Nationwide Conference
By David Parker
Another dull performance from Sutton who once again didnSouthport were the better teams and in the sixth minute Martin Clark's through ball to Lee Elam was shot wide. The Sutton defence was again broken when Lee Elam played a 1-2 with Mark Stuart the ball was then played into the area and was quickly cleared by Berry and Laker. A few minutes later Berry's defensive header away fell to Winston who ran passed Stuart but the keeper saved well from close range and the rebound fell to Harlow who put his shot wide. On fifteen minutes Sammy dispossessed Phil Bolland and shot from the edge of the area but his shot was easily saved from Steve Dickinson . In the eightieth minute Jimmy Dack played Sutton's corner short to Matt Lee who played the ball to Harlow on the edge of the area who knocked the ball over the defence to Jimmy Dack who controlled the ball and shot at goal but the shot was saved by the keeper. The twentieth minute saw a Southport throw cause difficulties in the Sutton area which forced a good save from Howells from Neil Garrison's shot and Howells again was forced into action from the follow up shot from Aide Mike .'t play to their full potential. In the first half
Sutton's twenty third minute free kick saw Mark Stuart's boxing skills go unnoticed by both the ref and the linesman, the free kick was hit straight at the wall and easily cleared. On the half-hour Martin Clark ran down the wing and played the ball to Adie Mike whose shot was saved by Howells.
The forty first minute saw Dack's wind assisted ball forward find Winston on the edge of the area, Winston decided to shoot at the edge of the area and placed the ball wide of the goal
The second half had only been going for a few minutes when Southport played the ball forward , the ball was pushed forward by the wind and Adie Mike jumped to head the ball passed Howells . The next ten minutes saw Sutton begin to play better with Hutchinson showing how good he can be and with Winston trying to get to every ball played forward. In the sixtieth minute the familiar corner set piece of Dack and Harlow was met by the head of Ed Hutchinson who guided the ball into the net to level the scores. In the eightieth minute Ian Arnold was sent off for his second bookable offence when his challenge on Matt Lee was late.
Elation -- Good defending and good performances by Hutchinson and Winston
Deflation -- Not playing as well as Sutton can do
Sutton United 1 Howells 2 Lee 3 Skelly (14 MacCormack ) 4 Berry 5 Laker 6 Harlow 7 Dack
8 Hutchinson 9 Newhouse 10 Winston 11 Riley
Southport 1 Dickinson 2 Guyett 3 Stuart 4 Morley 5 Bolland 6 Ryan 7 Clark 8 Grayson
9 Arnold 10 Mike 11 Elam