Fine recovery sees Academy win 4-2 at Sutton Coldfield

Early on, the Nailers found it difficult to master the ball on the artificial surface with passes going astray and ball control being a real problem for the Belper youngsters.

They weren’t helped either by hesitant defending which resulted in Sutton Coldfield opening up a two goal lead.

Home striker Josh McKenzie-Spence was a constant thorn in Belper’s side in that first half and he helped himself to Sutton’s first goal after 36 minutes when confusion in the Belper defence saw him nip in between a defender and goalkeeper Jack Repton to slide the ball into the net.

Worse was to come 3 minutes later when a similar tale of woe in the Nailers defensive ranks allowed Hamzah Subedar to increase Sutton’s advantage.

Bur Belper responded positively and just 60 seconds later Josh Bullock reduced the arrears when he tapped the ball home at the far post from a right wing cross that carved open the Sutton defence.

Amazingly, it was all square just before the interval when Joel Cain got the decisive touch to Josh Craddock’s corner to send the teams in level at the break.

Head coach Tom Donlon, substituted both full backs at the interval, bringing on Gianluca Gandola and Oli Rathband in an attempt to shore up the defence.

The second half reflected a much improved performance from the Belper youngsters and the wrestled control of the game and started to create a number of problems for Sutton’s increasingly pressured defence in which goalkeeper Keenan Clarke excelled between the posts.

But for all of Belper’s dominance, they were fortunate to remain on level terms when a Sutton player found himself racing clear on goal only to shoot erratically over the bar with only Repton to beat.

Belper’s pressure finally paid off after 80 minutes when skipper, Sam Weston forced the ball over the line from a corner and Dan Watson settled the game with five minutes remaining when he took advantage of a defensive howler to roll the ball into an empty net.

Sutton Coldfield Town: Clarke, Ashton, Patrick, Robotham, Adebayo, Heath, Subedar, McKenzie-Spence, Peart, Milligan, Billett. Subs: Hooper, Babajide, Christie

Belper Town: Repton, Rodgers, Patrick, Craddock, Weston, Higton, Taylor, Cain, Camm, Watson, Bullock. Subs: Hall, Dronfield, Walker, Bradbury, Gandola, Rathband, Mighty