The year draws to a close
Andrew Delaney31 Dec 2023 – 20:13SHARE
Sef Semlali’s first half goal helped Sutton United come from behind to earn a share of the points in a competitive match against Coventry Copsewood and so end 2023 on a six-match unbeaten run.
With Sutton sitting tenth in MFL One and Coventry Copsewood in eleventh, it was no surprise that this was a closely contested midtable battle.
Adam Civzelis put Copsewood ahead in the 19th minute with an impressive strike from the edge of the box as he cut inside to find the top corner of the net with his right foot.
Sutton responded with an equaliser nine minutes later, when Tom Cullen’s ball over the top had Sef Semlali outpacing the Coventry defense to execute a fine finish to beat the keeper.
There were very few clear-cut chances for either side, as Coventry’s Eden Mukenge fired in a dangerous cross from the left byline that evaded everyone in the box, and soon after Sutton did the same, when Tom Massey’s delivery from the right was narrowly missed by Kyle Hayden at the back post.
United suffered a set back just before the break when their pivotal centre back Matt Bishop hobbled off with a hamstring injury, after he had just executed a fantastic challenge in the penalty box to deny tricky winger Mukenge.
Sutton started the second half well and enjoyed plenty of possession, however, there were very few chances created to trouble Olly Manuel, in goal for Coventry. United’s best opportunity of the half fell to their man-of-the-match Massey, whose shot at the back post with the keeper stranded, was cleared off the goal line by a well-placed defender.
Copeswood edged the opportunities in front of goal and had an excellent chance to take the lead in the 73rd minute, when substitute Sean Kavanagh had a one-on-one with Sutton’s keeper, Connor Byrne, who saved with his outstretched leg before Kavanagh fired the rebound well over the target.
Sutton end December with two wins and four draws and can now look forward to opening the new year with a home fixture against AFC Bridgnorth on Saturday 6th January 3pm kick off.
Team: Sutton United
1. Connor Byrne
2. Jon Grigg – 74’ Jake Murrell
3. Alex O’Keefe
4. Matt Bishop – 44’ Tion Pearce-Copeland
5. Mark Moore
6. Kye Billingham-Belle – 74’ Pete Weston
7. Sef Semlali – 64’ Ben Friel
8. Tom Cullen – 60’ Lewan Tobin
9. Kyle Hayden
10. Tom Massey (c)
11. Joe Delaney
Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Matt Gough
Chris Bratt-Rose
Amelia Small
Team: Coventry Copsewood
1. Olly Manuel
2. Sam A Ellis
3. Joe Anthony
4. Miles McIntyre
5. Ben Atkins
6. Jake Upton
7. Adam Civzelis – 64’ Sean Kavanagh
8. Sebastian Duffy – 88’ Jack Thomas
9. Bryan Kohyrelon – 74’ Bradley Taylor
10. Sam Ellis
11. Eden Mukenge – 74’ Ryan Pedley
Management/Assistants:
Petason Gordon
Paul Tierney
Dave Levik
Steve Shaw
Danny Lole
Match Officials: Tom Bartlett, Adam Gittens, Steve Chappell
| Sutton United | Statistics | Coventry Copsewood |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 6 | Attempts | 8 |
| 2 | Attempts on Target | 4 |
| 56% | Possession | 44% |
| 7 | Corners | 1 |
| 13 | Fouls Committed | 9 |
| 0 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Tom Massey | Opp Man of the Match |
| Appearances | Goals | Assists | Opp MOTM | |
| Joe Gildea | 25 | 25 | 7 | 10 |
| Sam Price | 18 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Leyton Hines | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Sef Semlali | 24 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Tom Cullen | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Tom Massey | 26 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| Kieran McConville | 15 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Matt Bishop | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Jon Grigg | 26 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Joe Delaney | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Shane Smith | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Kye Billingham-Belle | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brad Gregory | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex O’Keefe | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Jake Murrell | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lewan Tobin | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethan Hanks | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kyle Hayden | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ryan Delport | 6 | 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 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reiss Wagstaff | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Tion Pearce-Copeland | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Jones | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Connor Byrne | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Coe | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Friel | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pete Weston | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Remi Bell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Simmonds | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hassan Said | 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 | 51 | 43 |