Billingham-Belle-ter!
Andrew Delaney4 Feb –
Kye Billingham-Belle came off the bench to score a late winner for Sutton United against Heather St. John’s at Coleshill Road Stadium.
The teenager’s dramatic strike came in the 84th minute to give United a superb victory, with a much-improved team performance in response to the disappointing defeat at Shawbury last weekend.
The match saw Division One’s two top goal scorers come head-to-head, and it was Sutton’s Joe Gildea who struck first with a clinical spot kick in the 17th minute. Not to be outdone, St. John’s dangerman Kyle Jardine pulled them level with a 48th minute strike, that set up a nail-biting second half.
Sutton were positive from the start, having the best of the early opportunities. Hassan Said had a great chance in the 11th minute but chose to chip his effort, giving an easy save for Matthew White. Then both Said and Jon Grigg had shots blocked by Tommy Read and Lewis Hopewell respectively, as Sutton pressed their advantage.
And the breakthrough came for Sutton in the 17th minute when they were awarded a penalty for what could have been a push by Jake Macintosh on Said but was probably for the handball by Kian Taylor to deny Sutton’s captain, Tom Massey. Gildea made no mistake with the spot kick, sending White the wrong way and giving the hosts a well-deserved lead.
United had some great chances to increase their lead before the break, with their wide players causing problems for the visitors. Said came close again when he slipped the ball around the outrushing White but couldn’t quite find the net from the tight angle, and Ben Friel had an effort blocked at the back post after a good delivery from Massey, looking dangerous in a wider role.
The visitors pulled themselves back into the game with a goal two minutes into the restart, when a ball over the top had Jardine beating the offside to run in behind, slip passed the outrushing Kieran Hart and finish into an open net.
It was much tighter second half with the best opportunities falling to Jardine for Heather St. John’s who headed into the side netting and Grigg dragging an effort wide of the far post for Sutton.
However, it was United who found the winner in the 84th minute, when Gildea’s twenty-yard shot was saved by White but with the rebound falling to Sam Price on the right, he picked out Billingham-Belle to beat his marker and fire home from six yards.
The goal set up a tense finish and it was the two main strikers who almost stole the show at the end. Gildea hit the post with a terrific shot from distance, before Jardine was denied an effort in front of goal with a fantastic challenge from Grigg and last-ditch clearance from Lewis James that ensured all three points went to Sutton.
Next Saturday sees Sutton travel to Wolverhampton Sporting Community at Pride Park, Hazel Road, Great Wyrley for a 3pm kick off.
Team: Sutton United
1. Kieran Hart
2. Jake Murrell – 72’ Kye Billingham-Belle
3. Alex O’Keefe
4. Lewis James
5. Tion Pearce-Copeland – 79’ Mark Moore
6. Will Jones
7. Hassan Said – 77’ Ryan Delport
8. Jon Grigg
9. Joe Gildea
10. Tom Massey (c) – 85’ Sef Semlali
11. Ben Friel – 72’ Sam Price
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Amelia Small
Derek Culling
Team: Heather St. John’s
1. Matthew White
2. Kai Thomas
3. Kian Taylor (c) – 29’ George Ludlam
4. Lewis Hopewell
5. Jake Macintosh – 45’ Kye Wooldridge
6. Jack Hession
7. Jake Finnerty
8. Tommy Read
9. Kyle Jardine
10. Jordan Holmes
11. Joe McNulty
Subs Unused: Alfie Donnelly, Jake Mcleary, Jack Coles
Management/Assistants:
N. Costello, S. Hession
S. Beniston, C. Liddington
P. Griebel, J.Lickorish
R.Madhar
Match Officials: Daniel Simmons, Andrew Gopsill, Dominic Mason
| Sutton United | Statistics | Heather St. John’s |
| 2 | Goals | 1 |
| 14 | Attempts | 11 |
| 9 | Attempts on Target | 4 |
| 59% | Possession | 41% |
| 6 | Corners | 7 |
| 7 | Fouls Committed | 7 |
| 4 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM |
| Joe Gildea | 28 | 28 | 8 | 10 |
| Sam Price | 22 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Tom Massey | 30 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
| Sef Semlali | 28 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Tom Cullen | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Kieran McConville | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jon Grigg | 30 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Alex O’Keefe | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Delaney | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Shane Smith | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Hayden | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hassan Said | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kaine Donald | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Buchanan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Shevron Channer | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewis James | 24 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mark Moore | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Will Jones | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Connor Byrne | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Friel | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Weston | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Simmonds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Cooper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Louis Malin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Hurrell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Lewis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shakeer Abdelkhalek | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 59 | 50 |