A late equaliser from Marine forced Moors to settle for a point on the final day of the National League North season at The Brewery field.
Dan Jones opened the scoring for Moors early in the game with a glanced header into the bottom corner, before an 88th minute strike from James Potter secured a point for the visitors.
The Mariners almost had a nightmare start when defender Adam Thomas cushioned a header back to his keeper, only for Jack McIntyre to miss it as the ball trickled just wide, sparing Thomas’ blushes.
Moors should have taken the lead with 14 minutes on the clock when an unbelievable through-ball from Mackenzie Heaney perfectly found the run of Corey McKeown, who took a touch into the area before firing towards the near post. His effort however, dipped wide.
A brilliant header from Jones put Moors ahead three minutes later, when he connected with Heaney’s cross from the right. The number three glanced the ball into the bottom left corner to put his side ahead.
Both sides saw half chances soon after, with Fin Sinclair-Smith’s effort being deflected into the hands of Brad James by his own man, before Junior Mondal’s bicycle kick was comfortably stopped by McIntyre.
Ben Pollock went close to adding a second to Moors’ tally when he was picked out by Heaney inside the area. The floated ball found the defender at the back post, who nodded an effort down and just wide of the mark.
The visitors could have equalised with 38 minutes on the clock as Leigh Whelan bent an effort towards the bottom right corner from distance, only to see the strike well stopped by James.
Tyler Hill tried his luck when he cannoned an effort well over the bar from distance, before Matty McDonald’s low strike trickled wide of the mark.
Moors continued to look for a second after the break, as Rob Ramshaw pushed his side up the field on the counter. He found space on the left to cross the ball into the area, only to see it cleared by Marine.
Jones produced some brilliant defensive work on the 67th minute when he threw himself in front of a thunderbolt of a strike, blocking the effort and deflecting it wide.
Olly Dyson went close to challenging Ramshaw’s goal of the season when he drove forwards and thumped an effort towards goal. His strike, however, didn’t stop rising, as it soared over the bar.
Moors went close again with 14 minutes to go, as Heaney laid off a free-kick to Glen Taylor, who thrashed a low effort just wide of the bottom left corner of the net.
Substitute Kian Foreman caused problems for The Mariners defence on the 79th minute when he managed to weave his way through challenges before slipping the ball through to Taylor inside the area. The frontman took aim, only to see the strike fly over the bar.
The visitors equalised with two minutes to go through substitute, James Potter. A mistake at the back from Hill allowed the number 30 through on goal, before finding the bottom left corner with a composed finish.
Bobby Grant’s side went close to snatching all three points in the final moments when Sinclair-Smith curled an effort towards the top left corner, which went on to strike the crossbar.
Full Time: Moors 1 Marine 1
Moors: James, Pollock, Jones, Hill, Stephenson, Dyson, Heaney, McKeown, Ramshaw, Mondal (Foreman 72), Taylor.
Subs not used: Johnson, Hancox, Beals, Williams, Broadbent, Nouble.
Booked: Pollock (64)
Marine: McIntyre, Anson, Butler (Fielding 65), Wardle, Thomas, Drysdale, Whelan, McDonald (Potter 87), Sinclair-Smith, Jolley (Huby 82), Newell (Zanzala 56).
Subs not used: Bell, Leuluai, Abbey.
Referee: Ben Tomlinson
Attendance: 1,513
Report by Noah Betts