QUICKFIRE U’S MAKE TEN-MAN FYLDE PAY

A SPIRITED late fightback from ten-man AFC Fylde was not enough to prevent Sutton United taking all three points in a game that was effectively decided by two goals in a minute just before half-time.

Just seconds after Craig Dundas had given Paul Doswell’s side a 41stminute lead, Coasters’ centre-back Simon Grand put through his own net to double advantage.

Fylde then saw Lewis Montrose sent off for a second yellow card, and even though Grand made amends by pulling a goal back five minutes from time, it wasn’t enough to prevent the U’s from holding on for the points which keeps them fourth in the National League table.

Naturally, Doswell was a relieved man afterwards, saying: “We have played better this season and not got what we deserved from game so we’ll happily take the three points which are very important.”

The first half had been largely undistinguished, with Keiran Cadogan having Sutton’s best effort with a shot that was saved at the near post by Coasters keeper Jay Lynch.

At the other end, Dave Challinor’s Fylde side were relatively quiet until top scorer Danny Rowe’s fierce drive was beaten away by Sutton stopper James Butler.

Fylde lost centre back Jordan Tunnicliffe to injury just after the half hour mark and his presence was solely missed on 41 minutes when Sutton took the lead – a long pass from the back finding its way through to Dundas, who raced clear to shoot past Lynch. Then, a minute later, Josh Taylor produced the game’s one moment of class with a superb run down the left that ended with the unfortunate Grand turning his cross into his own net. Any hopes of a comeback were seemingly dashed on 64 minutes when Montrose was dismissed for two yellow cards in the space of a minute, both for fouls on Craig Eastman. Sutton went close to making the game safe when sub Anthony Jeffrey and Tommy Wright twice combined – Jeffrey shooting just over before setting Wright up with a shot that hit the post. Louis John also clipped the top of the crossbar with a header before Fylde found their feet in the last ten minutes and after Butler had saved from sub Jack Muldoon, Grand scrambled a goal back with five minutes left. It then took a fine save from Butler to deny Rowe an equaliser as Sutton threatened to concede a late equaliser for the second game running. Challinor said: “If we’d have shown the same intent and belief that we showed in the last 20 minutes throughout the game we might have got something. “But in the end poor defending has cost us at the end of a very tight first half.”