KNOWLE FC 1-3 SUTTON UNITED: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT...

 Sutton Consolidate To Deserve The Three Points…

Knowle FC 1-3 Sutton United

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

Overall, one would say that Sutton deserved the victory in this hard fought game at the Draintech Community Stadium, despite the effort, energy and spirit displayed by the Robins. In the category of creating goal chances, United dominated, although after the break, Knowle battled well and equalised Tom Massey’s first period strike for the guests with a close range Lewis Cosgrove goal. Although the match became a real mess of tension, substitutions and stoppages by the referee, Sutton consolidated, remained firm and scored a last-gasp third goal on the counter-attack.  

Knowle manager Matt Seeley messaged me to say that United was the best team they have played this season, so fair play to him and that must mean a lot to the United coaches.

THE TOSS & COSGROVE SHOVES HIS CHEST OUT FOR A BUMP BUT THE REF DOESN'T SEEM IMPRESSED......

However, the officiating of this game was often bizarre, for the referee seemed rather pedantic, serious and very obtrusive. He reminded me of a teacher whose main objective was to discipline a lively class and keep on top of them. Yet unusually it wasn’t Matt Seeley who bore the brunt of several stern lectures, for visiting skipper Josh Duggan was sin-binned during an incident when team-mate Yousef Semlali was cautioned and then the Sutton dugout was berated several times for demanding to know when Duggan’s ten minutes were up. 

YELLOW FOR SEMLALI...

THE WAIT...

THE REF CLEARLY ISN'T PLEASED WITH DUGGAN...

...& SENDS HIM TO SIT IN A BIN.
WELL, NOT LITERALLY...

However, perhaps the ref’s Black Friday watch was in World Cup mode, for the match didn’t actually finish until 4pm, when it was almost dark beneath leaden, threatening rain clouds. Perhaps stopping his watch each time there was an injury or altercation was a fair thing to do but I loved one irritated response to a Sutton coach who had asked how long remained: “Five and a half…” the official muttered, almost incoherently. 

Precise? Or impatient…

Oddly, Sutton had scored with their skipper binned, a goal converted by the impressive Massey, who along with Joe Delaney really did stretch Knowle on occasions and in truth, Delaney might have netted three times on the day…

Tom Massey…

Apart from an early drive from downtown which was only just too high, Massey looked extremely lively during the opening half, eventually scoring the opener when he cashed in on an assist by the elusive United forward Leighton Hines and a failed Cosgrove challenge. Massey bustled past the grounded Cosgrove into the left side of the 18 yard box and lashed a left-booter high into the roof of the net, past home goalie Craig Johnson who was advancing.

0-1...

His height and strength were imperative for Sutton’s approach and his switches inside from the right flank onto his left foot were often worrying for the Robins. He was instrumental in the scoring of goal two for his team as well, despite the fact that he had tumbled as he attempted to score himself at the right post. Hines ran to the right byeline and Johnson was beaten by his low centre but Massey’s awkward screwed shot rolled perfectly across the goalmouth for replacement Kaine Donald to convert easily.

1-2...

Perhaps a couple of knocks taken by Massey slowed him down in the latter stages but he was regularly effective… 

Joe Delaney…

His left-wing rushes were often thorns in the Robins’ sides and before the recess his one-two with Hines saw an angled drive sear over the target, whereas a few other runs, desperately contested by the industrious Knowle right-back Joe Sinton, led to several clearances by Robins’ Lewis Clarke and his trusty skipper Cosgrove.

JOE DELANEY HAS SPOTTED A BAR-TAILED GODWIT...

After half-time Delaney’s set-piece from the left-side forced a tip over the crossbeam by Johnson, then his 20 yard shot flew too high but then he intercepted home substitute Jack Ricketts’ pass, made some ground but tried to be unselfish, only to mess up his short pass for replacement Pete Bannister inside the penalty-box.

Finally though, he was able to claim an assist as time ran out, when Sutton cleared a late Knowle free-kick and Delaney sent replacement Jordan Hall running clear. Hall then slipped the ball right for the supporting Delaney but even though Cosgrove and Clarke were still trying to get back, it was Sinton who smothered Delaney’s shot and the ball rolled invitingly for Hall to score past covering Robin Charlie Morris, who of course was one of the home forwards.  

1-3 & JOY FOR HALL...

However, fair play to Sinton and Morris for getting back, whilst others were unable to…

More Sutton offense…

Central striker Joe Gildea nodded an early right-side flag-kick over the crossbar, after Hines’ byeline effort had been blocked by Cosgrove but Gildea then hurriedly drove well over the target from a promising position 14 yards out, after the interval. The only other real chance was a shot wide late in the encounter by Donald…

Knowle’s attacking moments…

There weren’t many in fact but Nathan Corry was just unable to reach a right-flank centre by Sinton before the break, then shot weakly at visiting goalie Reiss Wagstaff and following a decent run by Reece Hewitt, Morris’s low pass across the 6 yard box also eluded Corry. Clarke threatened at a Sinton free-kick but the visiting defence, with Matt Bishop commanding, dealt comfortably with most of Knowle’s offensive sorties. 

After half-time, Cosgrove regained parity with a goal from a short corner routine and George Seeley’s centre, which struck Cosgrove behind the leaping Corry and United defender Lewis James but the Robins’ skipper was quickest to react and stabbed the loose ball into the net at the right stick.

1-1...

Subsequently, only rarely were the Robins able to penetrate the Sutton ranks, despite competing strongly and keeping the score to 1-2 until those final moments. 

Certainly Dylan Bennett played a creative role for the hosts but without Owen Ward, Knowle’s usual midfield control was not evident, although the cautioned Kartel O’Neil-Martin was often lively from wide positions. Left-back Hayden Seymour was often a good out-ball for the Robins but too often, the visitors stifled the final ball into dangerous areas.

CAUTION FOR O'NEIL-MARTIN...

The final words… 

The contest was hard-fought, too often interrupted by a headteacher of a referee but tense until the end. Sutton fielded some strong and tall players but they could move the ball about too and also, in Midland League 2, direct forwards with pace will always be dangerous. Of course Hines, Delaney and Massey were features for the visitors, whilst skipper Duggan was always a responsible midfielder, providing good support for defenders Bishop, James, Jon Grigg and Brad Gregory…

CLARKE CHECKS OUT A RARE SPECIMEN OF INSECT THROUGH HIS MINIATURE MICROSCOPE...

Knowle didn’t have quite enough, even when Sutton’s complaining defenders were calling for more possession to be utilised after the break and fewer long balls to be played.

GRIGG IN ACTION...

Thanks to Knowle for the kind welcome and it was good to see Rich Heath again, after his time at Boldmere Falcons…

TEAMS:

KNOWLE:

CRAIG JOHNSON, JOE SINTON, HAYDEN SEYMOUR, LEWIS CLARKE, LEWIS COSGROVE (CAPT), DYLON BEENETT,  KARTEL O’NEIL-MARTIN, GEORGE SEELEY, NATHAN CORRY, REECE HEWITT, CHARLIE MORRIS.

SUBS:

JACOB WALTON, BEN JONES, ROMARLO BARRETT, JACK RICKETTS.

SUTTON UNITED:

REISS WAGSTAFF, LEWIS JAMES, BRAD GREGORY, MATT BISHOP, JON GRIGG, JOSH DUGGAN (CAPT), TOM MASSEY, YOUSEF SEMLALI, JOE GILDEA, LEIGHTON HINES, JOE DELANEY.

SUBS:

KAINE DONALD, JORDAN HALL, PETE BANNISTER, ANDY MATTHEWS.