Phoenix 1-1 Sutton Athletic

Phoenix rue missed chances during Sutton draw

Sutts Photographer ©

Phoenix were left to rue a host of missed chances as they had to settle for a point against Sutton Athletic in an entertaining encounter at the Christopher Russell Stadium.

Jake Goodman made three changes to his Phoenix side which drew at Whitstable Town, with Jensen Grant, Taylor Fisher and Kieron McCann coming in for Harry Barnes, Ben Morrison and Will Efambe.

The hosts started brightly and could have been ahead inside the opening 10 minutes. Lyle Della-Verde was at the heart of the early pressure, whipping in a dangerous free-kick from the right on eight minutes that rattled the top of the crossbar.

Phoenix continued to knock on the door and went close again five minutes later when Della-Verde slipped Jamarie Brissett through on goal. Brissett attempted to dink the ball past the onrushing Jack Glassborrow, but Sutton’s goalkeeper did just enough to divert the ball away before it was scrambled clear for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Phoenix missed another guilt-edge chance to score the game’s first goal. Della-Verde’s excellent delivery was met by Jake Goodman, whose powerful header once again beat the keeper but crashed against the bar, summing up a frustrating opening spell for the hosts.

Against the run of play, Sutton took the lead on 17 minutes with Joshua Williams scrambling the ball home from an inswinging corner.

The goal shifted the game’s momentum and Phoenix started to struggle to get to grips with a new system.

Sutton winger Courtney Barrington almost made it 2-0 when he curled just wide from 20 yards our midway through the half as Phoenix found themselves under increased pressure and were happy to hear the referee’s whistle at full-time.

Ben Morrison replaced Jensen Grant at the break as Phoenix looked to regain control, and they came out with renewed intent. Della-Verde tested the Sutton keeper from distance early in the second half, but the effort was comfortably dealt with.

The equaliser did arrived on 61 minutes and it was deserved. Della-Verde threaded a clever pass through the Sutton defence and Brissett showed real quality to beat two defenders before firing powerfully past the keeper with the outside of his boot to make it 1–1.

Will Efambe and Harry Barnes were introduced shortly after replacing Khayrie Harris and Kieron McCann, as Phoenix pushed for a winner. Chances continued to come, with Ahkeem Belford heading narrowly wide from another dangerous Della-Verde corner and Brissett seeing a close-range effort blocked after good work from Morrison down the flank.

Sutton nearly stole it on 73 minutes when Muwonge fired just wide from the edge of the box with Ryan McCourt beaten.

Late drama followed as Phoenix pushed for a winner. Antuel Shquti, introduced on 81 minutes, saw a goal-bound shot blocked after Brissett’s clever work inside the area, before Della Verde went agonisingly close in stoppage time. Efambe’s deflected cross fell invitingly Phoenix’s number eight, whose curling effort towards the top corner was brilliantly tipped over by the impressive Glassborrow.

It proved to be the final chance of the match and while Phoenix Sports will be bitterly disappointed not to take all three points, the draw does mean they extend their unbeaten run to eight games.