SUTTON STUN VILLA WITH SIX OF THE BEST
BY ANDREW DELANEYSHARE
A tremendous second half performance gave Sutton United 1st Team a comprehensive 6-1 victory over Fairfield Villa at Coleshill Road Stadium.
After a closely fought first half with the scores at 1-1, Sutton were outstanding in the second half as Joe Delaney completed his second hat-trick of the season, top goal-scorer Joe Gildea netted a brace and a composed finish from Pete Bannister secured an emphatic victory.
The match was originally scheduled at Fairfield Villa but following a few days of snow, it was switched to an evening kick-off at Coleshill Road. And with rain now falling, the match got under way for the first meeting of the season between these two sides.
It was United who opened the scoring in the 20th minute, when they won the ball in their own half and executed a swift break that finished with Gildea setting up Delaney on the left of goal to fire in across the keeper.
The visitors pulled a goal back just before the half hour when Louis Andrews delivered a free kick to the back post for the tall number eight, Ryan Moulton to head across goal for Oliver Parsons to finish.
Another set piece just a few minutes later, saw Reiss Wagstaff deny Lewis Cosgrove from close range. And for Sutton, a Jonny Grigg corner was headed just over the crossbar by Finlay Ballantyne.
Fairfield were forced into a couple of early changes due to injuries, with Rene Adigbo replaced in the 11th minute and their captain Darren Green coming off towards the end of the first half.
Sutton had created only four attempts on goal in the first forty-five, but they upped the tempo in the second half and the visitors found this difficult to deal with as United crafted a succession of opportunities and it wasn’t long before they retook the lead. A great interchange between Ballantyne, Kaine Donald and Remi Bell created space for Donald to deliver a perfectly weighted through pass for Gildea to find the bottom corner with a clinical finish.
Sutton should have had another shortly after but for some great defending by Fairfield, with a double save from close range as Leyton Hines shot was superbly saved by keeper Ben Maxwell before Gildea’s follow-up was smashed into Cosgrove on the line for the visitors.
Gildea was involved again for Sutton’s third goal; as he was closed down on the edge of the penalty box, he set up Delaney on the left of goal to finish with his right foot and give the hosts a two-goal cushion.
It was then Sutton’s turn to put themselves on the line at the back, as first Donald blocked a shot from Joel Hughes before Wagstaff reacted brilliantly to save the substitutes second attempt, and then Joseph Drake-Cervantes fired the rebound wide.
It was Sutton who further extended their lead in the 73rd minute, when Pete Bannister found the bottom corner of the net with a well-executed finish for his first goal of the season, after some great work from youngster James Stretton, making his 1st Team debut and another assist from the lively Gildea.
United kept up the pressure scoring again in the 77th minute when Josh Duggan spread the ball wide to Delaney on the left wing, and his whipped cross was met at the back post by Gildea to net his second of the match.
Fairfield could have pulled a goal back in the 81st minute when they broke down the right wing, but striker Parsons struck wide of the far post with only Wagstaff to beat.
However, it was Sutton who continued to pressure the opposition and Gildea almost had his hat-trick only to be denied by a finger-tipped save from Maxwell, diverting the ball onto the crossbar.
And as the match went into added time, it was Delaney who netted his hat-trick after Shane Smith intercepted a Villa pass in the final third, played a one-two with the winger, who then slotted the ball past Maxwell to complete a comprehensive three points for the home side.
United have a break from league action next Saturday when they visit Coventrians in the Saturday Vase with a 2pm kick off.
Team: Sutton United
1. Reiss Wagstaff
2. Pete Bannister
3. Lewis James
4. Kaine Donald – Matt Hurrell 75’
5. Finlay Ballantyne
6. Josh Duggan (c)
7. Remi Bell – James Stretton 71’
8. Jonny Grigg – James Taylor 75’
9. Leyton Hines – Shane Smith 79’
10. Joe Gildea
11. Joe Delaney
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Louis Singh
Derrick Cullen
Team: Fairfield Villa
1. Ben Maxwell
2. Darren Green (c) – Joel Hughes 40’
3. Louis Andrews
4. Lewis Cosgrove
5. Liam Taylor
6. Ricardo Dudley
7. Joseph Drake-Cervantes
8. Ryan Moulton – Harry Stone 69’
9. Oliver Parsons
10. Alex Knight – Matthew Jones 80’
11. Rene Adigbo – Joshua Mussell 11’
Management/Assistants:
GJ Singh
Jazz Campbell
Daniel Moses
Madison Jordan
Match Officials: Mark Chester, Steven Chappell, Andrew Legg
| Sutton United | Statistics | Fairfield Villa |
| 6 | Goals | 1 |
| 21 | Attempts | 10 |
| 13 | Attempts on Target | 7 |
| 48% | Possession | 52% |
| 4 | Corners | 2 |
| 6 | Fouls Committed | 9 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |