Sutton

[drummyb]

I thought it was. A bit, but still a cock

[andy]

I think I wrote on here about 2 months ago that I thought Sutton would be a stumbling block to us winning the title. And even when the title was effectively gone already they still were. I hate playing them. Although the windy conditions never allowed a decent game I thought we played some half decent stuff in the first half. Second half not even worth commenting on. And that sums up our season, total inconsistency. Really need to bounce back next week to try and keep Chasetown out of the play offs, if nothing else.

[DJ]

Northern Premier League Midlands – Monday, 10th April 2023

Halesowen Town 0 Sutton Coldfield Town 3

Second-placed Halesowen slipped to their worst home defeat of the season after mid-table Sutton struck three goals in the final half-hour, writes DJ. The result means the Yeltz have failed to beat Sutton in three attempts this season and also saw Stamford crowned champions of the league.

Yeltz manager Paul Smith admitted: “It was a poor day at the office and opposite to the first three games since I returned. We were outworked, lost our personal battles and were beaten well. After our early chances Sutton grew into the game. Today was a step back. We can’t just turn up and hope to win, we have to earn the right. If there’s any positive, it’s that we have to do more than just turn up.”

In blustery conditions, returning Jack Holmes looked lively early on and he shot at Sutton goalkeeper Jonathan Brown in the 2nd minute following a neat interchange. The Yeltz then missed a golden chance to take a 6th minute lead when normally reliable penalty expert Richard Gregory blasted his spot-kick high over the bar after Ryan Edmunds clipped Josh Ezewele’s legs in the penalty area. With the Yeltz on top, more trickery from Holmes allowed Kieren Donnelly to strike over the bar in the 10th minute, Nathan Hayward’s 23rd minute was deflected wide and Gregory dragged another good chance wide five minutes later.

As the Royals came into the game before the interval, Stuart Hendrie’s 30th minute deflected shot struck the home post and Hendrie then lofted over the bar four minutes later.

Visiting goalkeeper Brown made a good 50th minute save after Ezewele crossed for Donnelly to flick towards goal and McKauley Manning screwed wide after an hour. However, the unexpected second half soon turned into a complete contrast as Sutton took control, hitting three goals to take all three points.

Halesowen began to fall apart in the final half-hour and looked disjointed in defence after captain Rob Evans was substituted. Sutton took the lead in the 61st minute when Rhys Hilton was allowed to cross from the right for Cameron COLLINS to poke home. Ceesay Dampha robbed Ezewele in the 68th minute to fire just wide, but the Royals soon made it 2-0 in the 70th minute when HILTON side-stepped retreating Manning and his low shot left home goalkeeper Dan Platt standing.

Matters almost worsened when Chris Clements was put clean through on goal in the 78th minute, only for Platt to make a fine blocking save. Halesowen’s late possession counted for little although a 74th minute shot from substitute Jak Hickman was deflected away for a corner and Hayward was thwarted in an 80th minute goalmouth scramble following a corner.

The Royals added insult to injury when HILTON ran clean through down the right again in stoppage time and another low shot easily beat Platt once more to make it 3-0.

Halesowen Town: Dan Platt; Josh Ezewele, Josh Quaynor, Tom Turton (Simeon Cobourne 64), Kieran Morris, Rob Evans (c) (Jak Hickman 58), McKauley Manning, Nathan Hayward, Jack Holmes, Richard Gregory (Jamie Insall 58), Kieren Donnelly. Subs Not Used: Nat Kelly, Oscar Tonge.

Sutton Coldfield Town: Jonathan Brown; Harry Sawyer, Thomas Armitage, Chris Clements, James Beresford (c), Aaron Forde, Ceesay Dampha (John Mills 90), Cameron Collins, Stuart Hendrie, Rhys Hilton, Ryan Edmunds. Subs Not Used: Will Mansfield, Tom Hurley, Joe O’Neil.

Referee: Luke Bowles Attendance: 1,022
Booked: Beresford (56), Holmes (75), Armitage (83), Manning (90)
‘Tulleys Print’ HTFC Man of the Match selected by the Russell family: Josh Ezewele

[Jefftoad76]

Well that was an absolute mess ,first 10 mins played great then gregory misses pen then a sitter and lost his head flying into tackles and once sutton settled down and got organised i dont think they looked in trouble at any stage of the game.if someone who went today didnt know league positions they would of thought sutton were 2nd
They were more organised ,aggressive,played ball on the floor ,passed and moved why is it we get outfought and just sit back time and time again we dont pressure teams when they have the ball we just sit back and dont work hard enough these players just think they have to turn up and teams will roll over and when we have the ball they were in our faces giving us no time which means they worked harder than us all over the pitch man for man i was impressed with the no 10 he had quaynor on toast the whole game thouhht the no 2 and no 7 were also good fair play sutton they fully deserved that.all you have to do to beat halesowen is get in their faces and pressure them and work harder and want it more every defeat is the same with this bunch of players
What happened to evans?went to pot after he went off and we seemed allover the place i couldnt tell what the plan or formation was.
Jack seems to have not got any better holding onto the ball too long running into blind alleys,smith must be furious even he was onto the players telling them to close down to talk all basic stuff
Maybe a bad day at the iffice but they just didnt look arsed today
Oscar in for quaynor for me and start with sim from now on

[Brightgoldenhaze]

Very poor but on another day Gregory would have had a hat-trick. Better today than on 25th or 29th April.

And for a bit of straw clutching consolation, as well as being our bogey team, Sutton also won 3-0 at Stamford.

[Josh1873]

We can't finish third in a two horse race, again. Can we?

All the positivity and hope that the previous three performances delivered has well and truly evaporated after such a poor, tepid and disappointing display. Why do we get out fought so regular? Why don't the players work as hard, or harder, than the opposition? It's simply not good enough. It's as if they don't want to earn promotion. The three teams that will join us in the play-offs must be licking their lips at the thought of facing us.

[DJ]

The Stamford v Spalding game has now been re-arranged for this Thursday 13th, so we may be confirmed as 2nd before Saturday's game at Chasetown. Saturday's match will of course have a great bearing on whether Chasetown make the playoffs though.

[YeltzDoc]

Gregory to take…. Over the bar!

Oh yes.

https://twitter.com/YeltzDoc/status/164 ... 20964?s=20

[drummyb]

Not being on Twitter, my mate shared a video of Stamford celebrating at our expense. Im not quite sure why our misdemeanours are so gleefully celebrated by other teams tbh. Are some of ours giving it billy big balls on there??

[drummyb]

We can't finish third in a two horse race, again. Can we?

All the positivity and hope that the previous three performances delivered has well and truly evaporated after such a poor, tepid and disappointing display. Why do we get out fought so regular? Why don't the players work as hard, or harder, than the opposition? It's simply not good enough. It's as if they don't want to earn promotion. The three teams that will join us in the play-offs must be licking their lips at the thought of facing us.

I think, ultimately, we simply aren't good enough, same as we weren't last year. I really hope, im proved wrong, but I think its going to end in disappointment again. Its all about consistency and while we turn in some good performances, they let themselves down as players, with what we got Saturday, and sadly its not a one off. They are good players no doubt but thats nothing without work too.