Match Report

It was a game of two halves at the VBS Community Stadium as two second half Thomas McGlinchey strikes condemned Sutton United to defeat at the hands of Tamworth.

Will Davies gave Sutton the lead with just nine minutes gone after some excellent work from Josh Coley, who did well to reach the byline before cutting it back into the middle where the U’s number nine produced a cheeky backheel to roll the ball over the line, before McGlinchey levelled the score just two minutes after the restart when a ball into the box from Beck-Ray Enoru wasn’t dealt with.

The U’s would go close to restoring their lead soon after with a couple of vicious strikes from Besart Topallaj and Finley Barbrook, but McGlinchey got on the end of another George Morrison pass before driving forward and neatly tucking away his finish to complete the turnaround.

A handful of late chances for the U’s would see Davies and Ashley Nadesan head slightly off target before substitute Nana Boateng struck wide, with the Lambs able to see out a narrow victory.

Defeat sees Sutton unable to close the gap on the play-off places heading into Christmas, and will be keen to return to winning ways against Barnet on Boxing Day.

Eight changes to the side which lost to West Ham Academy during the week saw Jack Sims, Tyler French, Charlie Waller, Barbrook, Topallaj, Nadesan, Lewis Simper and Davies return to the starting XI.

It was a lightning quick start the hosts, as Josh Coley combined nicely with Nadesan early on with the latter unable to get the ball out of his feet in time to set the latter away.

But Coley would soon make amends as he was the architect of a wonderfully worked goal inside ten minutes, showing superb skill and work rate to get beyond the Tamworth defence before delivering into the middle, where Davies was perfectly placed to flick the ball past Jasbir Singh and draw first blood.

The U’s would proceed to dominate the action early on, with Barbrook testing Singh with a speculative effort from distance, before the Sutton midfielder sent Nadesan away down the right flank, with his delivery taking a crucial deflection off Haydn Hollis before it could find Davies in space.

This would be followed by another promising chance for the hosts, with Waller’s dangerous cross being deflected out for a corner, which eventually found its way to Simper who floated a looping ball from deep over the crossbar.

A rare half-chance for the visitors then saw French called into action to deny Enoru with some strong defending to stop the attack, before the visiting number 22 struck well off target soon after and Chris Wreh shot high and wide minutes later.

While there was a large portion of the half that saw little action, the U’s maintained control and could have doubled their lead shortly before the break. Wadham was played through on goal before looking to pick out Coley at the back-post, with his delivery being put out for a corner that eventually came to nothing, and meant it was just the one-goal advantage in the U’s favour heading into the interval.

The second half would begin in similar circumstances to the first, although this time it was the visitors who got off the mark inside ten minutes. Morrison played Enoru in behind who sent the ball across the goalmouth, and with nobody reacting to it in time, this allowed McGlinchey to pop up at the back post and tap into the empty net.

Nonetheless, Sutton responded well, and almost restored their lead ten minutes after being pegged back when a Coley free kick was headed back towards Topallaj, who struck a well-hit first-time volley just over the crossbar. This was then followed by a vicious Barbrook strike from distance moments later that fizzed inches over the crossbar.

It was the visitors who soon took the lead though through McGlinchey, getting on the end of Morrison’s pass near the touchline before firing beyond Sims with a little over 20 minutes to go.

In search of a route back into the game, Boateng was introduced in place of Wadham, moments before Wreh fired over the crossbar in an attempt to add a third goal for the Lambs.

A handful of glorious chances in a matter of minutes would follow for the hosts, who would be disappointed to not be level. First, a wonderfully worked move led to Davies meeting Coley’s high cross, but he was unable keep his header down, moments before Topallaj picked out Nadesan from the opposite flank who glanced his header inches wide of the far post.

A chance at the other end followed as Morrison sent a low shot just wide, before Davies teed up substitute Boateng moments later who sliced his effort off target.

This would be all Steve Morison’s side could produce at the death though, leaving Gander Green Lane empty-handed.

Sutton United: J Sims; T French, H Ransom, C Waller; J Coley, S Odelusi (sub JWadham 1’ (Boateng 67’)), F Barbrook, B Topallaj; A Nadesan, L Simper; W Davies. Subs n/u C Okoli, E Vaz, H Muller, R Jackson, S Roberts. Booked: Davies, Nadesan, Barbrook, Ransom.

Tamworth: J Singh; C Cockerill-Mollett(sub T Sundire 82), K Digie, A Fletcher, B Milnes, C Wreh (sub D Creaney 72’), G Morrison, T McGlinchey, B Enoru (sub K Williams 74’), H Hollis, B Crompton. Subs n/u T Tonks, K Finn, L Phillips, J Ponticelli. Booked: Hollis, Singh. Milnes, Creaney.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo

Attendance: 2,478 (68 away)