Gildea brace beats Bears
Andrew Delaney27 Aug – 22:45
Joe Gildea scored a brace against Paget Rangers to secure a well-deserved win in an entertaining local derby at Coleshill Road.
Sutton made four changes to the starting lineup that won at AFC Bridgnorth on Saturday, with a debut appearance for Zach Binns who began brightly on the left flank, before he was forced into an early first half exit due to injury.
This was an entertaining match for the spectator, with both teams positively attacking, although Sutton dominated the opportunities with twenty-three attempts on goal. Paget used two goal keepers and they both made some fantastic saves to keep their team in the game.
United made the perfect start to the match with a goal in the 4th minute, when Robbie Brown swept the ball wide for Leyton Hines, who squared for frontman Gildea to finish from six yards, despite the keeper, Callum Cook, getting his fingers to the ball.
Sutton moved the ball well and built their attacks from the back but were caught out on a succession of offside decisions in the next twenty-minute spell. But then a fantastic through ball from Brown saw Hayden Froggatt break in behind the Bears defense, and it took a terrific save by Cook to deny the forward from inside the box, before the rebound from Tom Massey was blocked by defender Jonathan Baka.
Cook made another strong save on the half hour mark to keep out a free kick from Gildea, 25-yards from goal that was heading for the top corner.
United doubled their lead in the 33rd minute with a Gildea lob over the keeper at the end of a lovely passing move involving Matt Bishop, Jon Grigg and Massey, before Froggatt flicked the ball on for Sutton’s number nine to net his second of the match and fourth of the season.
Sutton came close to a third straight after, when Hines delivered a superb cross into the danger area and Massey’s header in front of goal spun over the crossbar.
The Bears had their chances in the first half, with Baka heading a set piece just wide of the post and Pervez Nedaie volleying an effort narrowly wide of the woodwork.
Substitute Scott Hardy looked lively when he came on for Sutton and almost scored on the brink of half time with an effort that was just off target.
There was a keeper change for Paget at the start of the second half with Ashley O’Neill replacing Cook and it wasn’t long before he had to make a double save to deny Hines from the left and then Gildea with the rebound.
In the 69th minute, Rangers had the ball in Sutton’s net after a scramble in the penalty box, but it was disallowed for a handball during the melee.
The match continued at a high pace and a sweeping counterattack by Sutton saw Gildea head over the cross bar and for Paget, Nedaie headed wide of the post from a long throw-in.
United had a big shout for handball in the Paget penalty box that denied Massey from eighteen yards, but it was not given.
Sutton finished strongly and could have added to their scoreline, as Scott Hardy saw two efforts superbly saved by O’Neill, and as the match went into added time, Matt Bishop struck the crossbar at the back post from a Sam Jeeves corner kick.
Sutton now head into the bank holiday weekend with two away games, the first at high flying Smethwick Rangers on Saturday 24th August followed by Bilston on Monday 26th August.
Team: Sutton United
1. Gabe Newey
2. Abdul Touaiti – 72’ George Ray
3. Zach Binns – 31’ Scott Hardy
4. Matt Bishop
5. Tion Pearce
6. Jon Grigg – 55’ Sam Jeeves
7. Hayden Froggatt – 63’ Sef Semlali
8. Robbie Brown – 63’ Kye Billingham-Belle
9. Joe Gildea
10. Tom Massey (c)
11. Leyton Hines
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Adam Watson
Chris Bratt-Rose
Bobby Brittan
Team: Paget Rangers
1. Callum Cook – 46’ Ashley O’Neill
2. Dominic Ellington
3. Raphael Johnson
4. Jonathan Baka
5. Jordan Ambris (c)
6. Matthew Richardson – 73’ Jay Tshiketa
7. Delcio Neto – 56’ Junior Enongene
8. McKenzie Humphreys – 65’ Nuno Neves
9. Pervez Nedaie
10. Dante Hesson
11. Morgan Cross – 46’ Deniro Edwards
Management/Assistants:
Sean Feeney
Bola Awolboro
Mike Pitt
Match Officials: Jake Richards, Steven Chappell, Adam Gittens
| Sutton United | Statistics | Paget Rangers |
| 2 | Goals | 0 |
| 23 | Attempts | 9 |
| 15 | Attempts on Target | 3 |
| 65% | Possession | 35% |
| 5 | Corners | 2 |
| 10 | Fouls Committed | 11 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Joe Gildea | Opp Man of the Match | Ashley O’Neill |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM |
| Joe Gildea | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Hayden Froggatt | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| George Ray | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jack Whelan | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ronan Sheehan | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Sam Jeeves | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Sef Semlali | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Abdul Touaiti | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jon Grigg | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbie Brown | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tion Pearce | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tom Massey | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Byrne | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scott Hardy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gabe Newey | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Louis Malin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aaron Cameron | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aidan Jeynes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charlie Busst | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Binns | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 11 |