Match Report - Cambridge City 4 - 2 SCTFC

After a good win last Saturday against Bedworth Utd, the Royals travelled to St Ives to take on Cambridge City, a team they beat on the road last season.

Cameron Stuart’s starting eleven was as follows: Landers, Christophorou, Tongue, Lima, Carter-Byrne, Doyle, Burgess, Collins, McSkeane, Dowd and Byrne.

Sutton never really got started in the first half, whereas Cambridge City were on it from the start. It did not take them long to open the scoring when the Sutton defence were cut wide open. It allowed space for Brad Rolt to chip the oncoming Landers to put Cambridge 1-0 after just 4 minutes. 1-0 Cambridge.

Sutton nearly responded with an equaliser when Collins byline cross was met by Byrne at the back box. He chested down and fired towards the near post, but Welch was down well to palm the ball round the post.

Sutton found themselves 2-0 down when a powerful corner from Herd was headed home by Parr who was unmarked at the back post. 2-0 Cambridge.

Things quickly got worse for Sutton when Broccoli picked out Tsunonis, who again, was unmarked and headed home easily to make it 3-0 after only 25 minutes. 3-0 Cambridge.

Sutton managed to give themselves a lifeline right on half time, when a Burgess corner was headed back across goal to McSkeane, who fired into the roof of the net. 3-1 Cambridge.

Sutton started the second half much better and looked more determined going forward.

15 minutes into the half and Sutton got their breakthrough. Collins put a ball into the box, and with a slight deflection it came out to Byrne at the back post. He fired home in the bottom corner to pull it back to only a 1 goal deficit. 3-2 Cambridge.

Doyle hit a volley on the turn which flew over the crossbar. Byrne went close when he fired a low shot, but Welch got down well to prevent the equaliser.

Tongue tried to run through the midfield but was brought down on the edge of the area. A curling free kick by Dowd cleared the wall, but Welch was equal to it.

Burgess and McSkeane were replace by Tague and Gibson.

Sutton had a late corner in injury time which was met at the back by Christophorou. He fired towards goal, only to see the ball rebound of the post.

Sutton had to push for an equaliser and in doing so left themselves open at the back. Cambridge capitalised on this with the classic counter attack. Edge found Broccoli in space, and he slid home into the bottom right for Cambridge’s fourth. 4-2 Cambridge.

It was a closer game than the scoreline suggests. But in reality, a poor start to the game cost Sutton all 3 points.

Sutton were much improved in the second half and made a real game of it, only just missing out on collecting something from the game.

#COYR #ROYALS #OURTOWN