BRIGG Town stretched their unbeaten start to the season to four games with a 1-0 victory against Sutton Coldfield that lifts them to sixth place in Division One South of the Evo-Stik League.

A number of season ticket holders from Scunthorpe United took advantage of the offer of free admission to the Hawthorns to have a look at non-league football in an attendance of 155.

Apart from the shock of having to support a team wearing black and white stripes, they will probably have been impressed with what they have seen.

And the man who stole the show was a striker who had a short spell on the books at Glanford Park a few years ago.

He is Paul Grimes, a real pacy 'jack-in-the-box' front man who first began to make a name for himself as a prolific goalscorer in the local Saturday and Sunday leagues in Scunthorpe.

He struck the only goal of the game after 59 minutes, but on another day might have had a hat-trick with the chances they had.

That was perhaps the only disappointment for a tidy Brigg side, who made hard work of beating a Sutton Coldfield outfit who arrived at the Hawthorns still boasting a 100 per cent record after two games.

The Zebras could have won it with plenty to spare – and in the end nearly got themselves into trouble with a slow start to the second half.

The visitors worked hard but had mustered nothing on target at all in the opening 45 minutes.

In contrast, the home side had worked Sutton goalkeeper Karl Lewis five times in the opening half.

Lewis recovered well to to block out an early effort from midfield man Ollie Chappell after spilling a difficult cross from winger Danny Buttle who faded after an excellent start.

The Sutton keeper was also tested by an ambitious long-range free-kick from skipper David Barrett and fielded another stinging effort from Chappell.

It was Lewis again who produced an excellent save to keep out a shot from Ryan Paczkowski after a terrific flick from midfield man Jamie Steele had sent him racing into the box.

Grimes had started the game quietly, but suddenly popped up unmarked at the far post to meet a corner from Barrett, only to balloon his close-range effort over the top.

Lewis was in action again with another good save to deny a good effort from Steele as the first half remained goalless.

It seemed like the Zebras might pay the penalty for their inability to score when Sutton Coldfield came roaring out of the blocks at the start of the second half.

Suddenly they began to find holes in a previously solid home defence and Brigg were mightily relieved in he 47th minute when a thundering shot from Jake Murrall crashed back into play off the woodwork.

Then striker Craig Marshall found space on the edge of the box but lifted his effort well over.

The Zebras were looking uncomfortable until Grimes finally found his scoring touch in the 59th minute to steer a left-foot shot past Lewis after an earlier effort from substitute Phil Jackman had been deflected into his path.

It added an extra spring to his step as he harassed the Sutton defence with his pace.

He went close with another opportunist effort and was then set-up by substitute Jackman for another chance which he could not convert.

In the closing stages Sutton pushed forward in search of an equaliser and had their moments as Brigg had to dig deep.

The visitors almost snatched one when Marshall found himself with an opening in front of goal – but his close range effort deflected off the foot of keeper Andy Pettinger, who was struggling with an injury, and looped inches over the bar.

It preserved his record of three clean sheets out of three for the Zebras this season in the league.

It was Brigg who should have had the final say in six minutes of stoppage times, when Alan Lamb split the Sutton defence with a cross-field pass that sent Spall racing through the middle only to pull his left-foot shot inches the wrong side of the post.

There was jubilation for the Zebras at the final whistle as they now look forward to two tough away games this week.

Tomorrow night they are in league action against Glapwell in a match which is being played at Mansfield Town's Field Mill ground.

Then next Saturday, they travel to Spalding in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup.