Solihull Moors 3-1 Chesterfield: Spireites' promotion hopes ended in National League play-offs

Alex Gudger's goal was his third of the season for Solihull Moors

Solihull Moors reached the National League play-off final with a convincing home win over Chesterfield.

Joe Quigley put the Spireites in front early on, but Andrew Dallas and Alex Gudger gave Solihull a half-time lead.

Callum Howe's second-half header made it 3-1 and Chesterfield could not find a way back into the game.

Solihull will now face Grimsby, who beat Wrexham 5-4, at London Stadium on Sunday, 5 June for a place in the English Football League.

Solihull started the brighter, backed by an expectant home crowd, and Kyle Hudlin's header forced Scott Loach into a fantastic early save.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead in their first meaningful attack of the game as Liam Mandeville found Quigley in the box, and the striker hammered a first-time shot past Joe McDonnell in front of a delighted away end.

Conceding the goal did not deter Neal Ardley's men, and by half-time they had turned things around.

Top scorer Dallas raced on to a clever through ball to equalise with his 23rd goal of the season, and then Gudger reacted quickest from a corner to stab the loose ball past Loach.

After the break, Chesterfield's Calvin Miller missed a huge chance to make it 2-2, the winger unable to beat McDonnell one-on-one, and that miss proved costly.

Just two minutes later, Solihull stretched their lead as they again made the most of a set-piece. as Howe climbed highest to send a towering header back across goal and into the corner of Loach's net.

Chesterfield pushed hard to get back into the contest, but created few clear-cut chances with time ticking away.

The full-time whistle was met by jubilant scenes at Damson Park, as the home side moved a step closer to EFL status for the first time.

Solihull boss Neal Ardley told BBC WM 95.6:

"They scored a good goal early on and that can sometimes put doubt in your minds, but when you've scored 83 goals in the season and I look around the team, (I know) we're going to have chances to score.

"The spirit is magnificent, this one of the best groups I've ever worked with, the way they get on, the way they fight for each other, the way they train.

"I know Grimsby fans will say they deserve it, we're both in the final, but I do believe these guys do deserve to go up - whether we can do it or not is a different matter.

"We've never been in the (Football) League, it would be remarkable for us and we've got 90 minutes (at Wembley) to have a go."