Green Double as The Greens Hit Five!
Sutton United claimed all three points in a seven-goal thriller at Coventry
Copsewood, producing a clinical display in an entertaining and highly competitive
contest.
Dylan Green recorded a brace with Joe Gildea, Oli Jeeves and Harry Howard all finding the net as Sutton
continued their strong league form, despite a spirited late surge from the hosts and a brace from
Coventry’s Eden Mukenge.
There was just one change to the squad for Sutton, with Jake Lamb making his long-awaited comeback
to the first team after being sidelined through injury since the second match of the campaign.
Sutton made the perfect start, striking after just seven minutes when Sam Jeeves threaded a perfectly
weighted through-ball into the path of Gildea, who showed terrific composure to beat goalkeeper Olly
Manuel and convert his 15th goal of the season.
The hosts then came close when Taylor Blythe unleashed an effort from the edge of the penalty area
which bounced awkwardly for goalkeeper Greg Lewis, before he managed to get it under control.
United doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Aidan Mee whipped a superb cross from near the corner
flag, allowing Oli Jeeves to head home emphatically from six yards.
James Spruce came close to adding a third when Lewis Hayden picked him out in the box, only for
Manuel to pull off a smart save.
Copsewood finished the half strongly and pulled a goal back just before the break, when Archie
Gallacher slid a precise pass through the Sutton defence and Mukenge converted with a composed finish
over the onrushing Lewis.
Sutton introduced Green and Howard at half-time, and the pair made an immediate impact. Only four
minutes after the restart, Lewis launched a long ball forward that bounced over the Coventry defence,
and Green reacted sharply to fire past Manuel from 18-yards and restore Sutton’s two-goal cushion.
Just three minutes later, United had a fourth following excellent link-up play in the final third involving
Tom Massey, Mee and Green. Green then squared the ball across the face of goal for Howard to tap in
at the back post for his fourth goal of the season.
Despite Sutton’s commanding lead, the hosts were playing well, and they began to apply some serious
pressure in the final fifteen minutes. Their efforts were rewarded in the 78th minute, when Mukenge
poked home from close range for his second of the match after Sutton failed to clear a corner.
A resilient Copsewood then came agonisingly close to setting up a grandstand finish. Mukenge had a
gilt-edged chance to complete his hat-trick after rounding Lewis, but with the goal gaping he steered his
shot wide. And only moments later, the Copsewood frontman burst into the Sutton penalty area once
more, only to be denied by a fantastic save from Lewis.
United finally killed off any hopes of a home comeback in the closing stages, when Green netted his
second of the match, after Mee set him up on the edge of the penalty box and he unleashed a brilliant
strike to ensure Sutton went home with all three points.
Next up for United is an away trip to Wednesfield Community on Saturday 6th December with a 3pm kick
off.
Team: Coventry Copsewood
- Olly Manuel
- Joe Miles (c) – 53’ Sam Ellis
- Amrun Sandhu
- Ethan Baynham
- Daniel Lole
- Alex Barnett
- Taylor Blyth – 46’ Alfie Smith
- Eden Mukenge
- Will Boden – 53’ Alfonso Castellano-Galvez
- Jevon Fraser – 71’ Hamza Siddique
- Archie Gallacher
Sub unused: George Steele
Management/Assistants:
Stu Ryan
Danny Bull
Mark Kingham
Dave Levic
Team: Sutton United
- Greg Lewis
- Aidan Mee
- James Gallagher
- Matt Bishop
- Lewis Wall – 72’ Joel Newman
- Lewis Hayden
- Tom Massey
- Sam Jeeves – 46’ Harry Howard
- Joe Gildea – 72’ Jonny Grigg
- James Spruce – 46’ Dylan Green
- Oli Jeeves – 86’ Jake Lamb
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Aidan Jeynes
Marcus Davies
Evija Stauga
Match Officials: Orkan Bedre, Alex Wilson, Mariusz Tomon