ETHAN Moore pounced three minutes from time to rescue a precious point for Worcester City at 10-man Solihull Moors.

City’s leading scorer made it nine goals for the campaign as he raced onto substitute Sam Smith’s flick-on to stab the ball past goalkeeper Jasbir Singh.

It cancelled out Ryan Beswick’s 63rd-minute deflected opener, which had squirmed under Jose Veiga to break the deadlock at Damson Park.

But the hosts had to play the final 16 minutes without Michael Blackwood as the left-back, having been booked in the first period for handball, was shown a second yellow for tugging back Worcester City’s stand-in skipper Ellis Deeney.

It allowed Carl Heeley's side, who beat Moors’ fellow high-fliers Harrogate last Saturday, to lay siege to the hosts’ goal and they got their reward with Moore’s strike clinching a good point in the battle against the drop in Skrill North.

Striker Danny Glover also hurt his arm in the closing stages, which restricted his movement, as Worcester pushed for a winner.

The first-half took a while to get going as both sides shook off the Christmas excesses.

Neither team could fashion a chance in the early stages with Aaron Williams firing over for the visitors and Omar Bogle’s shot being deflected wide for the Moors.

But the hosts cranked up the pressure 10 minutes before the break and Reece Fleet rattled the woodwork with a fierce drive before Aron Wint’s header hit George Williams on the line and went behind.

For Worcester, Moore was denied by the feet of Singh, while the striker also got the better of ex-City defender Rob Elvins before the offside flag spoiled things.

Four minutes into the second period, Glover curled a free-kick inches wide. City began to get on top but, for all their effort, the quality was lacking.

Moore scuffed his shot into the ground from Richard Taundry’s cross and Shabir Khan headed over from Deeney’s corner.

Solihull threw on Junior English and Jordan Gough before Bogle dragged an effort across goal and agonisingly wide.

Visitors Worcester were forced to replace cramp victim Richard Munday with Sam Smith at the back and within seconds Beswick’s shot crept under Veiga and trickled over the line.

But City kept plugging away and their cause was aided when former Kidderminster Harriers player Blackwood was shown a second yellow.

City brought on Daniel Nti and went three at the back as they sought to make the most of their man advantage.

It paid off in the 87th minute when Moore pounced on Smith’s flick and struck to grab a precious point.

Worcester, who host Gloucester City on Saturday (3pm), are one point outside the relegation zone in 19th place.

City: Veiga 6, G Williams 7, Regan 7 (Dell 78), Shabir 8, Munday 7 (Smith 62, 7), Deeney 7, Nelson-Addy 8*, Taundry 8, Glover 7, Moore 8, A Williams 7 (Nti 74). Subs not used: Leslie, Weir.

Attendance: 575.