Injury Time Decider
Sutton fell to defeat in their last home game of the season when AFC Bridgnorth grabbed an injury-time winner at the Coleshill Road Stadium.
It was an entertaining match to bring to a close this season’s 1st Team home fixtures, even if the result was not what the Family Fun Day crowd were hoping for.
Sutton had made four changes with Sam Simmonds, Leyton Hines, Jonny Grigg and Sef Semlali all in the starting line-up.
It was end-to-end action in the first half, as United had the ball in the back of the net within the opening three minutes, following a neat interchange between Tom Massey and Joe Gildea, before being flagged for offside.
Straight up the other end and ex-Sutton player Sam Price timed his run to get in behind United’s defence, only to strike his effort straight at Greg Lewis.
The Greens then had to manage a ten-minute spell with ten men, when Sam Simmonds was given an early sinbin, although it was Sutton who had the best chance during this period, when Reiss Hick’s close-range effort was blocked in front of goal.
The visitors then had a strong fifteen-minute spell with opportunities falling to Joel Westwood and Kwabena Adjel, though their efforts proved comfortable for Sutton’s goalkeeper Greg Lewis. Chances continued, as Lewis made a great fingertip save to deny Westwood from distance, and shortly after Kosheen Sappleton struck the crossbar with a 20-yard volley.
The visitors continued to look a threat going forward and Craig Gregg had a great chance to score in the 38th minute when he broke through on the right, with Lewis making an excellent save to deny the Bridgnorth captain.
United also had their chances in front of goal, as Massey found himself through one-on-one with the goalkeeper Craig Pain, who stood firm to deny the Sutton skipper an opening goal. Sef Semlali was unlucky not to score when he tried his luck from distance with the keeper well off his line, only to see his effort fall just wide of the target. And Joe Gildea drilled a shot from the edge of the penalty area that was deflected into the hands of Pain.
Sutton made three changes for the start of the second half with Hayden Froggatt, Sam Jeeves and Oli Jeeves taking to the field, and they were immediately in the action as Froggatt drew a fantastic save from Pain with a shot from the right of goal.
It was Sutton who broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when Leyton Hines, whose work rate at both ends of the pitch was outstanding, won the ball for Sutton to set them on the attack, and when Harry Howard found Sam Jeeves in the penalty box, the midfielder did brilliantly to find himself a yard of space and guide his shot into the bottom corner of the net.
The second half was a much tighter battle. Howard saw a shot from the left of goal held by Pain at the second attempt and for Bridgnorth, Max Morris curled a shot from 20-yards that Lewis caught.
The visitors found an equaliser in the 83rd minute, when Westwood did exceptionally well to squeeze the ball in from a tight angle.
Sutton came close to regaining the lead when Howard’s shot was brilliantly defended by Bridgnorth after some good work from Froggatt and Massey, and then Hick’s header off the resulting corner kick spun just over the cross bar.
It was Bridgnorth who found the winner as the match went into added time, when substitute Marc Lawrence headed in a corner kick at the near post.
It condemned Sutton to their third straight defeat, a stat which they will be hoping to turn around next Saturday as they travel to Ingles for their final match of the season.
Team: Sutton United
1. Greg Lewis
2. Tion Pearce – 45’ Sam Jeeves
3. Harry Manton
4. Matt Bishop
5. Reiss Hick
6. Sam Simmonds – 56’ Harry Howard
7. Leyton Hines
8. Jonny Grigg
9. Joe Gildea – 45’ Oli Jeeves
10. Tom Massey (c)
11. Sef Semlali – 45’ Hayden Froggatt
Management/Assistants:
Liam Burke, Richard Heath
Adam Watson, Chris Bratt-Rose
Derek Culling, Amelia Small
Team: AFC Bridgnorth
1. Craig Pain
2. Craig Gregg (c)
5. Joshua Lewis
4. Matthew Gritton
18. Brett Taylor
6. Harvey Evans – 18’ Marc Lawrence
7. Robin Allsebrook – 59’ George Shaw
8. Kosheen Sappelton
9. Joel Westwood
10. Sam Price – 59’ Ethan Jarrett
11. Kwabena Adjel – 59’ Max Morris
Sub Unused: Lleyton Lowe
Management/Assistants:
Jack Griffiths, Nick Turton
Dave Hayward, Arjun Seaton
Match Officials: Michael Westmacott, Ryan Byrne, Liam Campkin