Match Report: Kidsgrove Athletic 2 - 0 SCTFC

After a couple of poor results in the League, The Royals were on the road in the FA Cup.

The aim being to try and get the season back up and running against Kidsgrove Athletic.
Stringer’s side was as follows: Brown, Hurley, Fitzgerald, Lima, Christophorou, Burgess, Dampha, Collins, McSkeane, Hilton and Edmunds.

A slow start by Sutton enabled Kidsgrove to get into the game quickly, and in 13th minute, Josh Thorpe put Kidsgrove into the lead. 1-0 Kidsgrove.

Shortly after, Manager Stringer received a red card after already picking up a yellow for comments made to the assistant.

Sutton pushed forward after the break in play, and a fowl on Burgess just outside the area gave Fitzgerald the chance of a repeat of Tuesday night’s goal. Unfortunately, this time it was high and wide of the crossbar.

Sutton took the ball wide via Hilton but again he was fouled. This time, Burgess tried his luck but with the same result, wide of the far post.

A third free kick was taken in quick succession, this time a Hilton effort went just wide of the near post.

Despite Sutton’s best efforts, a misplaced ball enabled Woolley to run into the Sutton box. He calmly slotted the ball to Brown’s left to take Kidsgrove into a 2-0 lead right at half time.

Sutton came out second half and tried to get back into the game quickly. Hurley delivered a lovely ball into the box, but McSkeane was just whiskers away from making a connection.

Edmunds had a good run wide, cut a ball back into the path of Dampha but his effort was well wide of the far post.

Sutton were cutting through the middle of the park, and McSkeane made a great run but was fouled. The ball fell to Hilton who ran on to slot it home, but the referee had already pulled the ball back for the foul so the goal was ruled out, as no advantage was played.

Hilton nearly reduced the deficit with a trade mark run. He cut into the box from wide, beat several players before striking the ball back across goal. The keeper was beaten, but the ball trickled past the far post.

On 71 mins Dampha was taken off to be replaced by Byrne.

Sutton had a free kick wide which Burgess delivered into the box. He found Lima at the back post, but his header went just wide.
80 minutes and McSkeane was take off to be replaced by Abraham.

Byrne tried his luck from distance, but the shot was high and wide which seemed to be the story of the afternoon.

Hilton had Sutton’s final chance of the afternoon when a shot central to the goal had Harrison beaten in goal, but the ball just clipped the crossbar and went out of play.

Sutton bowed out of the FA cup for this season. It was an afternoon of few chances and a lack of clinical prowess against a side that in their own words did not play well today.

Its Back to the League on Tuesday night with a trip to Hinckley LR.

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