Sutton dig deep for derby win
Two first half goals were enough to give Sutton United victory in the local derby against Paget Rangers at Coleshill Road.
Sutton were clinical in front of goal with two shots on target and two goals scored in a match where Paget Rangers put the home side under a lot of pressure.
After a close start, United took the lead in the 7th minute when Tom Massey drove up field before releasing Sam Price on the right wing and his perfect cross was met by Joe Gildea to score his eighth goal of the season.
Sutton doubled their lead in the 39th minute when Gildea turned provider, using his strength to beat two Rangers players on the left channel before delivering a low cross for Sef Semlali to tuck in at the near post.
Most of Paget’s chances in the first half had come from long range efforts. Their two wingers were a constant threat, but Jake Murrell and Jonny Grigg defended superbly. The only time Shervron Channer did shimmy his way through, Lewis James was there to cover and force the winger’s shot wide of the target.
The Bears came on strong in the second half with Sutton forced back in their own half where Matt Bishop and James were excellent at the heart of United’s defence. Then when Paget’s Harry Parker broke away in the 67th minute, Murrell’s well-timed challenge just inside the penalty box, epitomised Sutton’s attitude and desire.
The visitor’s did eventually find a way through in the 78th minute, when substitute Dejon Miles pulled a goal back with a powerful header.
It did make for a nervous end to the match, but Sutton held out to record another important victory that sees them climb up to twelfth in the table.
Next Saturday Sutton welcome Coton Green to Coleshill Road for a 3pm kick off in the MFL 1.
Team: Sutton United
1. Reiss Wagstaff (c)
2. Jonny Grigg
3. Jake Murrell
4. Lewis James
5. Matt Bishop
6. Kye Billingham-Belle – 68’ Will Jones
7. Sam Price – 57’ Kieron McConville
8. Tom Massey
9. Joe Gildea
10. Sef Semlali – 68’ Lewan Tobin
11. Ethan Hanks – 80’ Mark Moore
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Matt Gough
Chris Bratt-Rose
Amelia Small
Derek Culling
Team: Paget Rangers
1. George Barrett
2. Kallum Powell
3.
4. Joseph Lowe
5. Dominic Ellington – 45’ Shaun Reid
6. Connor Ryan – 68’ Tobias Marshall
7. De-Quarnai Williams – 57’ Joshua Baloucoune
8. Donald Egbon
9. Harry Parker – 68’ Dejan Miles
10. Luke Nuttall – 45’ Ryan Butler
11. Shevron Channer
Management/Assistants:
Russell Hullett
James Parker
Ricki Smith
Sean Feeney
Peter Shearer
Match Officials: Matthew Perry, David Badger, Steven Chappell
| Sutton United | Statistics | Paget Rangers |
| 2 | Goals | 1 |
| 4 | Attempts | 11 |
| 2 | Attempts on Target | 6 |
| 36% | Possession | 64% |
| 1 | Corners | 9 |
| 15 | Fouls Committed | 4 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM |
| Joe Gildea | 11 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Sam Price | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Sef Semlali | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Tom Massey | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Joe Delaney | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Jon Grigg | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas Cullen | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kieran McConville | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kaine Donald | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Will Buchanan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Lewis James | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mark Moore | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Jones | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Simmonds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daniel Cooper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Louis Malin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Hurrell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Smith | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 22 | 19 |