Sutton United will face Kidderminster Harriers in the Isuzu FA Trophy Fifth Round, as Will Davies’ second half strike was enough to secure victory over Tamworth.
It was the hosts who enjoyed the better of proceedings in the first half, with a couple of superb chances for Third Round hero Nana Boateng, while debutant George Evans repaid the faith shown by Steve Morison to act as Jack Sims’ cover with an excellent stop to deny Kyle Finn.
However, Davies struck the opener shortly before the hour-mark when his low effort from distance trickled underneath Tamworth goalkeeper Jasbir Singh, and thus ended the Lambs’ journey in the FA Trophy despite a barrage of pressure late on that was helped eased by a superb display from Evans.
Victory means Sutton have finally overcome Tamworth at the third time of asking, and will be looking to make it successive wins for the first time since the end of November.
Three changes to the starting lineup saw a debut for recent recruit Evans, who came in for Jack Sims after the U’s number one needed to be replaced late on last time out against Aldershot Town. Evans was joined in the XI by Chin Okoli and Round Three matchwinner Nana Boateng, as Steve Morison opted to switch to a back four with Tyler French and Besart Topallaj on the flanks.
Morison will have been buzzing to return to the dugout after serving a one-match touchline ban on New Year’s Day, and he oversaw a positive start to proceedings with Lewis Simper sending a dangerous free kick into the middle early on, before a promising attack saw French win a corner moments later.
Simper’s set pieces looked to be a real weapon during the opening stages, and produced another good chance around the quarter-hour mark when he picked out Davies in the middle, who’s header flew inches over the crossbar.
This would precede a first chance of the match for Tamworth, and also resulted in a first bit of action in a Sutton shirt for goalkeeper Evans. An Alex Fletcher free kick picked out Finn in the middle who struck at goal, forcing the on-loan Millwall man into an outstanding point blank save to divert his effort onto the crossbar, with Sutton able to clear thereafter.
The danger didn’t quite ease up yet though with Tamworth once again taking hold of possession, and this saw fellow Millwall loanee Okoli called into action when he threw himself in front of Nathan Tshikuna’s vicious strike from distance.
Boateng would then have a couple of chances to recreate his heroics of the previous round, first when Jack Wadham stole possession from Tshikuna before brilliantly picking out the U’s number 17 in the middle, who took a touch before firing inches wide of the near post. He would almost redeem himself minutes later though, as he fired a powerful strike at goal which Tamworth goalkeeper Singh was behind, producing a strong hand to parry his vicious effort.
A late chance would then fall to the visitors when Kai Williams drove a low ball across the face of goal, but there was nobody in the middle to meet his delivery, and it wasn’t long before referee Stephen Parkinson called time on a competitive first half.
A double switch at the break signalled intent from the hosts, with star men Josh Coley and Ashley Nadesan replacing Boateng and Wadham, the former making his first appearance since returning from an ankle injury.
Coley would be involved instantly, charging down a Finn effort from the edge of the box. Tamworth’s number seven would get a second bite of the cherry though, and fired inches over the crossbar via a wicked deflection that looked to have Evans beaten.
A couple of glorious chances then fell to Sutton though, with Topallaj bending a speculative effort from distance just wide of the far post. This would be followed by an extremely promising attack led by Dillon De Silva, who brilliantly made space for a cross on the left flank. His delivery would find its way to Simper, who’s first time volley forced a terrific fingertip save from Singh to get it away.
De Silva would then almost turn from provider to scorer as the substitutes combined to produce another encouraging chance, with Coley sending Nadesan away down the right flank. Sutton’s number 24 then sent a dangerous low ball into the middle with Ben Crompton able to get it clear in the nick of time, with the U’s Sri Lanka international breathing down his neck.
But Sutton did soon break the deadlock, with Davies netting his ninth goal of the season in fortuitous fashion as a speculative effort from distance trickled under Singh to give the hosts the lead on the hour-mark.
In search of a leveller, Evans was later called into action to deny substitute Tom McGlinchey moments after coming on, and Sutton’s last line of defence had to be called upon again minutes later, producing a superb outstretched save to deny Tshikuna from distance.
This would be Tshikuna’s last action of proceedings as he was replaced by Chris Wreh with ten minutes to go, and the former Southend United man almost had an instant impact of his own when he made his way into the penalty area late on. Okoli was called into action and produced an outstanding last ditch challenge to deny the Lambs’ number 12, before fellow substitute Beck-Ray Enoru fired over.
This was then followed by another opening for the visitors, with Fletcher sending a low effort on goal that Evans was behind, and crucially able to hold.
Evans would without a doubt be the hero on his debut though, producing another superb save to deny Kennedy Digie before Munashe Sundrie fired the rebound over the crossbar.
There was just enough time at the end of the second half for Nadesan to go close to making the win safe when he found himself one on one with Singh, but the Tamworth produced a strong low stop to keep the score at 1-0.
This would remain the case though, with Sutton now set to head to Aggborough in the Isuzu FA Trophy Fifth Round.
Sutton United: G Clark-Evans; T French, C Okoli, H Muller, B Topallaj; J Wadham (sub A Nadesan H-T), F Barbrook, L Simper; N Boateng (sub J Coley H-T), W Davies, D De Silva (sub J Sivi 72). Subs n/u M Kerbey, H Ransom, E Vaz, R Jackson. Booked: Boateng, French
Tamworth: J Singh, K Digie, A Fletcher, K Finn(sub B Enoru 71), D Creaney, K Williams(sub T McGlinchey 71), G Morison(sub T Tonks 77), J Cullinane-Liburd, N Tshikuna(sub C Wreh 77), M Sundire, B Crompton(sub M Curley 67). Subs n/u L Phillips, H Hollis. Booked: Williams, Digie.
Referee: Stephen Parkinson
Attendance: 951(65 away)
