Sutton Coldfield Town 0 - 2 The Mikes

With the heat in the thirties, the Mikes ground out a gritty win against their neighbours. Attacking from the off, Boldmere weren’t far from going ahead after five minutes, Will Shorrock’s stretched leg steering Owen Parry’s long throw just wide of the post. What could be described as a slice of luck, however, saw them go ahead just before the quarter hour. Parry was chasing a lost cause when he toppled over Aris Christophorou’s raised foot…and our referee pointed to the spot. Will Shorrock put the penalty away to give the visitors the lead. Soon, Royals’ full back Sam Fitzgerald ended up prostrate after what looked an innocuous clearance for a corner: he became the first soldier to leave the fight. It needed a fine Jonathan Brown save to deny newcomer Kaden May, who’d seized on a sloppy defensive pass; but there was no denying Joe Hull as the half hour was in sight, powerfully heading home a corner to double the lead. Familiar faces were doing familiar things for the hosts as the game went on: Jack Burgess was passing and distributing immaculately; Alex McSkeane was putting himself about and chasing lost causes; Pedro Lima was a mountainous presence in defence; Ryan Edmunds was giving his markers plenty to think about; Rhys Hilton was as slippery as ever; but for all that, the Mikes rearguard (they had ten men back in the box for a corner, soon after going two up) held firm. There was little header tennis as the Royals were playing the intricate passing football, we’ve come to expect of them: the Mikes covered, covered, smothered smothered, and eventually relieved their lines. The physio was on once for each team before the break, affording a welcome drinks break in the shadow of the Stand for the players. Half time: 0-2.

The Royals, trying to find a penetrative combination, had used all three substitutes by the time the Mikes made their first change, repeating a ploy they’d used a week previously - replacing a defender with an attacker, Jamie Spiers (who took over from Owen Parry as the upfield presence) coming on for Ricardo Dudley. As the match progressed, “they shall not pass” became the Mikes’ motto, fouls twenty-five yards out being regularly conceded. After Dan Moore’s knees had denied an incisive Leo Brown incursion, the more pessimistic Sutton supporters began to leave. Were their team ever going to score? Once Lima had failed to connect with a Hilton cross, a few more followed them. Right on time, Boldmere had a free kick ten yards from the opposing goal line. Hardly anyone was forward to receive it, and a few seconds of interest in the corner flag saw out time. The Mikes were through to the next round. Were we irredeemably weakened by the mass exodus of players over the summer? Not on this showing!

Sutton Coldfield Town: Jonathan Brown; Harry Sawyer; Sam Fitzgerald; (Remmie Birch 21); Pedro Lima; Aris Christophorou; Chris Clements (Ceesay Dampha 56); Cameron Collins; Jack Burgess; Alex McSkeane; Rhys Hilton; Ryan Edmunds (Leo Brown 71).
Subs. not used: James Beresford; Tom Hurley.
Boldmere St Michaels: Daniel Moore; Ricardo Dudley (Jamie Spiers 72); Tazivaishe Chibaya; Joseph Hull; Harry Craven; Jack Byrne; Will Shorrock (James Mace 90); Mitch Botfield; Owen Parry; Lewis Allison; Kaden May (Harry Sweeney 79).
Subs. not used: Michael Tait-Moran; Callum Gittings; Renelle Davis-Lawrence.