SUTTON UNITED 6 - 1 REDDITCH BOROUGH

 

MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO 

Coleshill Road Nurseries, Coleshill Road, Sutton Coldfield, B75 7BA

21st January 2023,     3pm Kick-Off

This Saturday sees the local non-league football schedule greatly disrupted again, this time not to excess rainfall but the freezing conditions. My original choice of game this week is the MFL, Div 3 clash between AFC Birmingham v Wake Amateurs and my back-up game is Cadbury Athletic v Fairfield Villa in Div 2 but both games have failed early pitch inspections.  

While in Birmingham city centre, I then realise I will have to go again to a club that has an artificial playing surface. I then find out that MFL Div 2 front runners, Sutton United, are at home at their new ground that has an artificial pitch. Although it's a 3pm kick-off I decide to go there anyway. I much prefer an earlier start as the light will usually be better for my photos at this time of year but beggars can't be choosers!

I take the number 907 bus from the city centre and arrive in Sutton Coldfield with plenty of time to have an all day breakfast & coffee at a local cafe and a look around the shops.

Sutton's ground is a 15 minute walk from the town centre in Coleshill Road, next to a garden nursery. Apparently this facility has been planned for some time and mainly paid for by the club chairman. There is a car park in front of the club house and the pitch lies in front of this, with a 100 seater stand to the right of the changing room building. There is a hard standing path railed off and around the pitch, which in turn is surrounded by a high wired fence. The team dug-0uts lie on the opposite side and at the furthest end, there is a neatly piled bank of earth, still awaiting removal, where I hear there will be another stand built. Just behind this, lies the main railway line from Birmingham to Lichfield. Floodlights complete the picture of this modern looking facility along with an artificial training pitch. 

Sutton's opponents today are Redditch Borough from Worcestershire. On paper this looks like an almost given 3 points for the high scoring home team but I'm sure Redditch will be looking to give them a tough fight.

Thanks to my malfunctioning watch I have arrived at the ground with 10 minutes already played. I will have to get a new battery as my watch stopped completely at 3:30 pm at last weeks game at Gornal Colts. I'm assured by another spectator that no goals have been scored so far.

When I settle down to watch the game at the dug-out side of the pitch, Sutton United as expected are looking the more dangerous of these 2 teams. Both sides are in their usual first team kits with the home side in green shirts, black shorts & socks while Redditch are decked out in all navy blue.

After some sustained pressure, Sutton United take the lead in the 15th minute with a stooping far post header from N0.7 Tom Massey from a corner from the left.

In the following 10 minutes, Sutton's No.10, Joe Gildea, spurns 2 chances, first when he swivels round and shoots over the bar from a good position and then directing the ball in to the hands of the Redditch keeper when he stretches to an incoming cross but can't get any power in the shot.

Redditch Borough are containing their opponents quite well after this with their pressing game and create a chance of their own when their No.11 cuts in from the left and sees his shot well saved by the United keeper and then just before the break they have another effort blocked by the vigilant Sutton keeper, Reiss Wagstaff.

So half-time arrives and surprisingly Sutton have been restricted to just the one goal and this might encourage Redditch to spring a surprise today?  There looks to be a crowd of 100+ and I remember seeing on the Midland Football League website that they had a very impressive turn out of 427 spectators at their recent home Boxing Day fixture with local rivals Boldmere Sports & Social. That's certainly more than nearby Sutton Coldfield Town usually get at their nearby ground and they sit 3 levels higher in the Non-League pyramid!

When play resumes, any thoughts that the visitors may have had of springing a surprise result quickly vanish in the first 10 minutes of the second half. 

First Sutton United score from a penalty by captain, Josh Duggan  following a push on one of their players on the left of the penalty area. Then in the 51st minute their No.10, Joe Gildea, plants a header in to the net from a corner on the right. Just 2 minutes later and their No.2, Jonny Grigg gets in on the act with a great shot from the right after the ball was worked over to him from the left.

Redditch Borough are understandably a bit shell shocked after this goal blitz but they gamely get on to the score sheet after 70 minutes when their No.7, Tom Fishwick, rises highest to a free kick to head home a consolation goal.

Sutton United's dominance in this half is not to be denied however and Tom Massey fires home his second goal past Tony Swain from the right in the 75th minute and then in stoppage time, skipper Josh Duggan scores with another cracking shot.

(Some of the Nursery buildings can be seen at the back on the left)

A 6-1 win for Sutton United to increase their lead to 10 points over 2nd placed Cadbury Athletic, who now have 2 games in hand over them and a lead of 13 points over Knowle in 3rd place who have 3 games in hand.

It's certainly looking good for Sutton United in the title race this season, following their promotion from the 3rd Division last season and with their new ground, they are going places!

Redditch Borough have a Worcestershire FA Saturday Cup, Quarter-Final coming up next Saturday at Pershore Town, where they face Town's Development team and will be looking for some Cup glory. 

Although today's later starting time has meant that it's been more difficult to take photos with a fast enough shutter speed, it's been good to visit this new ground and it will interesting to see United's progress over the coming seasons. 

Match Attendance:                        100+

  Entrance Fee:    Free? (but late arrival)

Match Programme:      None Available

Entertainment Value:                    8/10 

 

   

GORNAL COLTS 4 - 4 SALTLEY STALLIONS

WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL LEAGUE, DIV ONE

The Dell Stadium, Bryce Road, Brierley Hill, DY5 4NB

14th January 2023,   2:00pm Kick-Off

I have been lucky to have found a match that is still going ahead, the West Midlands League, Div One clash between Gornal Colts and their table topping visitors, Saltley Stallions. Originally I was hoping to see Wyrley United play Allscott Heath from Shropshire, in the same Division but it was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, like so many other games today.

This is my second visit to the Dell Stadium, the first being in May last year when I saw Droitwich Spa win a hard fought League Cup semi-final against 'The Colts'.  

I have managed to get to the ground 15 minutes before kick-off, by train to Stourbridge and then by bus despite setting off relatively late.

When I pay my entrance fee at the gate, I'm informed that the game will be played on the 3G pitch which is adjacent to the main pitch and it's outlying athletics track. I'm not a big fan of artificial pitches but at times like this they are a definite bonus!

The game starts and Gornal are playing in their usual strip of navy shirts & shorts with grey socks, while Saltley are in their away strip of green shirts, black shorts & socks. 

Saltley who have started the brighter of the two teams, take the lead after 8 minutes but I miss it completely as I had turned round to talk to the Gornal club secretary, the very helpful Susie Johnson, who had informed me earlier by text that the game was still on.

Saltley go close after 15 minutes when their No.9, Arabab Ali, has a cross shot from the left following a free kick.

Gornal Colts do get into the game more and have 2 efforts in the next 20 minutes, the second being a shot from their No.10 which goes over the bar when he was in a good central position.

Saltley are looking the more dangerous team in this half and the Gornal coach is pacing the touch line, encouraging his players to close the opposition down as much as possible.

After 35 minutes 'The Stallions' No.8, Mohammed Konteh, has a shot blocked by the rapidly out-coming home keeper but they are not to be denied and their No.12, Ruman Hussain, has plenty of time when the ball is slipped in to him from the left to guide the ball in to the right hand corner of the net.

Gornal Colts hit back 4 minutes before the break when they are awarded a penalty and this is dispatched by their No.10.

So it's good to have seen some goals and there seems to be the likely prospect of more in the second half of this game.   

I have been talking to a guy who turns out to be the father of today's referee. He is only 18 years old but is in a Birmingham County FA  programme of fifteen candidates to fast track them to a higher level. Although young he has shown good judgement and authority so far.

I have time to have a warming cup of tea in the club house, as there is a cool wind blowing from the south west across the pitch today. Indeed I have to put on my gloves when play resumes to enable me to keep taking photos.

It doesn't take long for Saltley to take a firmer grip on this game when their No.8 scores from close range and then things get worse for the hosts when on the hour Saltley's No.14 shoots home from the left.

It's 4-1 to the league leaders and it's looking to be an uphill struggle for Gornal now. They get a foothold back in the game, just 4 minutes later when following a defensive mix up, the Gornal No.7 athletically volleys the ball home from close in.

The home side are visibly gaining confidence now and look hungry for the ball. However Saltley, with their speedy forwards always look dangerous on the break and Konteh heads the ball against the bar following a good cross from the left.

Gornal's No.11 goes on a good run a bit later and shoots across the goal from the left....but wide. Saltley don't heed this warning though and the same player makes a similar run and shot and this time is successful.

The league leaders are being pressed back strongly by the home side now and are awarded another penalty when Saltley's keeper panics and brings down a Gornal player just inside the right-hand side of the penalty area. Gornal's N0.10, Will Slater, scores his second spot kick for the equaliser.

In injury time there is still time to see Gornal Colts No.15 go racing in on goal but Saltley's No.20 hurries over to make a great blocking tackle but is hurt in the process.

The full-time whistle is blown soon after and brings to an end a great advertisement for football at this level. Both sides showed a willingness to attack throughout the game and although Gornal Colts showed great fight and made a stirring comeback, Saltley must feel that they threw away 2 points and very nearly 3!

Saltley do retain their No.1 spot, 3 points clear of 2nd placed Gornal Athletic with Allscott Heath, looking to be the favourites as they have 5 games in hand over Saltley now and are only 6 points behind them in 3rd. Still they have to keep winning and that could be prove to be a hard task if the postponed fixtures keep piling up on them.

Gornal Colts are in 10th place and encouraged by today's display will be looking to improve on this before the end of the season. 

Entrance Fee:           £5 (£3 concession)

Match Attendance:            Approx 15-20

Match Programme:           Non Available

Entertainment Value:                        9/10