All cheers for Sutton at Chelmsley
Andrew Delaney10 Dec 2023 –
Sutton recorded back-to-back wins with victory over Chelmsley Town at Pack Meadow Stadium.
A brace from frontman Joe Gildea with a Sam Price goal in between, gave Sutton the win that moved them above Chelmsley into ninth place in the MFL1.
Sutton recorded their fifth clean sheet of the season with a strong display from the back line, as Matt Bishop returned from suspension with an assured performance alongside Will Jones who won every ariel challenge that came his way, as full backs Alex O’Keefe and Jon Grigg provided a constant threat going forward.
Sutton began positively with two early efforts from Gildea: one at the near post that he scooped wide with the ball coming in behind him, and a low free kick that just needed someone to get a toe on as it swung wide of the far post.
For the home side, Harry Jennings had their best effort with a 20-yard strike that was tipped behind by Connor Byrne, in goal for Sutton.
United took the lead on the half hour when Town’s Pete Maguire kicked the ball out only as far as Kyle Hayden and his perfect cross into the box was calmly slotted past the Chelmsley keeper by Gildea.
Sutton moved the ball around confidently and should have increased their lead when Gildea headed O’Keefe’s delivery wide of the target, and Hayden struck the side netting after a strong run into the penalty box.
Sutton continued to dominate the chances in the second half and doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when Tom Massey did well in midfield before finding Price on the left, and despite a heavy first touch, the ball rebounded back into his path, and he made no mistake with the finish to record his third goal in the last three matches.
The Chelmsley keeper was kept busy as he dived to save a low free kick from Gildea and he made an excellent save at his near post to deny Sutton’s substitute, Hassan Said a goal on his debut.
Jonny Grigg hit the post in the 90th minute and just two minutes later, he was quick to win the ball on the right flank and set Massey on his way to pick out Gildea in the box. The striker beat his defender to find the bottom corner of the net with a clinical left foot finish that takes his tally for the season to twenty-one.
Next Saturday Sutton host Wednesfield at Coleshill Road, who did not play this weekend, but have won their last four league fixtures and sit one place above Sutton in the table on goal difference.
Team: Chelmsley Town
1. Pete Maguire
2. Casey Roberts
3. Ben Tomlinson – 58’ Oscar Jackson
4. Henry Walker
5. James Henry
6. Lewis Moss – 58’ George Hunt
7. Ben Cranage – 87’ Ryan Colley
8. Harry Jennings
9. Adam Woods – 69’ Kaine Williams
10. Oliver Jeeves – 58’ Alfie Chatwin
11. Sam Jeeves (c)
Management/Assistants:
Steve Solomon
Gary Danks
Jason Gibbons
Warren Keeley
Adam Keeley
Team: Sutton United
1. Connor Byrne
2. Jon Grigg
3. Alex O’Keefe
4. Matt Bishop – 87’ Mark Moore
5. Will Jones
6. Kye Billingham-Belle
7. Sam Price – 81’ Lewis James
8. Tom Cullen – 69’ Sef Semlali
9. Joe Gildea
10. Tom Massey (c)
11. Kyle Hayden – 69’ Hassan Said
Management/Assistants:
Liam Burke
Richard Heath
Matt Gough
Chris Bratt-Rose
Amelia Small
Match Officials: Joshua East, Mohammed Ahsan, John Sproson
| Chelmsley Town | Statistics | Sutton United |
| 0 | Goals | 3 |
| 6 | Attempts | 23 |
| 4 | Attempts on Target | 8 |
| 32% | Possession | 68% |
| 4 | Corners | 5 |
| 10 | Fouls Committed | 5 |
| 3 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM |
| Jon Grigg | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Gildea | 22 | 21 | 7 | 7 |
| Tom Massey | 22 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Sef Semlali | 20 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Lewis James | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Sam Price | 17 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Mark Moore | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Jones | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kieran McConville | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Thomas Cullen | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Smith | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kaine Donald | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Hayden | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Buchanan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Connor Byrne | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Delaney | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Simmonds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex O’Keefe | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Cooper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hassan Said | 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 |
| Shevron Channer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 45 | 38 |