BATTLING U’S JUST REFUSE TO BE BEATEN BY COASTERS

SUTTON UNITED twice came from behind to earn a share of the spoils with AFC Fylde in an entertaining encounter at Mill Farm.

Andy Bond put the Coasters in front on 36 minutes and that looked to be enough until 16 minutes from time when Sutton’s academy graduate Bradley Pearce, making his firstteam debut, equalised with a tidy finish.

Substutute Gime Toure restored Fylde’s lead just seven minutes later but the U’s weren’t to be denied when their own sub, Kieron Cadogan swept home sweetly two minutes from time to send the visiting fans into raptures.

Despite accepting a share of the spoils against a promotion rival, neither manager was entirely satisfied.

“If we’re going to be contenders rather than pretenders, then it’s these games you need to win,” said Coasters boss Dave Challinor.

“It was never going to be a great game, conditions were difficult, and a game that probably suited them more than us in terms of the style.

“But the first half we’ve scored one despite two oneon-ones and hitting the crossbar without being great.

“If technically we aren’t great then the other parts of the game have to be spot on, in terms of physicality and concentration.

“The goals are carbon copy of each other, going through a string of bodies, and it’s disappointing – you can’t be needing three goals to win a game.” U’s counterpart Paul Doswell added: “We’ll be disappointed with the manner of their goals, as it was two sloppy passes that let Fylde in, but that’s football. “I think the equaliser was deserved, and a draw was a bad result. “Any away point in this league is hard earned. I thought we played good stuff today. We’ve only had one defeat in a long time – so to come to Fylde, a real footballing side, and get a result is great. “It was a young debutant, Brad Pearce, who we threw in today, and we were delighted with how we did.” Bond fired the home side in front on 36 minutes after Nick Haughton’seffort was palmed away Jamie Butler into his path. The second half saw a resurgent Sutton side emerge with Pearce’s glory moment arriving on 74 minutes – a neat finish past Lynch. This acted as a wake-up call for Fylde, and an inspired move from Toure saw him glide in from the left wing, before curling the ball beyond Butler from the corner of the box. But the U’s were to have the last laugh two minutes from time when Jamie Collins sent a long ball into the box and Aswad Thomas head into the path of Cadogan, who delivered an astute finish.

STAR MAN: Jamie Butler (Sutton) ATT: 1,401 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Martin Woods 9/10