA Cup third round as they finally overcame a scare from non-league Solihull Moors in extra time.
Jimmy Shan's National League side set themselves on the way to a second-round upset when striker Kyle Hudlin's first goal for the club earned the Midlanders a 19th-minute lead.
But Morecambe striker Cole Stockton then took over, scoring twice in six early second-half minutes.
Morecambe old boy Jordan Cranston equalised but Stockton was then involved in the two extra-time strikes - from substitute John O'Sullivan and a Mitch Hancox own goal - that booked the Shrimps' place in round three for the first time in 18 years.
It started so well for the Moors when Cranston's shot from distance was fumbled by Shrimps keeper Jake Turner - and Hudlin was first to react from close range.
Cranston then twice went very close himself. First his header deflected off Harry Davis out of keeper Turner's reach onto the left upright and along the goalline before being scrambled clear by Yann Songo'o.
Then another Cranston header from a corner was cleared from almost underneath their own crossbar by a combination of Stockton and Songo'o.
Solihull were well worth their lead at the break but it all turned round with two goals from Stockton - to make up for the nasty first-half collision that had left him with a cut head and an enforced change of shirt.
With his back to goal, backpeddling Carlos Mendes Gomes cleverly nodded back into Stockton's path and the now headbanded, numberless striker volleyed home from 15 yards.
Solihull could quickly have gone back in front when Hudlin latched onto a bad backpass to round half-time replacement Shrimps keeper Mark Halstead and roll the ball towards goal, but the covering Sam Lavelle got back to divert it away for a corner.
And Morecambe quickly took advantage as, after a collection of stray passes from the visitors, Stockton efficiently exchanged passes with Adam Phillips before slotting home a low right-footed shot from the edge of the box.
Cranston then got Solihull level again on 69 minutes when Cameron Archer broke from a Morecambe corner and squared for Cranston to coolly slot home against his old club.
But, although that was enough to take the game to extra time, the final half hour proved the end of the road for the Moors.
From substitute Stephen Hendrie's left-wing cross five minutes into added time, Stockton's looping first header fell for O'Sullivan who leapt highest to loop a second header up and over Moors keeper Ryan Boot.
Then it was all over three minutes into the second half of extra time when the dangerous Stockton met a right-wing corner which took a huge deflection off Solihull's Mitch Hancox on its way into the net.