IF THERE are two positives that the Chester City manager Mark Wright can take from this woeful FA Umbro Trophy tie, it is that his side extended their unbeaten record to five matches, as well as recording their fourth consecutive shut-out.
As a spectacle the game was a total non-event, with both sides guilty of a catalogue of mis-placed passes and elementary mistakes.
The match is probably best summed up by the "attempts on target" tally; a paltry three were recorded by the club's match statistician whose pen was suffering from frostbite, caused by inactivity, at the end of the 90 minutes.
Solihull, who play two divisions beneath City in the Doctor Martens League Western Division, were arguably the more purposeful side during the turgid 90 minutes, while Jekyll and Hyde Chester must be wondering how they can play so well against Barnet and Telford United in their previous two Conference matches, yet so poorly against lesser opposition like Solihull.
The Midlanders had the only first-half chance, Brown in the City goal saving from Cooper's 18 yarder.
Chester's only chance was a Brabin effort that nearly hit a passing aeroplane, it went so high over the cross bar.
In the second half, play bucked up: we saw two chances on goal.
Hall showed all the aplomb of Fred Elliot as he fired tamely at Brown from eight yards and at the other end Spink powered a header goalwards from 10 yards that bounced before nestling meekly in the arms of Murphy.
Manager Wright reflected: "If there was a positive that came out of the game it was that we extended our unbeaten run and also kept a clean sheet.
"To be fair to Solihull, I thought they deserved something from the game, but defensively we did well again. Unfortunately neither side really threatened in front of goal."
CHESTER CITY: W Brown, Woodyat, Carden , Lanca, Bolland, Brabin, Porter (Haarhoff 69), M Mcgorry, Beesley , D Brown (Spink 69), Whittaker (Blackburn
69). Subs not used: Jenkins, M Rose. REFEREE: J Tatton, Liverpool ATTENDANCE: 1,282..SUPL:
