Match Report: SCTFC 2 - 2 Coleshill Town FC

After a great couple of wins over the Christmas period, it was the first game of the new year against local rivals Coleshill Town.

The Royals beat them earlier in the season, and they are a team that had not won away since August.

Stuarts’s starting eleven was as follows: Brown, Christophorou, Carter-Byrne, Lima, Beresford, Doyle, Burgess, Collins, Tague, Hilton and Byrne.

Sutton started brightly, and Byrne looked to be causing problems for Coleshill with his tricky dribbling of the ball out wide. His first effort on goal had a wicked curl which beat the keeper, but unfortunately flew wide of the far post.

Collins picked up the ball in midfield and with plenty of space shot from distance. It was parried out by the Coleshill keeper, but only back to Collins, who fired the second effort over the crossbar.

Bryne nearly made the breakthrough when he ran to the bi-line, cut back inside the defender, and fired low only to hit the side netting.

Doyle tried his luck from about 20 yards out, the shot was powerful, hit the defender and flew out for a corner.

Hilton weaved in the penalty area and beat several players, before firing just wide of the far post.

Sutton were given a lifeline just before half time, as Smith was sent off for a kick to Brown.

It was hard work for Sutton who struggled to break down the stubborn Coleshill defence. It was 0-0 at the break.

Hurley came on for Christophorou to start the second half.

47 minutes in and old Sutton boy Fitzgerald came back to haunt us. He rounded Brown to slot home and take Coleshill into the lead. 0-1 Coleshill.

Tague nearly got Sutton straight back in it when a powerful shot cannoned off the post.

After some good play from Sutton without any clear opportunities, Tague hit a thunderbolt from distance. It took a wicked deflection off Collins to go over the keeper and get Sutton back in the game. 1-1.

Within minutes Coleshill took back the lead, when Cowley took the corner and fired straight over Brown. 1-2 Coleshill.

Sutton pushed to get something out of the game. The weather was shocking, but the determination was evident as Doyle made a run and shot just wide.

Collins took a corner which found Beresford who tried a volley, but it went just wide.

Byrne showed his dribbling skills to eventually find Collins. He hit a lovely curling effort, which made the Coleshill keeper work to keep the ball out. The resulting corner found Beresford in the box with a deft header which went just wide.

Ryan Edmunds came on in the 67th minute.
Edmunds soon got into the action when he fired low across goal which was saved well by the keeper.

On 79 minutes Bryne made a run wide, cut inside the defender, before curling a shot just beating the diving keeper to creep in at the bottom corner. 2-2.

Bryne produced some more magic to set up Edmunds with another opportunity, but his shot went wide.

Sutton battled well on a nasty evening to grind out a very difficult 2-2 draw. But it’s another point and the run continues.

Well done lads.

#COYR