WELLING 2 SUTTON 2
Littlewoods F.A.Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Sutton United 2 (0)
Welling United 1 (1)
In front of a disappointing crowd Sutton squeezed through after coming from behind with two goals in the last 12 minutes.
Any thoughts that Welling were going to go down easily were dispelled as early as the 4th minute when Mike Rutherford was booked for a late tackle on Steve Watson and also similarly to Saturday it was Welling who made the early running. Sam Appiah, who’s pace caused Sutton problems all evening beat the defence who were looking for offside but pushed his shot beyond the far post when he looked likely to score and just a minute later Mark Cooper rose to put Welling in front with a well directed header from a cross from the left hand side.
After 20 minutes Cooper again found himself in on goal with only Les Cleevely to beat but somehow the ball was scrambled away. Cleevely was called into action again after 28 minutes when he made the save of the game denying Ritchie Hanlon who’s volley looked goalbound until Les rose to his left to push it away. The save was made even better because the shot took a deflection on the way through.
Sutton did finally come into the half in the last ten minutes, Jimmy Dack hitting a rasping shot just over the bar and right on the stroke of half time Joff Vansittart hit the post with a header but was adjudged to have fouled the defender in his attempt to get to the ball.
The second half was only four minutes old when Welling thought they had increased their lead when Mark Cooper sent a header goalbound from a corner but Cleevely again made a good save down by his left hand post and Sam Appiah was unlucky when he hit the outside of the post with a left foot drive after seventy minutes.
But just as it looked as if Sutton were going out rather tamely they produced a rousing last twenty minutes to snatch the game. Dominic Feltham came on for Sean Daly in a similar tactical switch to the one made on Saturday in the first game and made an immediate impact. Following a throw in on the right good interplay between Andy Salako and Danny Brooker resulted in the ball reaching Feltham 10 yards outside the box and his clever through ball found Jimmy Dack unmarked and he fired in a right foot shot beyond keeper Glen Knight.
And with five minutes to go Sutton won the game. Welling appeared to have cleared their lines, the ball reaching the centre circle from a clearance but as they pushed out David Everitt headed the ball back and Feltham found himself beyond the defence and he calmy slotted the ball beyond the advancing keeper.
Andy Salako was hurt in a challenge just before the final whistle and was replaced by John Ugbah. Dave Pattullo was the unused substitute.
Sutton return on Saturday to league football when they entertain Walton and Hersham at Gander Green lane kick off 3pm.
Littlewoods F.A. Cup.
Welling United 2 (o)
Sutton United 2 (1)
Sutton went into this game at full strength and with their confidence high following a run of seven straight victories in league and cup matches. But it was Welling who started the stronger having all the early possession without ever threatening Les Cleevely’s goal. Sutton then created the first chance of the game when Joff Vansittart, who may have been unsighted, just failed to direct a header from a Jimmy Dack cross. This should have been a warning to Welling of Vansittart’s power in the air, but if it was it went unheeded ten minutes later when from a throw in level with the penalty Danny Brooker put over a cross which completely deceived central defender, Paul Copley and fell to Vansittart on the edge of the six yard box and he buried the shot past the stranded Glen Knight in the Welling goal. Within two minutes it could have been three, Jimmy Dack heading straight at Knight after good work down the left by Andy Salako and Danny Brooker and Joff Vansittart for once, guilty of a bad miss, when put through by Matt Hanlan, skewing his left foot shot wide of the post. Welling for all their possession not really creating a single good chance playing up the slope, most of their efforts restricted to long shots that easily cleared Les Cleevely’s goal.
The Second half started in similar vein with Sutton once again looking dangerous, Joff Vansittart just failing to convert a cross by David Everitt after Matt Hanlan had dispossessed Mike Rutherford inside his own half. Just a minute later Sutton were made to rue their missed chances when, against the run of play, with possibly their first clear cut opening of the game Welling equalized. Sam Appiah who had been well shackled by Gwynne Berry all afternoon finally got free and hit a blistering drive which was well saved by Les Cleevely, but only pushed up into the air and Mike Rutherford followed up to put the ball into the net.
Things looked better for Sutton ten minutes later when Lew Watts was sent off, possibly for foul language he directed at the referee’s assistant who had given Sutton a corner. However this only seemed to spur Welling forward and just three minutes later they took the lead Ritchie Hanlon’s speculative cross going right over Les Cleevely and being put in at the far post by Appiah.
Sutton then made a change Dominic Feltham coming on for Sean Daly and Sutton reverting to a back four with Feltham playing just behind the front two. This paid immediate dividends as Feltham put in David Everitt down the left who won a corner which was headed on at the near post by Andy Salako and met by Paul Clarke at the far post who stooped low to head his third goal in as many games.
It was Sutton now who were making all the running and Welling who were hanging on. Matt Hanlan could have won the game for Sutton shooting straight at the oncoming keeper when put through by Feltham and then just failing to connect with a Vansittart header from another teasing Feltham cross. However the ball would not fall kindly so it’s back to Gander Green Lane on Tuesday night for a replay, 7.30pm kick off.
The Sutton line up was Les Cleevely in goal, Gwynne Berry, Paul Clark and Sean Daly the center backs. Danny Brooker and David Everitt at wingback with Jimmy Dack, Steve Watson and Andy Salako in midfield, with Matt Hanlan and Joff Vansittart up front. Dominic Feltham came on for Sean Daly and John Ugbah and Dave Pattullo were the unused Subs.