Sutton shocked by Stapenhill
Andrew Delaney
A great first half performance by Sutton was undone when Stapenhill scored three goals in ten second-half minutes that condemned Sutton to their third consecutive defeat.
Sutton made the perfect start when Joe Gildea found the back of the net with a fantastic strike at the edge of the 18-yard box within one minute and fourteen seconds of the kick-off.
United then doubled their lead in the 8th minute, when Gildea threaded a super pass through for Sam Price to chip the ball over the keeper and score his first goal for the club.
Sutton were flying as Tom Massey tested the keeper from twenty yards, Kye Billingham-Belle curled an effort over the crossbar and Price was denied a second when he slotted home at the back post, only to see a flag raised for what must have been a very tight off-side decision.
Stapenhill were looking frustrated and the closest they had come to a goal was towards the end of the half, when Sam Birks scooped the ball onto the crossbar from six yards.
The visitors made two changes for the start of the second half, bringing on Ronnie Bonser and Jake Making. Bonser didn’t last long, getting sent off in the 63rd minute after two yellow cards. However, what happened next was a game-changing ten minutes from Stapenhill. They pulled a goal back when Alex Weir pounced to finish from six yards, and they were suddenly the team in the ascendancy.
Sutton were sitting deeper in their own half as Stapenhill pressed and Birks fired them level in the 72nd minute after Ryan King’s clever backheel. And just three minutes later, they stunned Sutton by taking the lead when Weir headed in his second of the match.
United never really recovered and Stapenhill managed the final fifteen minutes to leave Coleshill Road with a remarkable comeback under their belt.
For Sutton, this was ultimately a match of fine margins. Their first half display was excellent, and Sam Price looked threatening on the left wing with a goal and an assist for his hard work. It was also good for Sutton to see Matt Bishop and Will Buchanan returning to the team.
Next up for Sutton is a midweek fixture when they travel to Coventry Copsewood on Tuesday 5th September for a 7.45pm kick off.
Team: Sutton United
1. Reiss Wagstaff (c)
2. Lewis James – 77’ Harrison Coe
3. Will Jones – 68’ Will Buchanan
4. Tion Pearce-Copeland
5. Mark Moore
6. Sef Semlali – 70’ Matt Bishop
7. Jonny Grigg – 66’ Kieran McConville
8. Tom Massey
9. Joe Gildea
10. Kye Billingham-Belle
11. Sam Price
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Matt Gough
Amelia Small
Derek Culling
Team: Stapenhill
1. Paul Hollis
2. James Frost – 45’ Ronnie Bonser
3. Lewis Campbell
4. Matt Roome (c)
5. Harry Lansdowne
6. Zac Hill
7. Cameron Steele – 82’ Rio Osman
8. Connor Ward – 45’ Jake Making
9. Sam Birks
10. Ryan King – 90+3’ Thomas Large
11. Alex Weir – 84’ Jude Ayetine
Management/Assistants:
Paul Madders
Kevin Blount
Mick Woods
Tom Hammerton
Rhys Harvey James
Match Officials: Nelson Oppong, Simon Lane, Michael Westmacott
| Sutton United | Statistics | Stapenhill |
| 2 | Goals | 3 |
| 11 | Attempts | 10 |
| 5 | Attempts on Target | 6 |
| 46% | Possession | 54% |
| 1 | Corners | 5 |
| 6 | Fouls Committed | 5 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 1 |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | opp MOTM |
| Joe Gildea | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Tom Massey | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Joe Delaney | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Jon Grigg | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Sam Price | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas Cullen | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Yousef Semlali | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Kaine Donald | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewis James | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Jones | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kieran McConville | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Moore | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Cooper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Buchanan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Day | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Barnett | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Taylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Hurrell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Lewis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 15 | 12 |