Sutton boss Matt Gray revealed he had predicted his side’s FA Cup clash with non-league AFC Fylde would be a game of two halves as they came from behind to seal a 2-1 win.
The U’s were staring down the barrel of being dumped out by non-league opposition for the second year running after Jon Uskabasi opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time.
However, Harry Smith’s quick-fire double in the second half sent Sutton through.
Gray said: “I sort of knew how the first half would go to be honest, because they were kicking down the hill with a wind behind them, which died down second half.
“AFC Fylde have got some good players, they’ve got some threats. I wasn’t pleased with some things of course, but I was desperate to get in at half-time with a clean sheet.
“I knew and I predicted we would be very dominant second half. I thought we were going to nick a bonus with a goal-mouth scramble and a couple of good chances.
“I felt they were the better side first half, they edged it. To get the goal and follow it up with the second very quickly was pleasing.
“I’ve managed many games here and I’ve seen games pan out exactly the way it did. The team talk was a refocus to the lads about what I wanted and I told them we didn’t need to go gung-ho to try and equalise.
“I knew Harry would have an impact second half and he was a real handful.
“I was frustrated because it’s a cup tie and they’ve got nothing to lose and they threw everything to take us to a replay, and I just wished we would have taken one of those chances to kill the game.”
Lancashire club Fylde have a strong record of qualifying for the main stages of the cup.
However, after failing to reach the second round for a fourth year running, boss Chris Beech said: “We exit the FA Cup, but I don’t think we deserved that in terms of effort and application.
“I was looking at the statistics and we went toe-to-toe with a League Two team. I thought we dealt with them really efficiently first half, probably better than they maybe thought we would.
“We got a position of control but they have big-game moments. They don’t have many, but they have the capability to dominate an opponent because they’re very physical, but there’s quality within that.
“The general play and how the game was we were comfortable, but there were two bits of quality within that from Sutton.
“We had a great chance to get them back to our place. To come away from home to London to a team in League Two; we’ve had 12 opportunities and only scored one.
“We’ve got to get better so we can create less and score more.”
Mbappe's Madrid move nears but Deschamps focused on France collective
Kylian Mbappe will draw plenty of attention as speculation swirls over an impending move to Real Madrid, but France head coach Didier Deschamps is not one to place much focus on his superstar forward.
The France international is reportedly readying to complete his switch to Madrid, after announcing the 2023-24 campaign will be his last with Paris Saint-Germain.
Los Blancos are not expected to confirm the deal until after Saturday's Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund, though focus will swiftly turn to Euro 2024 later next month.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Mbappe dominated the line of questioning – but Deschamps remains unbothered by the speculation and acknowledged he is content to "adapt" to the situation.
"It doesn't depend on me," the Les Bleus head coach said as impatience grows for Mbappe's move to be announced in the Spanish capital.
"They will decide when it will be time to make it official. As far as possible, I will adapt to the collective and the French team."
Mbappe leaves Paris with 256 goals across his seven seasons, including 42 in the Champions League, as Luis Enrique prepares for life without the 25-year-old.
Adding in 96 assists for the Ligue 1 champions, Mbappe's 352 goal involvements rank as the most for PSG this century – ahead of Edinson Cavani (236) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (210).
"You don't think he's in good shape... He only scored 44 goals in the season, he could have done better," a teasing Deschamps added.
"He played in a Coupe de France final, he's active."
Though Mbappe remains the focus of European football interest, Deschamps has no intention to treat the attacker any different to his France team-mates.
"The context in the French team is different, I'm not going to pay more attention to him in relation to that aspect," the veteran boss continued.
"But I understand that from the outside, the media aspect in relation to [the club's] decisions and the announcement, it takes up a lot of time."
Deschamps will hope his France team can focus solely on their upcoming Euro 2024 campaign soon, which they start against Austria on June 17.
The Les Bleus manager wants to have qualification sealed by defeating Austria and Netherlands, before a final group-stage meeting with Poland.
"I am a positive person, and I am driven by the idea that every day that goes by brings us closer to a positive response," he said. "Everything will be done to make sure things go as smoothly as possible."
Bompastor named Chelsea Women head coach after Hayes departure
Sonia Bompastor has been appointed as Chelsea Women's new head coach, replacing Emma Hayes at Stamford Bridge.
Hayes oversaw a fifth straight Women's Super League title for the Blues this season but departed to take up a role with the United States Women's national side.
Bompastor was expected to come in as the replacement for Hayes, with the announcement confirmed on Wednesday as Chelsea managed to strike a compensation deal with Lyon Women.
The 43-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea, leaves the French side after a successful three years in charge, winning three league tiles and the Women's Champions League in 2022.
"The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma’s successor," Chelsea's general manager Paul Green said of the appointment.
"Sonia's vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate.
"She is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success on the biggest stages that will instantly command respect from the dressing room."
Bompastor won seven trophies during her time with French heavyweights Lyon but lost the Champions League final last Saturday against Barcelona.
She was capped 156 times by the French national team before retiring in 2013, and subsequently becoming the first woman to win the Champions League as a player and coach after her success with Lyon.
Assistants Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin will join Bompastor as Chelsea prepare for a new era without Hayes, who departs the Blues after a 12-year spell that yielded 14 major domestic titles.
'It's a great honour', Kompany smiles after Bayern unveiling
Vincent Kompany admits "it's a great honour" to have been named Bayern Munich's new head coach, and is confident "success will follow" at the Allianz Arena.
The former Burnley boss has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Bundesliga giants, after succeeding the outgoing Thomas Tuchel.
Kompany's appointment is widely regarded as a surprise one, with the former Manchester City captain unable to keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.
Nevertheless, the Belgian now finds himself at one of Europe's biggest clubs, and cannot wait to get started.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern," he told the club's official website. "It's a great honour to be able to work for this club - FC Bayern is an institution in international football.
"As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character: I love having the ball, being creative - but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.
"I'm now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow."
"Vincent Kompany is the type of coach who fits in very well with FC Bayern's playing philosophy and identity," sporting director Christoph Freund added.
"His teams want the ball, and want to play dominant and high-intensity football. He's a young, very ambitious coach with a lot of international experience.
"He has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the players and knows exactly what needs to happen on the pitch. He can and will give our team an enormous amount."
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