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2005/06 MATCH REPORTS
U’s v Weston-super-Mare (03/09/05)
United’s one hundred percent record was brought to an end at Gander Green Lane on Saturday with the visit of Weston. Following Paul Honey’s injury at Dorchester, new-signing Geoff Pitcher made his debut in midfield in an otherwise unchanged side.
Sutton almost made a perfect start when Matt Gray released Jamie Mackie with a curved ball over the top of the defence. Mackie held off the defender and, from a tight angle on the right of the area, hit a shot across goal that struck the far post. Steve Douglas, running in at the back post, could not convert the awkward rebound off the post.
Gray and John Scarborough both blocked shots before Sutton were caught out in the twenty-first minute and went behind in a game for the first time this season. A break down the right left the defence exposed and when the ball was chipped over Lewis Gonsalves, Lewis Hogg controlled the pass and struck the ball past Carl Emberson into the bottom left corner, 0-1.
The U’s response to going a goal down was to momentarily lose concentration and three minutes later Weston had doubled the lead. Hogg was again the man doing the damage, this time beating a defender on the left of the box and striking past Emberson, 0-2.
Mackie caused the Weston defence the most trouble of United’s attackers but was thwarted by a good save by the ‘keeper after a Gray long throw. Moments later Pitcher slid a pass into Mackie inside the area and he was brought down by a sliding defender but the referee turned down the appeals for a penalty. Half-time: U’s 0, Weston 2.
Sutton were in desperate need of a goal to get back in the game but just couldn’t make their chances count. Douglas was unlucky to shoot narrowly past the post having been played in by Eddie Akuamoah and Gray almost caught out the Weston ‘keeper with a free kick from the left wing but it curled just over the far upright.
In the push to get a goal, Sutton were open to the counter attack and Weston almost made a quick break count just after the hour but saw a shot from the right of the area clatter off the crossbar.
When the U’s finally found the net, it proved to be nothing more than a ninetieth minute consolation. But there will be few better struck goals at the Lane this season – Mackie set up Pitcher with a pass into his run just outside the area and the debutant screamed a shot into the top right corner off the underside of the bar. Full-time: U’s 1, Weston 2.
F-t-L Facts:
- Geoff Pitcher became the third United player to score on his debut this season.
- Current Form: WWWWWL (Scored 14, Conceded 3).
- Next Up: Home against Bognor Regis Town – Last Season: 0-0.
Team: Emberson, Palmer, Gonsalves (Castledine), Elliott, Scarborough, Quinton (Rivers), Gray, Douglas, Pitcher, Mackie, Akuamoah. Subs (n/u) Adams, Wilson.
Goals: Pitcher (90).
Left, Jamie Mackie strikes at goal in the first half but hits the post.
Right, Geoff Pitcher hits a screamer past the 'keeper for his debut goal.
U’s v Bognor Regis Town (10/09/05)
Sutton returned to winning ways, and back to the summit of the Nationwide South, after a tight game against Bognor at the Lane. Luke Cornwall replaced Steve Douglas alongside Jamie Mackie, having recovered from the injury that has kept him out of the last three games. John Scarborough missed out through injury, though, Stewart Castledine taking his place in the side.
Bognor started the game well and, as has typified Bognor sides in recent years, played some nice football. But the visitors seemed to lack the finishing touch and were frequently reduced to long shots in an effort to find the net. Carl Emberson saved comfortably from twenty yards after six minutes and was then well-positioned to save a header from a right wing cross.
Sutton’s first chance came after twelve minutes when Matt Gray curved a ball towards the edge of the box where Mackie brought it under control with an excellent first touch and then shot strongly at goal but was denied by the ‘keeper, who stood up well and got a firm hand to the strike.
United best period of play in the half produced a goal three minutes later. Mackie laid the ball out of the area to Geoff Pitcher, and he curled a neat pass through a crowd of defenders to Eddie Akuamoah, who touched it around the ‘keeper only to be felled in the process. Gray stepped up for his regular spot-kick duty and tucked it neatly into the bottom left corner as the ‘keeper slumped to the floor in the opposite direction, 1-0.
Gray tormented the Bognor defence down the right wing but his best moment of play, beating two players and hitting a left-foot cross, came to nothing. Gary Elliott then departed the field through injury and was replaced by Steve Douglas.
In a quiet end to the half, Bognor shaded the possession but were still restricted to trying their luck from distance. At the break: U’s 1, Bognor 0.
Sutton’s looming injury crisis got worse at the interval as Tony Quinton failed to return for the second half, Nick Welton replacing him for his first senior game in a United shirt.
Bognor came closest to a leveller shortly before the game reached the hour mark. Castledine was exposed for pace and a pass was laid across to a Bognor midfielder, who knocked the ball around Emberson only for Lewis Gonsalves to prevent the it from crossing the line.
Neither side made much threat to the score-line from that moment onwards. Bognor could have made more of a one-on-one opportunity that saw a shot go across the face of the goal and wide of the far post and, for Sutton, Cornwall and Mackie both narrowly missed the target.
Akuamoah impressed for Sutton in the closing stages and was at the heart of a move that saw him exchange passes with Pitcher before beating a man and laying a pass into the area to Welton. The former Altrincham striker’s shot was charged down but the ball fell to Mackie, who span off his man and fired at goal, only to place his shot straight at the ‘keeper. Final score: U’s 1, Bognor 0.
F-t-L Facts:
- United have 18 points from 7 games so far this season. Last year, it took United until December 11th to pass that mark (21 league games).
- Current Form: WWWWLW (Scored 11, Conceded 2)
- Next Up: Away to Bishop’s Stortford – Last Season: 2-3 (Vansittart, Hunter)
Team: Emberson, Palmer, Gonsalves, Elliott (Douglas), Castledine, Quinton (Welton), Gray, Pitcher, Cornwall (Charalambous), Mackie, Akuamoah. Subs (n/u) Adams, Wilson.
Goal: Gray (15 pen).
Left, Gray one pen.
Right, Jamie Mackie holds off a Bognor defender.
U’s v Bishop’s Stortford (17/09/05)
The U’s dropped off the top of the Nationwide South table on Saturday after defeat at Bishop’s Stortford. After fielding a similar side for most matches in United’s successful start to the season, injury to key players has forced John Rains into a number of changes recently. At Stortford, Rains had to make do without John Scarborough, Gary Elliott, Tony Quinton and Paul Honey. There was a first start in midfield for Alexis Charalambous.
United started the game in positive fashion, pressurising the Stortford defence in the early stages. Steve Douglas had a penalty appeal turned down in the seventh minute after he was tripped in the box and a cross-field pass from Matt Gray then released Luke Cornwall but the ‘keeper stood up well to save.
Stortford fought back from Sutton’s dominance and were prevented from taking the lead only by two outstanding saves from Carl Emberson, firstly saving a shot low to his left and then diving full length to tip away a free kick destined for the top left corner of the goal.
But Emberson could do nothing to prevent Stortford taking the lead just after the half hour. The home side were appealing for a handball in the box when the ball bounced kindly to Andy Hodges and he steered it into the open left side of the net, 0-1.
Cornwall almost made an immediate reply for the U’s when he glanced Gray’s right wing corner goalwards but it was cleared off the line at the back post. Half-time: U’s 0, Bishop’s Stortford 1.
Sutton came out fighting in the second half and exposed the Stortford defence within the opening minute when Gray took a throw in to Eddie Akuamoah and his low cross was met at the near post by a diving header from Jamie Mackie that was deflected wide.
Four minutes into the half, United were level when Gray floated a corner into the box and Stewart Castledine beat the ‘keeper with a header from six yards out thanks to a slight deflection, 1-1.
From here it seemed that Sutton would go on to win the game but Stortford exposed the U’s with a counter attack in the 56th minute and from then on rarely looked like letting Sutton back into the match. A long punt up field from the ‘keeper released a Stortford striker and he held off the attentions of the sole U’s defender before rolling the ball to Duane Jackman to slot past Emberson, 1-2.
The U’s looked susceptible to further counter attacking play from Stortford as they pushed for an equaliser but the hosts were wasteful of opportunities that came their way, firing high and wide on a number of occasions.
Sutton, though, could muster little in the way of goal-scoring chances and only Geoff Pitcher’s late effort from the edge of the box made the ‘keeper work. The U’s may also have considered themselves unlucky not to pick up a free kick inside the Stortford box for what appeared to be a blatant back pass virtually on the goal line but the referee’s decision, and the result of the game, went against them. Full-time: U’s 1, Bishop’s Stortford 2.
F-t-L Facts:
- United have never won at Stortford’s Woodside Park ground in five visits there.
- Current Form: WWWLWL (Scored 11, Conceded 4).
- Next Up: Home against Maldon Town (FA Cup) – Last Season: No Game.
Team: Emberson, Palmer, Gonsalves, Castledine, Douglas, Charalambous (Welton), Gray, Pitcher, Cornwall, Mackie, Akuamoah. Subs (n/u): Rivers, Adams, Wilson.
Goal: Castledine (49).
Left, Carl Emberson turns over a first half free kick.
Right, Stewart Castledine levels the game at 1-1.
U’s v Maldon Town, FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round (24/09/05)
4 mins: Steve Douglas spurns an early chance when he is released by Lewis Gonsalves but loses control of the ball.
20 mins: GOAL – The ball is rolled in to Douglas on the edge of the box, he touches it off to Luke Cornwall who spins off his man, allowing the ball to come across to his left foot before firing an unstoppable shot into the bottom right corner, 1-0.
45 mins: Gonsalves keeps Sutton ahead at the break with a great headed interception.
Half-time: U’s 1, Maldon 0.
57 mins: GOAL – Stewart Castledine intercepts the ball in midfield and runs forward. He plays a neat pass through to Cornwall and although his shot is saved, the ball runs across the face of the goal and Castledine, who has continued his run, taps home into the empty net, 2-0.
64 mins: Substitution – Nick Welton on for Douglas.
69 mins: Tony Quinton curves an inspired pass to Matt Gray inside the right of the box. He skips past two defenders but his left foot shot is excellently saved.
86 mins: Ryan Palmer hooks the ball off the line after a defensive mix-up between him and Phil Wilson had allowed a shot to be stabbed goalwards.
Final Score: U’s 2, Maldon 0.
F-t-L Facts:
- The U’s defence kept their sixth clean sheet of the season.
- Current Form: WWLWLW (Scored 13, Conceded 4).
- Next Up: Away to Basingstoke – Last Season:
Team: Wilson, Palmer, Gonsalves, Elliott, Castledine, Quinton, Gray, Pitcher, Cornwall, Douglas (Welton), Akuamoah. Subs (n/u) Rivers, Charalambous, L Adams, Iga.
Goals: Cornwall (20), Castledine (57).
Left, Luke Cornwall fires the opener from the edge of the box.
Right, Stewart Castledine turns away in celebration after tapping home for the second.
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