HEED ARE THE NEIL-Y MEN! Aspin’s troops hit back but can’t finish the job
DESPITE a storming final 30 minutes, Sutton United couldn’t deny North Ferriby a first league win in ten matches in a tense afternoon at Grange Lane.
The struggling Villiagers got off to a flier when Sam Topliss put them ahead on 11 minutes before Reece Thompson doubled the advantage in the opening minute of the second half.
A rousing finale resulted in Maxine Biamou halving the deficit for the visitors but the division’s bottom club bravely hung on, much to the delight of manager Steve Housham. “We had a great start to each half and defended well in the final 30 minutes,” he said. “I’m delighted for the players that they’ve finally got a win.” The Villiagers started brightly before Topliss gave them a deserved lead, rising unchallenged to head home Rory Watson’s longfree-kick. Ferriby continued to look dangerous with Kyle Wootton and Thompson both going close, although Roarie Deacon and Biamou continued to look dangerous for Sutton without really testing Watson in the Ferriby goal.
Indeed, a fast start to the second half yielded immediate success when Thompson dispossessed Jamie Collins and cut in to score with an angled shot. Kevin Amankwaah saw a header scrambled off the line before referee Andrew Miller controversially ruled out a Sutton goal with a free-kick awarded instead of playing advantage. Sutton went for broke and after manager Paul Doswell made a triple substitution, Biamou rifled past the advancing Watson, but it was too little, too late. Disappointed Doswell said: “We were a shambles for the first hour and conceded two poor goals. We had to chase in the final 30 minutes and couldn’t find a second goal.”