BY ANDREW DELANEY
A brace each for Sutton’s midfield masters Josh Duggan and Tom Massey helped Sutton cruise to victory with a stunning second half performance against Redditch Borough.
With a bitter frost hitting Birmingham, Sutton’s new 3G pitch came into its own this weekend hosting the only MFL 2 match to be played. Redditch Borough were the visitors, lying twelfth in the table and coming into the match on the back of some recent form with two wins and a draw. However, it was the Division 2 leaders who controlled much of the match with a clinical second half performance that secured the win.
Tom Massey opened the scoring after thirteen minutes when he headed in Sef Semlali’s sweeping corner at the back post.
Sutton enjoyed a lot of the ball this half without finding the net again: Joe Delaney had two shots that were comfortable for Anthony Swain, in goal for Redditch, and Massey saw an effort from 15 yards sail wide of the upright.
The visitors also had their chances, with Alex Knight testing Reiss Wagstaff with a looping shot-come-cross and Solomon Bloomer’s strike from the edge of the penalty box on target for Wagstaff to gather. Borough’s best chance, however, came in the last minute of the half, when Brooklyn Smith was through on goal and Wagstaff loomed large to block at his near post.
Sutton then produced a blistering opening seven minutes to the second half, scoring three goals that ultimately put the match beyond the visitors. Within two minutes of the restart, Massey was pushed in the penalty box and Josh Duggan stepped up to convert the spot kick, sending Swain the wrong way.
United kept up the pressure and in the 51st minute, Joe Delaney’s corner was headed home by striker Joe Gildea for his 26th goal of the season.
And just one minute later, a clever interchange between Delaney and Massey saw Delaney drilling his cross in from the left which went all the way though to Jonny Grigg, whose exquisite finish with his left foot had the diving Swain beaten.
Borough recovered and got themselves a goal in the 66th minute, when Alex Birch delivered a free kick that Tom Fishwick headed home.
Nevertheless, Sutton continued to dominate and increased their lead in the 70th minute when Pete Bannister provided the perfect pass down the right for Massey to charge into the box and finish with a sumptuous strike from the right of goal that sent him into double figures for the season.
A sixth goal, straight from the training ground, added the perfect finish to a polished performance, as Delaney picked out Duggan with his corner kick, to control and find the net from 20 yards with a sublime strike.
Next Saturday sees Sutton in cup action when they visit Lane Head in the 2nd Round of the Les James Challenge, with a 2pm kick off.
Team: Sutton United
1. Reiss Wagstaff
2. Jonny Grigg – Pete Bannister 65’
3. Brad Gregory – Cormac Parize 71’
4. Jake Murrell – Matt Hurrell 71’
5. Kaine Donald – Lewis James 60’
6. Josh Duggan (c)
7. Tom Massey
8. Sef Semlali
9. Leyton Hines – Andy Matthews 71’
10. Joe Gildea
11. Joe Delaney
Management/Officials:
Richard Heath
Matt Gough
Chris Bratt-Rose
Louis Singh
Team: Redditch Borough
1. Anthony Swain
2. Matthew Turner – Kane Pearce 56’
3. Alex Birch
4. Luke Oakley
5. Tristan Roberts
6. Joe Denholm (c)
7. Tom Fishwick
8. Zak Bennett – Ben Walsh 80’
9. Alex Knight
10. Brooklyn Smith – Tom Walsh 75’
11. Solomon Bloomer – Will Merricks 65’
Management/Officials:
Julian Workman
Lee Birch
Steve Court
Match Officials: Keith Kennett, David Leary, John Sproson
| Sutton United | Statistics | Redditch Borough |
| 6 | Goals | 1 |
| 16 | Attempts | 9 |
| 11 | Attempts on Target | 6 |
| 73% | Possession | 27% |
| 6 | Corners | 1 |
| 3 | Fouls Committed | 7 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 0 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Man of the Match |