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Following four straight defeats, it was important that United got back to winning ways against Harrow Borough, a team they beat three-nil in the league earlier in the season. On that day, Andy Pape lined up with the visitors and was beaten by goals from Danny Hodges, Matt Fowler and Mark Watson. Today, the U’s began with a 5-3-2 formation – Watson returned to partner Fowler up-front with Matt Hanlan dropping to the bench but the side was otherwise unchanged from the Basingstoke match. Sutton began brightly, Fowler having an early chance when he found space on the edge of the Harrow area and shot low across goal - the ball skimmed off the rain-soaked Gander Green Lane pitch but was pushed wide by the diving Keita Karamoko. Minutes later, a half-cleared United attack fell to Lewis Gonsalves some thirty yards out and his powerful, low shot was blocked by the legs of Karamoko but Fowler had already been flagged offside. As the game settled down, both sides found it hard to create chances. Sutton put together a few good passing sequences but the final ball was always missing. With the game still deadlocked after thirty-four minutes, Sutton won a free-kick twenty-five yards out and about fifteen yards in from the left touchline. Scott Corbett sent a low, fast curling ball towards the far post and Karamoko, not expecting a shot, dived late and was unable to reach the ball before it went in off the post. One-nil to Sutton. Harrow responded positively, breaking through on a couple of occasions before half-time. On the first, the referee called play-on following a Harrow offside but Ryan Palmer slipped whilst on the ball, allowing the offending Harrow forward to collect the ball. Cutting into the Sutton box he appeared to have pushed the ball past Pape but the experienced ‘keeper denied his former teammate by reaching out and getting a solid hand to the ball – a brilliant save. Shortly after, a ball played through the Sutton defence bounced favourably off the back of a visting attacker and as he moved in on goal, Pape and a United defender forced him into putting the ball off for a goal-kick. With half-time looming, Dave Timothy sustained an injury and was replaced by Matt Gray and at the break it was U’s 1, Harrow 0. Sutton began the second half well, dominating the offensive play without really opening up the Harrow defence. A number of crosses and balls into the box were dealt with by Karamoko and his defenders but around the hour mark, a ball towards the corner of the Harrow area was chased by Watson who was just beaten to it by the ‘keeper. In collecting the ball, though, Karamoko slid out of the area, conceding a free-kick. Danny Bolt, reacting to the ‘keeper’s hesitancy in returning to his goal chipped the ball goalwards but no other United players were on his wavelength and the ball was easily cleared by a Harrow defender. Two minutes later, Harrow equalised somewhat against the run of play. A cross into the Sutton area from the left found Pat Gavin unmarked at the back post and he side-footed a volley into the U’s net. Harrow could only keep the game level for ten minutes, though, as Sutton reclaimed the lead with a bizarre goal. Bolt, collecting the ball in the area, shot firmly towards the far corner but the shot was saved close to the line by Karamoko. Fowler, following in, was first to the rebound but could only knock the ball onto the post. The referee’s whistle stopped the play but as he pointed towards the centre-circle we realised a goal had been given – we presume that he judged Bolt’s effort as having crossed the line. Of course, the Harrow player’s appeals were in vain. With fifteen minutes to go, Harrow were reduced to ten men. Corbett made a good challenge near the halfway line and was possibly kicked or stamped on. Either way, a twenty-two man confrontation erupted and when the dust settled, John Lawford was sent off for his part in the incident. United needed to make the extra man count and Watson had a glorious chance to do just that and put the game beyond doubt but when the ball was played to him from the right wing he contrived to put the ball ten yards wide from only six yards out. The rest of the game was played out without Harrow having a chance to force a replay. Close to the final whistle, Hanlan replaced Bolt but did not have time to make an impact. Final score: U’s 2, Harrow 1. Team: Pape, Timothy (Gray), Hollands, Palmer, Beale, Honey, Bolt (Hanlan), Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Gonsalves. Sub (n/u) Hewitt. Goals: Corbett 34mins, Bolt 72mins.
Right, Matt Gray swings a cross into the box. U’s v St. Albans City (05/11/02) On Bonfire Night, the teams were greeted onto the pitch by a crescendo of fireworks!! In goal for Sutton was youth ‘keeper Jamie Ribolla and Matt Gray started instead of Dave Timothy after the latter sustained an injury on Saturday. Elsewhere the team remained unchanged. St. Albans, boasting an impressive away record this season, took the lead after only nine minutes - Rob Smith shooting past Ribolla when one-on-one. United barely had time to adjust to being behind before the Saints had doubled their lead. A lack of communication between ‘keeper and defence gifted the ball to Smith who had the simplest of tasks of rolling the ball into an empty net for his second of the evening. With a two-goal lead established, the visitors began to take it easy, playing the ball around confidently but not pushing forward in an effort to extend their lead. This tactic gave Sutton some time to settle and slowly play their way back into the game. St. Albans would have scored a third but for an excellent save from Ribolla mid way through the half – a free kick from twenty-five yards was athletically tipped over via the crossbar. United finally reduced the deficit with a few minutes of the first half remaining. Danny Bolt whipped in a free kick from the right wing and Lewis Gonsalves, attacking the near post, headed the ball past the Saints ‘keeper, Richard Wilmot. Sutton were back in the game and at the half-time whistle the score was U’s 1, St. Albans 2. Within minutes of the restart, St. Albans were again two goals ahead. A free kick just outside the box was curled around the wall and into the bottom left corner by Smith to complete his hat trick. Once again, the lead allowed St. Albans to ease off and they even appeared to be playing for time, fearing a U’s fightback. United struggled to conjure a second goal, though. Matt Fowler had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for offside and later had a penalty appeal turned down after he was bundled over inside the area. With ten minutes left, Mark Watson made it 3-2 when he reached the ball first at the near post and his flick beat the ‘keeper to roll into the far corner of the goal. Any prospects of an equaliser were quickly dented by St. Albans, who found a fourth goal only five minutes after Watson’s reply. A cross from the right wing was met by Jon Challinor, and his downward header from six yards beat Ribolla. In the remaining minutes and into the lengthy injury time, Sutton pushed for a third but it was not to be. Scott Corbett had a couple of chances to add to his season’s tally of two and should certainly have found the back of the net with at least one of his efforts. Gonsalves almost scored again from a header but on this occasion he had too much to do and could only head wide. In terms of chances, Sutton deserved more from the game but St. Albans were always in control and never really had to push after scoring two early goals. Final Score: U’s 2, St. Albans 4. Team: Ribolla, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Beale (Hanlan), Honey, Bolt, Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Gonsalves. Goals: Gonsalves 42mins, Watson 80mins. Att: 412.
Right, Amongst the U's players in the St. Albans area is Lewis Gonsalves heading the first Sutton goal. U’s v Hitchin (16/11/02) Less than a month after losing two-nil to Hitchin away from home, the two sides met again at Gander Green Lane. U’s captain Scott Corbett was suspended so he was replaced by the fit again Nick Bailey, with Andy Pape taking the captain’s role. Fresh from a strong win last weekend, United set out to continue their winning ways but after Mark Watson had an early chance blocked from close range, the visitors took the lead in the seventh minute. Carl Drew, collecting the ball twenty-five yards out placed a low shot into the bottom right corner of Pape’s goal. With a one-goal advantage established, Hitchin continued to play the better of the football and pushed hard for a second. Sutton equalised against the run of play in the twentieth minute, though, when Watson was knocked off the ball and it broke to Danny Bolt, who pushed it around the Hitchin ‘keeper, James Robinson, and shot into the unguarded net from a tight angle. Seven minutes later, United may have taken the lead but Matt Fowler’s excellent cross from the right wing was headed over by Watson. Hitchin were soon creating chances of their own and Drew had a glorious opportunity to re-establish their lead but shot wide from six yards with only Pape to beat. As the game approached half-time, Fowler controlled a long ball and laid it to Bolt, who noticed Robinson coming off his line and sent a sublime chip over his head for Sutton’s second of the afternoon. Half-time: U’s 2, Hitchin 1. After the interval, Sutton began to control the possession. Bailey had a volley well saved and soon after his cross was just beyond Watson. Hitchin were struggling to test Pape and the frustration resulted in a booking for Drew after a scramble for the ball in the United box. With fifteen minutes to go, Fowler beat two defenders but was forced off balance in the process and could only shoot into the side netting. Bolt continued to find space in midfield and should have completed his hat trick but was denied by the ‘keeper when one on one. In the 86th minute, United finally made sure of the three points. Bolt, breaking with the ball from Sutton’s half, played a cross-field ball to Fowler. As the midfield rushed forward to support the strikers, Fowler passed the ball back to Bailey and he in turn laid it to Honey, who steadied himself before shooting from twenty-five yards. As the ball hurtled towards goal it took a deflection and went into bottom left corner. Full-time: U’s 3, Hitchin 1. Team: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Brooker, Honey, Bolt, Bailey, Fowler, Watson, Gonsalves. Subs (n/u) Brett, Beale, Hanlan. Goals: Bolt 20mins & 44mins, Honey 86mins. Att: 487.
Right, Matt Gray clears the ball from the Sutton area. U’s v Boreham Wood (23/11/02) United won for the third game on the trot with a hard thought victory over Boreham Wood. And for the third time came back from conceding the opening goal. This time, it was ex-United frontman Scott Forrester who gave the visitors the lead, finding the space in the area to head past Andy Pape in the ninth minute. Boreham Wood held the lead for only fifteen minutes, though. Matt Gray, receiving the ball from a short corner, crossed into the box and it fell to Ryan Palmer, whose shot beat Wood ‘keeper, Noel Imber, with the aid of a slight deflection, for his first goal of the season. Shortly after, Pape kept the game all square when he dived full length to keep out a thunderous long shot. Matt Fowler, searching for his first goal in eight games, worked tirelessly upfront and, with thirty-three minutes gone, carved the opening for Sutton’s second. Picking the ball up half way into the visitor’s half, he ran towards the box before sliding a great pass into the path of Danny Bolt, who hit a low show past the ‘keeper into the bottom left hand corner. It was Bolt’s tenth league goal of the season. With the half almost over, Fowler had a chance to score for himself but, when the ball fell to him just inside the Wood area, he could only shoot straight at the ‘keeper. Half-time: U’s 2, Boreham Wood 1. Only three minutes after the restart, the game was again level and for the second time in the match it was Forrester who made Sutton pay for giving him too much space. There was no challenge on the striker as he shot from the edge of the area into the left corner. Pape, left exposed by the defence, could not have prevented the goal. Slack defending almost cost Boreham Wood minutes later, when a perfect through ball and well-timed run allowed Mark Watson to break past their offside trap. Watson, with only the ‘keeper to beat, kept his shot low but it was blocked by the legs of Imber. United continued to press for a third but were largely restricted to long shots, both Bolt and Bailey testing the ‘keeper from long range. Gray was constantly causing trouble for the left back but the U’s forwards did not convert his crosses. Then, in injury time, with the game heading for a draw, Gray was allowed time to cross the ball from the right wing and Bailey, charging into the area, planted a perfect diving header past the visiting ‘keeper with such venom that it would have been near impossible to stop. The goal sparked a sense of urgency amongst Boreham Wood but they were unable to find an equaliser before the final whistle and another three points for the U’s moved them up to seventh in the table. Final score: U’s 3, Boreham Wood 2. Team: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Brooker, Bailey, Bolt (Honey), Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Gonsalves. Subs (n/u) Beale, Brett, Hanlan, Timothy. Goals: Palmer 25mins, Bolt 33mins, Bailey 90mins. Att: 506.
Right, Sutton players celebrate Nick Bailey's decisive goal. U’s v Bishop’s Stortford (26/11/02) United extended their winning run to four games thanks to two late goals against Bishop’s Stortford. With Mark Watson being rested for Saturday’s F.A. Trophy game, Matt Hanlan got a rare start up front. It is said that old habits die hard and United will need to lose the habit of going a goal down before they start playing, if they are to remain in the top five in the league. Once again, Sutton allowed their opposition to claim the first goal – a gift from Andy Pape to Stortford player Trevor Paul in the 21st minute. A high ball was played into the box and Pape, jumping to claim it, dropped it at the feet of Paul, who had no problems opening the scoring from six yards out. Unlike in previous games, though, the goal did not help Sutton raise the tempo, and it continued to be played at a sedate pace with efforts on goal few and far between. When United finally did get a chance, Stortford ‘keeper Micky Desborough made a save from point blank range to deny Matt Gray. Half-time U’s 0, Bishop’s Stortford 1. The second half continued much as the first had ended, with Sutton unable to fashion a quality chance. Danny Bolt, inspirational for the U’s in the last few matches, was closed down quickly and effectively by Bishop’s Stortford and their ability to dampen his creative capabilities looked like it would earn them all three points. That is until, with fifteen minutes to go, John Rains made a tactical double substitution, removing Hanlan and Bolt and introducing Dave Timothy and Paul Honey, with Matt Gray moving up front to partner Matt Fowler. The impact was immediate - Honey playing a ball through to Fowler but his powerful shot was blocked by the legs of Desborough, who looked capable of denying the U’s a point. Bailey was now running the midfield, bringing the ball forward at pace and troubling the Stortford defenders. With ten minutes left, Sutton produced a great goal to level the game, Gray crossing the ball to Bailey, who planted a header into the bottom corner of the goal via the despairing hand of Desborough. Incredibly, Sutton then went on to win a game they had looked like losing for the majority of the match. Bailey beat a couple of players and then teed the ball up for Matt Gray. His powerful shot from the right hand corner of the area was well saved but Fowler was following in to end his goal drought and claim the three points for the U’s. Final Score: U’s 2, Bishop’s Stortford 1. Team: Pape, Gray, Hollands (Brett), Palmer, Brooker, Bailey, Bolt (Honey), Corbett, Fowler, Hanlan (Timothy), Gonsalves. Sub (n/u) Beale. Goals: Bailey 80mins, Fowler 85mins. Att: 419 U’s v Hampton & Richmond (14/12/02) Sutton completed a league ‘double’ over Hampton this season and notched up a seventh straight victory with a well-deserved three-one win. The three points lifted United over St. Albans and Purfleet into second place as both sides failed to record wins. After dominating the opening quarter of an hour, Sutton took the lead after seventeen minutes. Matt Gray, looking lively down the right wing, forced a corner and, after a delay for an injured Hampton player, Danny Bolt’s in-swinging corner was met six-yards out by Mark Watson. His powerful downward header bounced close to the line before shooting up to hit the roof of the net for his first goal since the 4-1 win against Enfield on November 9th. It was the end of Matt Fowler’s monopoly on goal scoring – he had contributed all of United’s last four goals. The lead did not last for long, though. In the twenty-eighth minute, a cross from the right picked out Richard Thompson at the back post and he rose above Danny Brooker to head past Andy Pape. Shortly after the Hampton equaliser, Watson, battling hard upfront for his second of the day, was stretchered off after a collision with a Hampton defender. The striker was replaced by Eddie Akuamoah. Despite Hampton’s increased presence in the game, United pushed for a second but were unable to find one before the break – Nick Bailey almost had a chance but he could not beat Beaver’s ‘keeper Andy Iga to the ball following an intelligent run. Bolt also looked to put his name on the scoreboard but could not find the net with a trademark free kick. Half time: Hampton 1, U’s 1. In the second half, Sutton looked by far the better side and created a number of chances. Scott Corbett almost reclaimed the lead for the U’s but his spectacular header, following good work in the area by Matt Fowler, was saved by Iga, as was a powerful long shot from Bailey. Sutton used the full width of the pitch well, putting in a number of crosses that unfortunately failed to produce a goal. Just after the hour United went two-one ahead courtesy of Akuamoah’s first goal since his return to the club. A low corner was flicked by Fowler to Akuamoah and his low shot beat the ‘keeper and nestled into the bottom corner. Tempers flared at one stage, a number of players getting involved in a confrontation that earned Gray a yellow card but he continued to trouble the Hampton defence with his right wing runs and, in the seventy-seventh minute, grabbed his first goal of the season. The ball was played into the area and, after a string of attempts by United players were blocked, the ball fell to Fowler whose shot was deflected towards an onrushing Gray and his low drive beat a myriad of Hampton defenders on the line to secure the three points for Sutton. Final score: Hampton 1, U’s 3. Team: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Brooker, Bailey, Bolt, Corbett, Fowler, Watson (Akuamoah), Gonsalves. Subs (n/u) Honey, Beale. Goals: Watson 17mins, Akuamoah 62mins, Gray 77mins. Attendance: 293
Right, Matt Fowler charges into the Hampton penalty area. |
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