SUTTON UNITED (1) 4 Warmington(o.g) 40mins.

Watson 52,68mins. Ekoku 53mins.

HENDON (1) 1 Moran 16mins.

Attendance 682.

Sutton at last found their shooting boots and converted the chances that their approach work deserved. However for long periods of the first half a well-organised Hendon frustrated the home side but a poor piece of defending just before half time proved their undoing and Sutton ran out easy winners in the end.

Sutton went into the game with the side that started at Billericay on Saturday. Barry Blackman now recovered from the pre season knock took a place on the bench.

Gareth Howells made a good save early on from a free kick on the edge of the box and although Sutton had most of the possession they made little impression on Hendon’s defence and ex United favourite Gary McCann was rarely troubled. However Matthew Moran on Hendon’s right hand side was a threat and it was he who put the North London side in front after sixteen minutes firing a low drive beyond Gareth Howells having been put through a rather square looking Sutton defence by Freddie Hyatt.

Mark Watson did have appeals for a penalty turned down ten minutes from half time and he also back headed a long cross by Danny Brooker onto the Hendon cross bar but in truth they were rare moments of indecision in a defence that had looked in control but 5 minutes from half time it all went wrong. Brooker again was the provider from the right and although it looked a simple task to put the cross out for a corner, Curtis Warmington, Hendon’s experienced defender somehow managed to head the ball beyond Gary McCann for the equaliser. Sutton could have gone in front a minute later but McCann partially redeemed himself by smothering Andy Salako’s shot after good work by Nko Ekoku.

Sutton made an enforced change at the break, Danny Brooker who had taken a knock was replaced by Barry Laker who went into the centre of the defence with Gwynne Berry moving to right back. However this didn’t seem to unsettle the home side. Within seven minutes they were in front Nassim Akrour cutting in from the right crossed left footed for Mark Watson to volley home from eight yards with Hendon vainly appealing for offside. Within a minute it was three a long punt up field by Gareth Howells was picked up by Nassim Akrour who cleverly beat two defenders before crossing intelligently to Ekoku who was completely unmarked and had a simple job of beating a defender on the line.

The Hendon defence so assured in the first half was now looking decidedly shaky as first Gary Fitzgerald went into the book for a foul on John Ugbah and then Curtis Warmington was very fortunate that referee John Moore didn’t see him stamp all over Mark Watson otherwise he may have been in similar trouble. Colin Simpson completed a hat trick of bookings for the visitors when he also took his frustrations out on Mark Watson.

Sutton completed the rout after sixty-eight minutes from a corner, Mark Watson getting his own back, heading in the rebound after a goal bound effort from Nassim Akrour had been headed off the line by a defender.

With thirteen minutes left Junior Haynes came on for Nko Ekoku and Barry Blackman replaced Nassim Akrour.

Steven O’Heany nearly pulled a goal back for the visitors ten minutes from time, Gareth Howells making a sharp save to his right pushing the ball around the post for a corner but Sutton by now were cruising and could even allow Andy Salako to miss two good chances to put the home side even further in front.

Gareth Howells, Danny Brooker (Laker), Andy Riley, Gwynne Berry, Richard Skelly, Steve Watson, John Ugbah, Andy Salako, Nassim Akrour (Blackman), Mark Watson and Nko Ekoku (Haynes).

All subs were used.

Gary McCann, Gary Fitzgerald, Simon Clarke, Curtis Warmington, John Simon-White, Steve Bateman, Steve Heard, Freddie Hyatt, Colin Simpson, Tony Kelly and Matthew Moran.