Boxing day delight
Sutton United claimed a Boxing Day victory over Coventry Copsewood with three second half goals at the Coleshill Road Stadium.
Goals from Matt Bishop, Oli Jeeves and Leyton Hines saw Sutton climb ahead of Copsewood up to ninth in the MFL 1 table.
In misty conditions it was a closely contested first half, with Abdul Touaiti and Sam Jeeves looking strong in the centre of midfield for Sutton, but there were few clear-cut chances in front of goal for either team. Joe Gildea came closest for Sutton when his turn and shot from six yards was well saved by the Copsewood goalkeeper, Caleb Hulley, at his near post.
And for the visitors, both Felix Donker and Sean Kavanagh saw efforts from the edge of the penalty box skim narrowly wide of the far post.
United were much more attacking in the second half. George Ray came close to a goal off two set pieces early in the half, as first his header struck the crossbar and then a shot in front of goal was blocked off the line.
Gildea then drew a fine save from Hulley when he received the ball on the edge of the penalty box before dodging the defender to shoot from eight yards.
It was Sutton who broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when Sam Jeeves delivered a fantastic free kick into the penalty area for Bishop to power his header down and in at the back post.
Coventry responded with a Ryan Pedley thunderbolt forcing a fingertip save from Greg Lewis, before they equalised in the 74th minute with a Curtis Cutts header from six yards.
Sutton regained the lead just four minutes later as Joe Delaney, making his first appearance of the season, pressed the Coventry defense into a goalkeeper error that gifted Oli Jeeves a simple tap into an open net, for his eighth goal of the season.
Copsewood came close to another equaliser when Eden Mukenge fired an effort from the edge of the penalty box that skimmed wide of the post, and shortly after Cutts headed a corner kick wide of the target.
Sutton made sure of the three points in added time, when Bishop delivered the ball down the right flank where Joseph Anthony’s defensive header fell into the path of Leyton Hines, who drove into the penalty box to find the bottom corner of the net with a clinical finish.
After three successive wins, Sutton will be looking to finish 2024 on a high when they make the trip to Wednesfield Community for their next match on Saturday 28th December, kick off 3pm.
Team: Sutton United
1. Greg Lewis
2. Jon Grigg
3. Harry Manton – 55’ Zach Binns
4. Matt Bishop (c)
5. George Ray
6. Sam Jeeves
7. Harry Howard – 55’ Joe Delaney
8. Abdul Touaiti
9. Hayden Froggatt – 55’ Leyton Hines
10. Joe Gildea – 88’ Jonathan Baka
11. Oli Jeeves – 90+1’ Callum Cook
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Adam Watson
Bobby Brittan
Derek Culling
Amelia Small
Team: Coventry Copsewood
1. Caleb Hulley
2. Sam A. Ellis
3. Daniel Lole – 79’ Harvey Billing
4. Sam Hewitt
5. Joseph Anthony
6. Charlie Gordon (c)
7. Alfie Smith – 46’ Sebastian Duffy
8. Sean Kavanagh – 67’ Curtis Cutts
9. Sam Ellis – 79’ Will Boden
10. Eden Mukenge
11. Felix Donkor – 23’ Ryan Pedley
Management/Assistants:
Paul Tierney
Rich Webb
Dane Levick
Andy Lole
Match Officials: Abde Chourakane, Jonathan Moreby, Arron Worrall