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United began the run up to the 2005/06 season in Kent, taking on Ryman Division 1 side Tonbridge at their sunbathed Betterview Stadium. A veil of secrecy was drawn over the U’s line-up as John Rains elected not to disclose the names of players currently on trial at the club. United paired Craig Watkins and Steve Douglas together in a lively partnership up front and six other players with first team experience started the game, including Phil Wilson, John Scarborough, Ryan Palmer and Matt Gray. Watkins, Nigel Brake and Gray all had a sight of goal in the first half, Brake being unlucky to head just wide of the left post after a good interchange of passes with Watkins on 26 minutes. Gray’s hopeful twenty-five yard curler at least found the target but was comfortably claimed by the ‘keeper just below the bar. Watkins undeniably had the best chance on the stroke of half time when he touched the ball around the last defender and ran in on goal from thirty yards out but shot into the ‘keeper. Douglas, having taken up an open position square of Watkins held his head in his hands, knowing that a pass to him would almost certainly have given him his first senior goal for the club. Tonbridge played their part in an even first half, drawing a diving save from Wilson early on. They could well have taken the lead twice around the midpoint of the half but first shot wide from twenty yards and then a flowing move ended with a back post header from a right wing cross bouncing across the face of the U’s goal-line and narrowly wide. Half-time: U’s 0, Tonbridge 0. United rang the changes at the break, making six substitutions that included the introduction of Paul Honey and Lewis Gonsalves. Carl Emberson also took over in goal from Wilson. The second half was barely under way when Douglas nearly embarrassed the home defence, seizing on a miss kick on the edge of the box to try and loop a header over the ‘keeper but he failed to get enough power on his effort and the goalie made an easy save. With fifty-three minutes on the clock the Angels took the lead when Jay May got clear of the U’s backline and fired across Emberson and into the net off the bottom of the left upright, 0-1. United attempted to get back on level-pegging but were rather devoid of inspiration. Watkins shot into the ‘keeper’s chest after he was involved in a good build-up with Gray and Douglas. Gray then briefly brought the game to life, cutting inside his man on the right wing before nipping between two defenders and zipping a shot just past the angle. Douglas had a shot palmed wide, Watkins fired wide from a near post corner and Honey struck a low shot inches wide from twenty yards but it was the hosts who came closest to adding further to the score line with less than five minutes to go but inexplicably failed to capitalise on a chance saw their striker round Emberson but fire tamely towards the goal line, allowing a covering U’s defender to run in and clear away. Final score: U’s 0, Tonbridge 1. F-t-L Facts:
Right, Craig Watkins sees his one on one chance held by the 'keeper. U’s v Leyton Orient (16/07/05) League Two side Leyton Orient visited the Lane on Saturday for a friendly in aid of Andy Scott, the former United and Orient player who was forced to retire last season after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. The U’s traded chances with Orient in the first half, the pace and passing of the visitors attack proving hard to handle but equally the Leyton defence looked unsettled with having to deal with Craig Watkins and former Lewes front-man, Luke Cornwall. After a couple of half-chances for both sides, Jon McDonald launched a long throw down the left and Watkins shrugged off his marker before lobbing the ‘keeper only for the ball to drop just the wrong side of the right post. The referee, in a fit of madness, blew for a free kick, ruling that Watkins had unfairly knocked over the Leyton centre back. United grabbed the lead five minutes later when Watkins broke free on the right and laid into the middle to Cornwall. The ‘keeper looked to have forced him safely wide of the goal but he crossed excellently back to Watkins, who had taken up a position twelve yards out level with the right post, and he planted a firm header past the defenders on the line, 1-0 (24 mins). The U’s were on the back foot straight after taking the lead as Orient surged forward looking for an equaliser. One shot flashed wide of the post before the leveller came only nine minutes after Sutton’s opener. With seemingly no threat to the United goal, Shane Tudor looked up and chipped the ball over a wrong-footed Carl Emberson from twenty-five yards, 1-1 (33 mins). Orient could twice have had the lead before the interval but first Emberson tipped over a long shot and he was then saved by his woodwork when a corner from the left was headed against the left post. At the break: U’s 1, Orient 1. JR made six changes at the break, bringing on Phil Wilson, Eddie Akuamoah and Chris Nurse along with Steve Douglas, Victor Doutzer and Dale Marvell. Making way were Emberson, Stewart Castledine, Paul Honey, Luke Cornwall, Craig Watkins and Nigel Brake. Sutton were caught napping after the interval when Leyton scored a second after only two minutes. Gary Alexander chased a long ball into the right of the area and, as Wilson advanced towards him, lofted a shot over the United ‘keeper and into the net, 1-2. United struggled to carve out many scoring chances and then failed to make the most of the glimpses of goal that came their way. Douglas, playing wide on the left, made a couple of dangerous runs into the box but could only win a corner on each occasion. Sutton’s best move of the second half should have produced an equaliser but was let down in the end by a poor finish. Akuamoah found Matt Gray on the right and he swung a first time cross into the box that just eluded the head of Douglas but dropped to Marvell at the back post. With time to control the ball, Marvell brought the ball onto his right foot but then dragged his shot into the side netting. As the game headed towards its conclusion Gray almost got maximum advantage from a foul on Akuamoah when he took the free kick quickly but it dipped just over the angle. At the other end Wilson had to be alert to tip over a firm header from a right wing corner. Final score: U’s 1, Leyton Orient 2. F-t-L Facts:
Goal: Watkins (24).
Right, Craig Watkins heads the opening goal of the game. U’s v Hampton & Richmond Borough (23/07/05) United picked up their first win of their 2005/06 pre-season campaign with a three-nil win at the Beveree. John Rains was forced to make a couple of changes to the line-up from the encouraging game last weekend against Leyton Orient - with Carl Emberson on holiday and Stuart Castledine injured, JR started with Phil Wilson in goal and Tony Quinton in midfield. Otherwise the starting eleven remained the same. The hosts started the game in positive fashion, looking the most likely to find the net in the first fifteen minutes. Inside ten minutes United’s defence are forced into a desperate goalmouth scramble to keep the game goal-less and Wilson then saves well, tipping over a shot from the right of the area. But the U’s took control of the game as the midfield, led by an imperious performance from Paul Honey, upped its dominance towards the half hour mark of the game. Craig Watkins was unlucky not to win a penalty when he flicked the ball over a defender, who used his hand to stop the ball, but the linesman had already ruled Watkins marginally offside. Good work on the right of the area by Watkins a couple of minutes later then created a half chance for Nigel Brake when the ball was cleared to him 25 yards out but he crashed his shot narrowly over the bar. After 33 minutes, United took the lead with their first shot on target when Jon McDonald launched a long throw into the box from near the left corner flag. The Hampton ‘keeper was caught out by the length of the throw-in and John Scarborough rose to head into the far side of the goal, 0-1. Within seconds, Sutton had won possession from the restart and Quinton’s through ball released Watkins and, from the edge of left of the area, he guided a lofted effort past the ‘keeper, who got his left hand to it but could not stop it bouncing into the now empty net, 2-0. Hampton could have been back in the match but wasted two chances before the interval. A counter-attack from a Sutton corner gave a one on one chance but Wilson stood up well to deny the Hampton attack again. Then, on the stroke of half time, a worked free kick was blasted high and wide of the right post. At the break: U’s 2, Hampton 0. Eddie Akuamoah came on for Watkins at the start of the second half and should have had a penalty six minutes later when he was clumsily kicked over on the left side of the area but the referee inexplicably waved play-on. 71 minutes in Sutton had their third of the match. Gray brought the ball out of defence before finding Quinton, he took the ball towards the halfway line and slid a ball beyond the defence that released Akuamoah. The ‘keeper came out to meet Akuamoah on the left side of the box but United’s forward jigged past him and crossed low to the middle where substitute and ex-Robin Dale Marvell knocked it home left-footed from three yards, 3-0. Scarborough almost notched a second when he connected with Gray’s corner but he could only guide the ball high of the goal under challenge from two defenders. United then introduced youth-teamers Steve Douglas and Sean Rivers and both made a good impact on the game. Rivers was twice involved in nearly bringing about a fourth U’s goal but his cross from the left was narrowly missed by Marvell and he then got on the end of a cross from Gonsalves, following good work by Douglas, but headed down and wide of the left post. With minutes remaining Marvell produced a moment of magic to skip past three defenders but lost his composure and fired well over the bar with only the ‘keeper to beat. Full-time: U’s 3, Hampton 0. F-t-L Facts:
Goals: Scarborough (33), Watkins (33), Marvell (71).
Right, Eddie Akuamoah beats the 'keeper before crossing for Dale Marvell to score the third. U’s v Horsham, (26/07/05) Steve Douglas scored his first senior goal for the club as United drew 3-3 with Ryman Division One side Horsham. John Rains preferred Carl Emberson in goal to Phil Wilson and Gary Elliot made his first appearance of the season in a back four that was missing Jon McDonald. Douglas started on the left wing ahead of Nigel Brake. United were the better side for the opening twenty minutes and, after Craig Watkins scuffed a twenty yard shot at the ‘keeper, the U’s took the lead after only twelve minutes. Matt Gray launched a long throw into the Horsham box and Douglas positioned himself well to drive a low volley into the centre of the goal after a defender failed to clear the ball out of the area, 0-1. But the home side played themselves back into the game and were soon creating chances of their own. Sutton were given a warning of the threat the Horsham strikers could pose when a counter attack opened up the U’s defence and a shot was rifled at Emberson from inside the area and he failed to hold, requiring Ryan Palmer to hook the ball clear. Seven minutes later, an attack down the right wing culminated in the ball being laid back to Jamie Turner and he curled a left-footed shot inside the left post, 1-1. Within a minute the U’s reclaimed the lead in fortuitous fashion when Douglas charged down a clearance and the ball fell to Luke Cornwall on the left of the box and his cross span off the boot of a covering defender and looped over the ‘keeper, 2-1. United looked to be heading into the break a goal to the good but Horsham found the net again in the last minute of the half. The U’s defence failed to deal with a free kick from the right wing and the Turner crashed a shot past Emberson from twelve yards for his second of the match. Half-time: U’s 2, Horsham 2. Sutton introduced Eddie Akuamoah for Gary Elliot at half-time, dropping Tony Quinton from midfield into the back four with Akuamoah slotting into the midfield. The second half was a tale of two penalties. Horsham took the lead for the first time in the game after three minutes of the second half. A Horsham striker went down easily under challenge from John Scarborough and Lee Carney sent Emberson the wrong way from the spot kick as he struck the ball high, just to the right of centre, 2-3. Matt Gray felt he was denied a penalty shortly afterwards when he appeared to be fouled from behind after Paul Honey and Douglas had helped to create a spell of U’s pressure. But with seventeen minutes to go Sutton were gifted a penalty of their own when Craig Watkins raced onto a Gray through ball and was felled as he touched it past the ‘keeper three yards outside the box. The referee, showing remarkable consistency having given Horsham a debatable spot kick earlier, pointed to the spot. Gray continued his impressive run of success from twelve yards, slotting it into the bottom left corner despite the best efforts of the Horsham ‘keeper, 3-3. Sutton made three substitutions and Dale Marvell and Scott Corbett both had half chances to add a seventh goal to the game. Marvell reacted sharply to be first to a Palmer through ball but guided his lob over the stranded goalkeeper narrowly the wrong side of the left upright. Corbett then curled a shot at the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. In the final two minutes the hosts twice nearly secured the win as, first, an angled through ball opened up the U’s defence but the forward slid the ball past Wilson and wide of the right post and, with virtually the last kick of the game, a twenty-five yard free kick was fired wide of the right post. Final score: U’s 3, Horsham 3. F-t-L Facts:
Goals: Douglas (12), Own goal (40), Gray (73 pen). U’s v Charlton Athletic (30/07/05) United lost by four goals at the Lane against a Charlton side of reserve and youth players but the margin was flattering on the visitors after the U’s had been the better side in the first half. United fielded the same starting eleven that drew with Horsham in midweek, with the exception of Steve Douglas, who dropped to the bench and was replaced on the left wing by Eddie Akuamoah. Luke Cornwall was first to have a sight at goal, taking a pass from John Scarborough, who had used his strength to win the ball in midfield. Cornwall beat a man and fired a shot across goal that scraped past the right upright and just eluded Craig Watkins, who was charging in at the back post. Watkins and Cornwall combined again shortly afterwards but still could not break the deadlock. Cornwall, on the right wing, switched the ball onto his left foot and crossed behind his marker towards the middle where Watkins glanced a header narrowly over the crossbar from ten yards out. United continued to look the more threatening but were held back by a failure to hit the target. With just under half an hour gone, Lewis Gonsalves and Cornwall worked the ball to Paul Honey, who found a yard of space but curled his twenty-yard effort over the ‘keeper and a yard over the bar. Charlton, too, seemed inflicted with an inability to hit the target, twice having found space in the Sutton box but sending both efforts sailing clear over the goal and out of the ground. It eventually took a set piece with thirty-four minutes gone to bring about the first shot on target and Jose Guimaerens’s curled free kick from twenty five yards beat the outstretched arm of Carl Emberson to open the scoring, 0-1. The U’s fought to get back into the match before the interval – Gonsalves crossed well from the left but Cornwall could only get a slight touch with his header. Almost instantly the Charlton ‘keeper fluffed a goal kick to Watkins and he found Cornwall but his shot was struck into a defender and span to safety. The suspect goalkeeping continued from the Charlton number one, who flapped at a Matt Gray corner, only succeeding in palming it towards Scarborough at the back post but his diving header went slightly over the bar. Half-time: U’s 0, Charlton 1. John Rains introduced another new triallist for Watkins at the break and he had a glorious chance to score within six minutes of his debut when he ran through and had only the ‘keeper to beat but he fired straight at the goalie, who got a solid left hand behind it. He was then first to the rebound but shot over under pressure from two defenders. Charlton took control of the game after that and, despite not having many chances, took the opportunities that came their way and scored a further three goals. Osei Sankota was first to add to the scoring after 68 minutes, converting a rebound forcefully into the net after a corner from the right, 0-2. Three minutes later and it was three-nil when Honey uncharacteristically lost the ball in midfield, allowing a Charlton striker to break clear of the U’s defence. Phil Wilson saved well but the ball dropped to Xaviour Carlos Reves and he knocked it home from close range, 0-3. With a minute remaining, Charlton added the final goal when James Walker eluded the challenge of Scarborough and struck a firm shot across Wilson and inside the left post, 0-4. United nearly gained a consolation goal when Dale Marvell and Gray worked the ball to Honey on the right and his cross was met by the triallist, whose header was palmed over before the linesman’s flag went up to rule him offside anyway. Final score: U’s 0, Charlton 4. F-t-L Facts:
Right, Sutton's second half triallist fires over under challenge from a defender. U’s v Corinthian Casuals (02/08/05) United coasted to a comfortable win over Corinthian Casuals with a clinical first half display. Missing from the game was Craig Watkins, who was rumoured to be trialling with Exeter. In his place is Gavin Tomlin, a striker formerly with Staines and St. Albans. John Scarborough is also missing from the back four and is replaced by Stewart Castledine, who has returned from injury. After a steady start, Sutton took the lead after fourteen minutes when Steve Douglas fired a low ball into the box from the left that the Casuals’ centre back knocked into the back of his own net, 1-0. The lead was doubled ten minutes later as United’s attacking play became too much for the Casuals, although the goal was scored in slightly fortuitous circumstances as the ‘keeper and one of his defenders conspired to miss a low Matt Gray corner from the right and Luke Cornwall was on hand to tap home at the back post, 2-0. Within four minutes the ‘keeper was picking the ball out of the net for the third time in the game. This time Gray gets up to take a free kick on the right wing after he had been fouled and Gavin Tomlin crashed a downward header from near the penalty spot that bounced up into the roof of the net, leaving the ‘keeper with no chance, 3-0. Sutton’s midfield was linking nicely with the attack and a series of flowing passing moves culminated with a fourth goal in the thirty-eighth minute. Gray swapped passes on the right wing with Ryan Palmer and drilled a low cross that Douglas met at the back post and powered a side-footed effort into the goal, 4-0. The U’s seemed to be scoring at will on every attack and this continued two minutes later when Lewis Gonsalves curled a ball over the Casuals defence with the outside of his left foot and Tomlin ran through to loft the ball over the ‘keeper with his first touch, from just outside the edge of the box. Half-time: U’s 5, Corinthian Casuals 0. The second half began with Douglas torturing the Casuals’ back line. Four minutes in, United’s young striker span off his man but hit his low shot across the ‘keeper and wide of the right post. Almost immediately, Tony Quinton released Douglas with a quick free kick and he blasted the ball past the ‘keeper only for a dubious offside flag to deny him his second goal of the game. United continued to be the better side but struggled to complete the final ball. On the occasions when they did get a sight of goal, they found the Casuals’ ‘keeper more alert than in the first half. Dale Marvell’s stooping header 8 yards out was held by the ‘keeper at close range and Tomlin’s shot at the near post was saved at full stretch. The hosts finally had a mention-worthy chance of their own with ten minutes left but could not beat Phil Wilson, who saved a one on one chance at the feet of the home side’s striker. In the final minute, Sutton could have had a sixth when Marvell latched onto a long ball and cut it back behind his marker to Cornwall, but he curled a left foot shot narrowly past the left angle. Full-time: U’s 5, Corinthian Casuals 0. F-t-L Facts:
Goals: Own goal (14), Cornwall (24), Tomlin (28, 40), Douglas (38).
Right, Gavin Tomlin lobs the goalkeeper for the fifth. U’s v Leatherhead (06/08/05) Sutton’s inconsistent pre-season form continued as they stumbled to a disappointing three-one defeat at Leatherhead. Craig Watkins had returned from a trial with Exeter to start upfront in place of Gavin Tomlin and John Scarborough was back after being absent in midweek, taking the place of Stewart Castledine at centre back. The game had started brightly for United, who were the better side, and looked in command, for the first twenty-five minutes. Watkins nearly opened the scoring in the third minute when he brought the ball onto his left foot and curled a delightful shot from 20 yards that clattered against the bar near the right angle with the ‘keeper well beaten. Tony Quinton then narrowly missed the target himself from twenty yards when he struck a curving volley on the outside of his right boot. Shortly afterwards, Matt Gray tested former U’s ‘keeper Tommy Dunn with a low left-footed drive but Dunn held the ball low to his right. But having barely been in the match, Leatherhead stunned United in the twenty-seventh minute with a goal on the counter attack when Dave Stevens slotted the ball past Carl Emberson, 0-1. Sutton struggled after Leatherhead had opened the scoring and, with five minutes to go before the interval, they gifted the Tanners a second. Quinton’s sloppy pass went straight to Stevens and he was left with the simple task of running in on Emberson and once again rolling it past him, 0-2. It could have been three-nil on the stroke of half time but Emberson saved well with his legs. At the break: U’s 0, Leatherhead 2. United had plenty of possession in the second half but found it difficult to create any goal-scoring opportunities. Luke Cornwall and Gray were both guilty of failing to hit the target from in and around the box inside the first ten minutes of the half, before Gray’s first time shot on the hour did force Dunn into a save following a good passing move that involved Eddie Akuamoah, Cornwall and Lewis Gonsalves. The introduction of Steve Douglas for Akuamoah with fifteen minutes remaining seemed to give United’s attack a new edge and Douglas was unlucky not to reduce the deficit when he was first to Gray’s in-swinging free kick from the left but he got too much behind his header and the ball went a yard or so over the bar. Leatherhead put the result beyond doubt in injury time with a third goal when Quinton was beaten on the left wing and the Leatherhead player advanced into the area before crossing to Mark Giles-Smith to knock home from close range, 0-3. Gray notched a consolation for United two minutes later when Paul Honey tricked a defender and was tripped inside the box, Gray tucking the spot kick into the bottom left corner via the hand of Dunn. Final score: U’s 1, Leatherhead 3. F-t-L Facts:
Goal: Gray (90 pen).
Right, Matt Gray converts the 90th minute penalty. |
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