Flowers delighted with cup win at Hitchin

Tim Flowers was delighted to see his Solihull Moors team avoid becoming one of the scalps of the FA Cup first round after they humbled Hitchin Town 2-0.

Facing the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, Moors, of the National League, came up against a spirited Canaries side 62 places below them in the pyramid.

But Adi Yussuf and Danny Wright scored in the second half to ensure that Flowers’ men didn’t wilt against Southern League opposition.

“I’m relieved to be through as it was an even game and they had us scrambling,” said the former England and Blackburn goalkeeper.

“The Hitchin fans were fantastic, as you’d expect. The atmosphere was great – it’s what the FA Cup is all about.

“To win here is a huge result, where there was a potential banana skin.

“We treated it exactly the same as a league game, apart from the days we trained, as we’re not full-time.”

Hitchin keeper Michael Johnson denied Kwame Thomas in the first half before Yussuf sent him the wrong way from the penalty spot after Noah Chesmain brought down Osborne.

Wright then smashed home after his first effort from Luke Maxwell’s corner was blocked.

Hitchin Town manager Mark Burke said: “I’m disappointed but also immensely proud. Up until the penalty, we were a match for a team two leagues above us.

“The penalty was soft, and it changed the game – we’ll have a look at it.

“My job now is focusing on the league, the bread-and-butter, as opposed to the magic of the cup.”