Nationwide Conference

                                                                                         ATT 607

               3    Sutton United       Vs       Forest Green Rovers   2

                 The first half of this game wasn't exactly a relegation battle as both teams were slow off the blocks. Sutton certainly had the better of both halfs but it was a lack of good finishing that stopped Sutton from getting increasing the score. It took twenty minutes for the first good chance of the game, when Dave Harlow unlocked the defence from a good thru ball to release Keith Rowlands. Keith ran on to goal and his shot was well saved by Schuttlewood, Rowlands second chance fell to Sammy Winston who controlled and shot at goal but Shuttlewood had recovered well enough to deflect the ball out to for the defence to clear. It took half an hour for Forest Green to take a shot on goal but when they did they took the lead. A quality ball from the wing for Bennit to stab home with out being challenged by the defence. A minute later Sutton almost equaled the scores when Mark Watson held the ball up for Ed Hutchinson to cross the ball, Sammy Winston jumped the highest to head the ball only inches wide of the target. United finally got a deserved equalizer when Skelly received the ball from Harlows quick throw, Skelly crossed the ball over the defence for Mark Watson to head home on the thirty eighth minute. United took the lead two minutes later when Rowlands thru ball found Watson who back held the ball for Ed Hutchinson who struck at goal but his shot was deflected and fortunately looped over the stranded goal keeper to make the score 2-1 at half time.

              Like the first half Sutton were in control of the game but still could not turn their superior play into a superior score line. On the sixty fifth minute a bad back pass by Hedges put Watson thru on goal but not for the first or the last time the keeper saved from a one on one. Aiden played the ball thru to Winston who ran at the defence and passed the ball to Watson to shoot at goal but his shot hit the side netting. Forest Green equaled the score on thirty five minutes when another cross into the area wasn't defended well enough allowing huson the strike home. Two minutes later another one on one was deflected out for a corner by the keeper but Shuttlewood collide with watson and was carried off and replaced by sub keeper Pekins. With three minutes to go Sammy Winston found space on the wing and hit a good deep ball to the far post for Mark Watson to poke home to win the game for Sutton. Their was a late scare when Sykes burst thru the defence but was stopped by goal keeper Howells.

Elation         Good performance by Ed Hutchinson, Deservered three                          points

Deflation       Two goals gifted to Forest Green

Sutton United 1 Howells 2 Hutchinson 3 Skelly 4 Riley 6 Harlow                             7 Dack ( 17 Rowlands ) 8 Brodrick 9 Winston                                     10 Newhouse ( 12 forrester ) 11 Watson

Forest Green 1 Shuttlewood ( 17 Perkins) 2 Hedges 3 Hatswell                                 4 Clark 5 Forbes ( Hunt ) 6 Thurns 7 Drysdale                                     8  Mcgregor 9 Mimms (14 Bailey) 10 Bennit 11Sykes