Match Report - SCTFC 2 - 0 AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Sutton had another home game in the space of a week. Their hope being to get a second league win at Coles Lane, and to get their best sequence of results this season so far. Today we were taking on bottom club, AFC Rushden and Diamonds.

Stuart named an unchanged side from the one that earnt a draw against Cambridge City. Brown, Christophorou, Carter-Bryne, Lima, Beresford, Collins, Edmunds, Burgess, McSkeane, Hilton, and Byrne.

Hilton went straight on the attack for Sutton as he cut in from wide, but just dragged his shot wide of the near post.

A poor clearance from The Diamond’s keeper fell nicely for Edmunds. His long-range effort took a slight deflection which took the ball away from the keeper. After back peddling he just managed to get his finger tips to put it round the post.

Byrne tried his luck on the right managing to beat the defence. He fired a low effort which the keeper managed to get down low to smother.
Cam Collins tried his luck at the near post, but again, the keeper thwarted the effort.

Just before half time, Edmunds hit a beauty from distance. He curled an effort into the box, had the keeper reaching backwards at full stretch, and he just managed to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner. Unfortunately, nothing materialised and Sutton went into the break on top but with nothing to show for it.

The lads had to absorb some pressure from Rushden early on in the second half which they did well.

Sutton had their first effort of the half courtesy of Edmunds. He was set up by Byrne, but unfortunately his effort went wide of the far post.

Rushden nearly took the lead when a corner was headed onto the bar from Anderson.

On 63 minutes Byrne was replaced by Tague.

Edmunds went close when the ball fell to his feet on the edge of the box. His deflection shot went just over the bar, a little further out and the ball would have dropped into the net.

Edmunds took a corner on 70 minutes and delivered it superbly to the back post. Lima rose above all to head the ball down into the net to take Sutton into the lead. 1-0 Sutton.

On 73 minutes Doyle came on for McSkeane.

A long thrown by Rushden was met on the swivel by Jones, it came back off the post to spare Sutton losing the lead.

Just before the final whistle and in extra time, Sutton were assured of all 3 points as a Crossfield ball was met by Hilton who fired the ball into the bottom right corner. 2-0 Sutton.

Sutton played well, and manged to convert 2 chances which was great to see, and a third clean sheet in a row was a fantastic reward for the hard-working defence.

Sutton will need to up their game in the coming weeks, with high flying Sporting Khalsa and Spalding Utd to pit their wits against.

#COYR