Match Report

Jack Wadham’s first goal for the club was enough to secure all three points over Solihull Moors, securing a second successive victory at the hands of Solihull Moors.

Wadham drew first blood after Ashley Nadesan showed superb muscle to win the ball back in the penalty area, before cutting the ball back to the former AFC Bournemouth youngster who stroked home on just his third ever start for the U’s.

The visitors put plenty of pressure on throughout the second half and went closest through Michael Adu-Poku, but the U’s back line held firm to seal consecutive wins for the first time since September.

Victory over Solihull sees Steve Morison’s side jump up a place to tenth in the Vanarama National League table, and will be keen to continue their momentum on Saturday with the visit of AFC Fylde.

Two changes to the starting lineup included a debut for new recruit Besart Topallaj, while Hayden Muller made his first start since September after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The U’s were back in action after having a weekend off due to a frozen pitch in Halifax, and were keen to keep the momentum running after victory over Maidenhead United last time out.

It was the visitors who had the first real opening though, with Jamey Osborne firing over from distance after Bradley Stevenson and Joe Newton combined nicely.

While Solihull seemed to have control of proceedings, the U’s were gifted an opening when Nadesan knocked a Solihull player off the ball in a dangerous area, before picking out Wadham who calmly converted his first Sutton goal.

Wadham would become a man possessed and went close to a second moments later when he saw a shot from a tight angle tipped behind by Laurie Walker, with the resulting set piece almost being poked home by Finley Barbrook.

The hosts were without a doubt in the ascendancy, with Nadesan again the provider when he latched onto a long ball from deep, before picking out Will Davies in the middle who’s powerful shot was deflected behind a corner by Kyle Morrison.

This preceded an excellent chance for the Moors to draw level, with Michael Adu-Poku driving down the right flank before striking an effort across goal, with Jack Sims equal to it as he acrobatically tipped the on-loan Watford man’s effort wide.

Some late pressure from the visitors would see bodies put on the line in an attempt to protect the narrow advantage. Sims would be called into action in stoppage time when he punched away a corner, before a late drive from distance fizzed inches wide. Fortunately, the referee’s whistle allowed the hosts to breathe as they headed into the break with their lead intact.

The U’s almost doubled their advantage within a minute of the restart, with Charlie Waller finding space to drive forward from defence. A last ditch challenge stopped the on-loan MK Dons man in his tracks as he was about to pull the trigger, but the loose ball fell to Nadesan whose tame effort was palmed away by Walker.

Up the other end, the visitors’ search for a leveller went on with Conor Wilkinson going down in the box under a challenge from Sims, but the decision went the way of the U’s as referee Alan Young awarded a free kick with the Moors man booked for diving.

This would precede a couple of chances in quick succession for Adu-Poku, who continued to be the danger man for the Moors. He would float a curling effort well wide of the target from the edge of the box, before going closer moments later as his powerful low drive trickled just past the post.

A golden opportunity fell to the U’s with a little over 20 minutes to go, and they will have been disappointed to not double their lead. Davies found himself through on goal with his effort from close range being well saved by Walker, with Barbrook’s follow-up being deflected away from goal. The loose ball would fall to Davies once again though, who was crowded out in the penalty area.

The hosts were keen to relieve pressure on their backline though after a spell of sustained pressure by the visitors, and went close to a second again minutes later when Josh Coley’s cross hit Davies in the middle and bounced wide.

The Moors’ pressure would continue to mount in their quest for an equaliser, with Wilkinson hitting a free kick into the wall.

Morison responded by introducing Harry Ransom for his first appearance since the end of September, alongside Dillon De Silva to add some energy on the flanks.

Andy Whing’s men continued to pile a barrage of pressure onto the U’s backline, with John Bostock firing over from the edge of the box late on.

This would precede an excellent chance for the hosts though, with De Silva doing excellently to win a free kick in a dangerous area, which Siju Odelusi struck into the wall and over.

The U’s continued to battle, and with Matty Warburton being caught offside in stoppage time, this would signal the end of the action with all three points going the way of Sutton.

Sutton United: J Sims; T French, H Muller, C Waller (sub H Ransom 77); J Coley (sub D De Silva 77), F Barbrook, S Odelusi, B Topallaj; A Nadesan, J Wadham; W Davies. Subs n/u S Arnold, C Okoli, E Vaz, N Boateng, J Sivi. Booked: Barbrook, Odelusi, Coley.

Solihull Moors: L Walker; J Newton, J Osborne, A Whitmore, K Morrison, S Bowen (sub M Warburton 64), C Wilkinson, M Oakley (sub O Tipton 70), B Stevenson (sub J Gale 70), J Bostock, M Adu-Poku. Subs n/u A Flahavan, F Howell, A Francis-Burrel. Booked Wilkinson, Tipton, Gale.

Referee: Alan Young

Attendance: 1,821 (26 away)