Jeeves at your service
Oli Jeeves scored the only goal as Sutton United bounced straight back to winning ways with a hard-earned victory away at Stapenhill on a scorching Bank Holiday Monday.
Before kick-off, both teams and supporters observed a minute’s applause in memory of Stapenhill friend Clive Evans, who sadly passed away a year ago.
Sutton made five changes to the side that lost last time out, as Gabe Newey came into goal for the injured Greg Lewis, Tom Massey returned to captain the side, and there were starts for Jon Grigg, Oli Jeeves and Harry Howard.
The dry, bumpy pitch didn’t make passing the ball around easy, so winning the first and second balls were imperative. Sutton centre-backs Matt Bishop and Reiss Hick were outstanding in the air, whilst the midfield trio of Lewis Wall, Jon Grigg and Ollie Burgundy worked tirelessly to break up the Stapenhill attacks.
The hosts had the first real chance of the game, with Connor Ward firing a low effort from distance, but Newey was sharp, getting down to push the ball behind for a corner. Stapenhill then saw Cameron Steele drag an effort wide of the far post, whilst under the challenge of Aidan Mee for Sutton.
However, it was the Greens who edged the chances in the first half, testing the Swans goalkeeper Paul Hollis; first with a well-directed header from Howard at the edge of the penalty area, and then Burgundy connected sweetly on the volley from the left side, with Hollis catching the ball at the second attempt.
The breakthrough came in the 39th minute, when Massey won possession in midfield and threaded a perfectly weighted through-ball to Oli Jeeves, who raced through to calmly slot past Hollis and open his account for the season.
The second half was closely contested, as a stubborn Stapenhill defence made it difficult for Sutton to break through. Their best chances came off set pieces and Burgundy’s long throw ins: Wall looped a header onto the roof of the net and Reiss Hick was unlucky with a back-post header that went just inches wide of the target.
There was a stoppage as we reached the hour mark, when Jon Grigg and Zachary Hill collided heads and both had to leave the field of play. Grigg was replaced by Sam Jeeves for Sutton, and Tommy Large came on for Hill.
Sutton continued to look the most likely to score, and in the 70th minute Matt Bishop headed one of Burgundy’s throws, and as the ball bounced awkwardly in front of Hollis, the goalkeeper did incredibly well to stretch and scoop away before it crossed the goal line.
Another short stoppage occurred late on when this reporter was stood in the wrong place at the wrong time and was hit in the face by the ball! When play resumed, Sutton’s Hayden Froggatt had an effort at the back post gathered by Hollis, before he was later denied with a great block in front of goal by substitute Brad Wright.
Stapenhill rallied, and with an additional ten minutes to be played, they sensed an equaliser. However, United’s defence stayed resolute and the only real chance for the hosts fell to Wright, who blazed wide from outside the box.
Sutton claimed a narrow victory with a well-earned clean sheet, their fifth in the opening eight games of the season. Next up for United is a home fixture against Birmingham OJM on Tuesday 2nd September.
Team: Stapenhill
1. Paul Hollis
4. Jake Meakin
5. Harry Lansdowne
6. Josh Watson – 61’ Brad Wright
7. Cameron Steele
8. Zachary Hill (c) – 61’ Tommy Large
9. Louis Briscoe – 79’ Hayden Simpkins
11. Lewis Campbell – 79’ Musa Jeng
14. Connor Ward
15. Liam O’Brien – 72’ Michael Wilson-Denley
19. Thomas Stanley
Unused Sub:
Management/Assistants:
Louis Briscoe
Danny Chatfield
Stuart Beckett
Bob Elliott
Team: Sutton United
1. Gabe Newey
2. Perry Cotton
3. Aidan Mee
4. Matt Bishop
5. Reiss Hick
6. Lewis Wall
7. Ollie Burgundy – 90’ James Gallagher
8. Jon Grigg – 61’ Sam Jeeves
9. Oli Jeeves – 75’ Hayden Froggatt
10. Tom Massey
11. Harry Howard – 84’ Dylan Green
Sub unused: Harry Manton
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Jon Huckfield
Aidan Jeynes
Marcus Davies
Evija Stauga
Match Officials: Mark Reilly, James Clements, Oliver Brookes
| Sutton United | Statistics | Stapenhill |
| 1 | Goals | 0 |
| 11 | Attempts | 3 |
| 7 | Attempts on Target | 1 |
| 53% | Possession | 47% |
| 3 | Corners | 1 |
| 4 | Fouls Committed | 6 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Reiss Hick | Opp Man of the Match | Jake Meakin |
| Reiss Hick | Club Man of the Match |