Sutton share points at Coton Green
Andrew Delaney25 Dec 2023 –
Kye Billingham-Belle’s first senior goal for the club earned Sutton United a share of the points against Coton Green at New Mill Lane.
Sutton made three changes to their starting line-up with Mark Moore, Ben Friel and Joe Delaney replacing the injured Lewis James and suspended Will Jones and Sam Price.
It was an entertaining first half that was closely contested, with both keepers in action. Josh Benton made the first big save for Coton Green to deny Friel within the opening three minutes. With the hosts then on the counterattack, Sahel Yessen’s heavy touch in the box allowed defender Matt Bishop to clear for Sutton.
Yessen had another chance to shoot in the 10th minute with an effort from the right that keeper Connor Byrne was equal to, before blocking the rebound from Ryan Conlon.
Benton then produced two good saves to first deny striker Joe Gildea sliding in at the back post, and then diving low to push behind Tom Massey’s thunderous strike from twenty yards.
Just after the half hour mark, the home side broke the deadlock with a move down the right flank culminating in a powerful finish from Conlon to give the hosts the lead.
Sutton came out fighting in the second half, with Coton Green sitting deeper to defend their lead. Delaney hit the crossbar with a fierce 25-yard strike and Gildea’s effort from the edge of the box was superbly saved by Benton once more, as he tipped the ball onto the crossbar with Delaney unable to find the target with the rebound.
For the hosts, Conlon looked their biggest threat in front of goal as he came close to doubling their lead with a shot from the right of goal that Byrne blocked.
Sutton remained patient in their build-up and finally found an equaliser in the 68th minute, with a clinical finish by Billingham-Belle after Brad Gregory had intercepted an effort from Jon Grigg.
United continued to press for the winner, with Shevron Channer cutting inside to shoot straight at the keeper and Bishop curling an effort heading for the top corner, that Benton gathered.
Sutton had looked the most likely to score in the second half, until the hosts had two good chances right at the end of the match, both from their substitute Alex Taylorson, with a half volley that Bryne pushed behind, and a header onto the roof of the goal.
Substitute Shevron Channer lasted only twenty minutes before sustaining a shoulder injury, which could be another blow to Sutton for the busy Christmas period, as next up they face local rivals Paget Town for the Boxing Day fixture at Coles Lane, Sutton Coldfield.
Team: Coton Green
1. Josh Benton
2. Dan Kitching
3. Sahel Yessen
4. Jake Coleman
5. Charlie Noakes
6. Brad Gregory
7. Corey Powell (c)
8. Stuart Hendrie
9. Kyle Crawford – 69’ Alex Taylorson
10. Ryan Conlon
11. George Brown – 79’ Jordan Blake
Management/Assistants:
Russell Dodds
Jon Huckfield
Tom Reece
Chris Dolman
Maddison Jordan
Team: Sutton United
1. Connor Byrne
2. Kye Billingham-Belle
3. Alex O’Keefe
4. Matt Bishop
5. Mark Moore – 64’ Tion Pearce-Copeland
6. Sef Semlali – 61’ Jonny Grigg
7. Ben Friel – 58 Shevron Channer – 79’ Pete Weston
8. Tom Cullen – 87’ Ryan Delport
9. Joe Gildea
10. Tom Massey (c)
11. Joe Delaney
Management/Assistants:
Liam Burke
Richard Heath
Matt Gough
Chris Bratt-Rose
Amelia Small
Match Officials: Guy Thrower, Connor Brooks, Steve Harford
| Coton Green | Statistics | Sutton United |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 12 | Attempts | 14 |
| 8 | Attempts on Target | 9 |
| 5 | Corners | 4 |
| 18 | Fouls Committed | 13 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 4 |
| 1 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Josh Benton | Opp Man of the Match | Tom Cullen |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM |
| Joe Gildea | 24 | 23 | 7 | 9 |
| Sam Price | 18 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Tom Cullen | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Tom Massey | 24 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Sef Semlali | 22 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Kieran McConville | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jon Grigg | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Delaney | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Shane Smith | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Hayden | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Alex O’Keefe | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kaine Donald | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Buchanan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Shevron Channer | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewis James | 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mark Moore | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Will Jones | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Byrne | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Simmonds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Friel | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hassan Said | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Weston | 2 | 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 | 48 | 40 |