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10-man Sheffield FC suffered a 3-1 defeat to Grantham Town as they saw an early red card to Connor Cutts at The Tuffnells Home of Football.

Following the red card, The visitors found themselves 2-0 up at half-time through goals from Mason Lee's rebound and a penalty from Lee Shaw.

Sheffield FC had a glimmer of hope through Luke Hinsley's side-footed strike to make it 2-1. 

However, Mason Lee's backheel goal restored the two-goal lead for the Gingerbreads as they walked away with all 3 points.

The game started lively where after 3 mins Cutts’ off-the-ball challenge on Damien McCrory received him a straight red card.

Even though going down to 10 men the first opportunity fell to Sheffield FC where Adam Watson was fouled on the edge of the box allowing Stephen Brogan a chance to shoot. Unfortunately, Brogan’s free-kick was hit straight into the wall. 

Grantham Town instantly responded with their first opening of the game, Shaw’s low-driven cross found Dan Cocks whose shot was excellently blocked by Reece Fielding. 

Sustained pressure was applied by the Gingerbreads who were taking full advantage of the 10-men Sheffield FC.

The visitors' pressure was to be rewarded. Matt Tootle cut inside from the right-hand side and fired a venomous shot which forced a maleficent save from Luke Faxon. However, the rebound fell to Lee who was there to poke the ball home from 6 yards to give a 1-0 lead in the 22-minute to the Gingerbreads. 

The contest settled down with Sheffield FC fighting back into the game with 10 men and looked like they were only going to be 1-0 down going into half-time. 

But at 43 mins Grantham Town’s Ashton Hall's long ball over to Shaw sent him into Sheffield FC's box where a challenge from Rory Coleman was deemed to be a foul giving the visitors a penalty on the stroke on half-time. Shaw stepped up and dispatched the penalty to double the lead for the Gingerbreads going into the break. 

Sheffield FC railled to come back in the second half, on the 50 minute, a poor pass from McCroy gave the opportunity for substitute Steven McDonnell to whip in a stinging cross to the back post to the other substitute Luke Hinsley whose side-footed strike found the back of the net to make it 2-1 and giving a lifeline for the hosts. 

Grantham Town responded with chances to find the third goal, firstly Cocks laid off McCroy on the 18-yard box whose curling strike was just wide of Faxon's post. 

Then, Cocks sent a cute pass to Shaw who was bearing down on the Sheffield FC goal but Basile Zorro's heroic tackle saved a certain goal. 

Sheffield FC against the run of play almost got an equaliser, Sam Greenhouse’s long looping throw caused mayhem in the Grantham Town box where Joshua Waldram's header almost went into his own net. 

However,  in the 77 minutes, the visitors bounced back from the mistake and restored their two-goal lead. Cocks cross found Joe Stacey on the back post who fizzed the ball into the 6-yard where Lee's cute backheel was too much for the outstretched Faxon.

In the closing minutes of the game, Zorros skipped past Jonathan Wafula on the 18-yard box with his curling shot just going wide of the post. 

The final opportunity of the game fell to Sheffield FC, Zorros fouled 25 yards out from the goal. Brogan again stepped up where his low drive forced a save from Dan Haystead. 

Sheffield FC: 1 Luke Faxon, 2 Sam Greenhouse, 3 Rory Coleman, 4 Adam Watson, 5 Joshua Burns, 6 Reece Fielding, 7 Stephen Brogan, 8 Connor Cutts, 9 Adam Baskerville, 10 Nathan Modest, 11 Basile Zottos. 

Subs: 14 Harry Mitchell, 15 Steven McDonnell, 16 Jamie Yates, 17 Luke Hinsley, 18 Benni Ndlovu

Grantham Town FC:  1 Dan Haystead, 2 Matt Tootle, 3 Damien McCrory, 4 Joshua Waldram, 5 Jake Wright, 6 Ashton Hall, 7 Lee Shaw, 8 Jonathan Wafula, 9 Mason Lee, 10 Dan Cocks, 11 Joe Stacey

Subs: 12 Kieran Hayes, 14 Nathan Tyson, 15 Charlie Jemson, 16 Bradley Munns, Jonasz Gadomski

Attendance: 437

Referee: Micheal Trevethan

Match Reporter: Adam Brooke