Defeat in Top-of-the-Table Clash
Sutton United suffered their heaviest defeat of the season as they went down 4-0 away to Knowle in a top-of-the-table clash in the MFL 1.
Sutton remain the only team to have beaten the league leaders, having claimed victory in the reverse fixture at Coleshill Road earlier in the campaign. Since then, Knowle had put together an impressive 19-match winning streak coming into this match, and with momentum firmly on their side, proved a tough test for a Sutton side currently navigating a period of transition.
There were positives in the early stages, with Ollie Burgundy, Lewis Hayden and Joe Gildea returning to the starting line-up, as Sutton made a competitive start in a tightly contested opening twenty minutes. Chances were at a premium, as Harry Manton came closest for United, firing an effort from the edge of the penalty area wide of the target.
Knowle began to assert their authority in midfield and made the breakthrough in the 25th minute. A dangerous ball was delivered across the face of goal and Elliot Edwards was on hand to turn it home from close range, giving the Robins the lead.
That goal swung the momentum in the host’s favour and Sutton were forced increasingly onto the back foot. Greg Lewis produced two good saves to deny Talib Copeland and Hayden Purves, but there was little he could do to prevent Knowle doubling their lead just before the break, when a cross from the right picked out Callum Scott, who finished clinically into the bottom corner.
Sutton responded well after the restart and enjoyed a strong opening to the second half. They thought they had pulled a goal back on 55 minutes when Gildea’s cross was converted by Oli Jeeves, only for the assistant’s flag to rule the effort out for offside.
Any hopes of a comeback were effectively ended in the 62nd minute, when Sutton were caught out at the back, allowing Purves to sweep the ball into an empty net from thirty yards, sealing a third and decisive goal for Knowle.
From that point on, the hosts were firmly in control, and the scoring was completed late on when Knowle were awarded a penalty for a challenge on Copeland, and Connor Mort calmly converted from the spot to complete a deserved win.
Sutton will be keen to put this disappointing afternoon behind them quickly as they turn their focus to cup action, when they host fellow MFL 1 side Smethwick Rangers in the semi-final of the Midweek Floodlit Challenge Cup on Tuesday 20th January, with kick off at 7.45pm.
Team: Knowle
1. Matt Horton
2. Connor Mort
3. Anton Powell
4. Jack Duggan
5. Ricardo Dudley
6. Dylon Bennett
7. Talib Copeland – 75’ Md Shimul
8. Callum Scott – 82’ Flynn Powell
9. Elliot Edwards – 75’ Reece Hewitt
10. George Seeley (c) – 73’ Odane Barnes
11. Hayden Purves – 79’ Brady Floyd
Management/Assistants:
Clive Seeley
Matt Seeley
Steve Harris
Dean Farrington
Tom Hudson
Team: Sutton United
1. Greg Lewis
2. Aidan Mee
3. Harry Manton – 68’ James Gallagher
4. Matt Bishop
5. Tion Pearce
6. Lewis Wall
7. Ollie Burgundy
8. Lewis Hayden
9. Oli Jeeves
10. Joe Gildea – 63’ Sam Jeeves
11. Tom Massey (c) – 68’ Harry Howard
Sub unused: Leyton Hines, Jake Lamb
Management/Assistants:
Paul Burke
Harry Tuffield
Aidan Jeynes
Marcus Davies
Evija Stauga
Match Officials: Lois Jefferies, Callum Finnegan, Kevin Carroll
| Knowle | Statistics | Sutton United |
| 4 | Goals | 0 |
| 13 | Attempts | 2 |
| 7 | Attempts on Target | 0 |
| 7 | Corners | 3 |
| 4 | Fouls Committed | 9 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Opp Man of the Match | Tion Pearce |