Match Report

Two goals in the space of four second half minutes secured a third victory on the spin for Sutton United, with AFC Fylde falling short after a tense but competitive affair.

The visitors saw a flurry of chances during the first half, with a couple of free kicks for Nick Haughton and a couple of headers for Tyler Roberts seeing the Coasters go ever so close to opening the scoring, before a late chance for Besart Topallaj threatened to send the U’s into the break ahead against the run of play.

The U’s turned the screws after the restart though, and began to dominate proceedings with Nadesan going closest after forcing Ben Winterbottom into an error.

While he was unable to make the visitors pay on that occasion though, he finally managed to break the deadlock with a little over 20 minutes to go, with a wonderful volley that flew into the top corner, shortly before Davies made it two, and made the win safe as a result.

Victory over Fylde sees the U’s jump into the play-off places, but will have to wait on their chance to make it four league wins in a row for the first time this season, with Tottenham Hotspur visiting next on Tuesday night in the National League Cup.

One change to the starting XI saw Jeremy Sivi return in place of Charlie Waller, with recent signing Topallaj dropping into the back three alongside Tyler French and Hayden Muller.

The visitors almost got off to a dream start though, as a well-worked corner saw Lincoln McFayden play the ball to the edge of the box and almost catch the U’s backline out with Owen Evans in acres of space to shoot, but his effort flew well over the crossbar inside a minute.

This was certainly a sign of things to come, and Davies could have given the U’s the lead moments later when he capitalised on a loose ball from Emeka Obi which put the Sutton number nine one on one with Winterbottom, but the offside flag was up to spare Obi’s blushes.

This would be followed by another couple of half chances for Davies who looked to get on the end of a couple of crosses, before a golden opportunity fell to the incoming Sivi.

The winger combined wonderfully with Josh Coley, playing a neat one-two which saw the latter flick the ball back into the former’s path, before Sivi curled a low effort towards the bottom corner which Winterbottom had to tip behind.

Fylde would immediately go up the other end and saw former Coaster French penalised for a foul on Danny Ormerod, with top scorer Haughton producing a superb save out of Jack Sims, who acrobatically pushed the set piece away from danger.

The visitors continued to apply pressure, with Max Bardell doing well to reach the byline before drilling a low cross into the middle, but there was nobody on hand to meet the ball.

Nonetheless, the Coasters looked to threaten more in their search for an opener, with Ormerod sending a dangerous cross into the penalty area soon after. Roberts rose highest to meet the delivery, but couldn’t divert his header on target.

Roberts would see a similar chance go begging ten minutes later, with McFayden excellently beating Ashley Nadesan on the left flank before floating a high cross towards the back-post, where Roberts was waiting in space to head the ball inches over the crossbar.

Although Fylde looked to be in control of things, the hosts were keen to stamp their authority on proceedings first, and saw a wonderful chance fall to Sivi when he forced Winterbottom into a point-blank save from close range.

Sims would once again be called into action though as Fylde continued to mount the pressure, with Haughton whipping another dangerous free kick goalward requiring an acrobatic, fingertip save from the U’s number one to keep the score level.

Haughton would make it a hat-trick of set piece opportunities shortly before the interval after Topallaj was cautioned for a late challenge on Ormarod. The midfielder fired the free kick straight into the wall, with the ball rebounding straight back to him and allowing him a second bite of the cherry. He got the ball under control once again and pulled the trigger, but his powerful effort sailed high and wide.

Fylde were without a doubt in the ascendancy, and Roberts would go close to an opener after showing good skill to make space for a shot, forcing Muller into a last-ditch block to get it clear.

Sutton almost stole a lead going into the break, with Jack Wadham playing a corner short to Coley who played a deep cross towards the back-post. Siju Odelusi kept the chance alive as he headed back across goal, where Topallaj rose highest to meet the ball but was unable keep his effort on target, ensuring it was all to play for in the second half.

The start to the second half almost mirrored that of the first, with a chance being produced inside the opening minute. Unlike in the previous half though, the opening would fall to the hosts, with Sivi picking out Nadesan with a deep cross, with the on-loan forward heading just over the crossbar.

Fylde would then go up the other end almost instantly with Roberts bearing down on goal, with the Coasters’ number 21 making space for a shot which was deflected behind for a corner.

The U’s were looking to change the tide, and produced a couple of glorious chances as they searched for an opener. First, Nadesan pressured Winterbottom into giving the ball away straight into the path, and with the goal gaping, subsequently fired the ball inches wide from an incredibly tight angle.

This would be followed by another great opportunity, with Coley picking out Davies in the middle who struck into Winterbottom’s midriff amidst a crowd of bodies.

Coley would then turn from provider to almost breaking the deadlock, combining nicely with Nadesan as they looked to start a break. After neatly beating Ethan Mitchell, he spread the ball out to Nadesan who returned the favour, but the U’s number seven was unable to get the desired contact and couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball, firing off target.

A goal was certainly coming, and would soon fall to the hosts as Nadesan finally made their pressure pay in spectacular fashion, as a high ball from Wadham put the U’s number 24 through on goal, who unleashed a powerful volley that flew beyond Winterbottom.

And in a blink of an eye it was two, with Nadesan turning provider to slide the ball across to Davies just four minutes later, who calmly tapped home to double the advantage and relieve some of the tension.

Coley almost made it three soon after when he saw a powerful effort denied by Winterbottom, shortly before substitute Dillon De Silva curled a threatening effort just wide of the far post.

Looking to halve the deficit and make things tasty late on, Fylde almost got back into it when Ethan Mitchell sent a low drive that Sims had to tip away, shortly before Roberts had an effort held by the U’s stopper.

And this was enough to seal three wins in a row, three clean sheets on the spin and crucially the three points.

Sutton United: Sims; French, Muller, Topallaj; Coley (Boateng 84’), Odelusi, Barbrook, Sivi (De Silva 73’); Nadesan (Ransom 73’), Wadham; Davies

AFC Fylde: Winterbottom; Evans (Jolley 64’), Obi, Mitchell, Haughton, Bardell, McHayden, Whelan, Roberts, Ormerod (Ustabasi 64’), O’Kane