Ryman Premier Division

 

       

                                2        Croydon        v       Sutton United     1

 4/4/2001

                 Another disappointing performance played with no heart, enthusiasm or the fight for this game. The defeat leaves Sutton only eight points away from relegation with twelve games left to play. United now have only won five points since the start of the year that’s five points out of a possible forty two.

                Sutton could have been a goal down as early as the second minute when a cross from the right caught out Howells who managed to tip the ball over the bar. On ten minutes Croydon had a better chance to take the lead when Graham Harper put in a low cross that was allowed to found Nic McDonnell who had enough time to control the ball and shoot luckily Howells was able to produce a fine save. Two minutes later Paul Whitmarsh should have put Sutton into the lead when Cleevley’s miss kick fell to Whitmarsh who went one on one with Cleevley’s with the defence in pursuit but Whitmarsh’ shot wasn’t good enough to beat Cleevely. Whitmarsh had a similar chance with ten minutes remaining in the half. Nko Ekoku’s pass found Haworth who knocked it back to Danny Bolt, he was able to turn a defender and slip the ball between the defence for Whitmarsh to run on to with only Cleevley to beat but his shot cannoned off the outside of the post. Three minutes later a foul on Haworth lead to Danny Bolt stepping up to take the kick. The free kick was curled over the wall and beat Cleevley but went wide. With five minutes of the half left Sutton went a goal down when Harpers cross was knocked into the path of McDonnell by Ryan Palmer. McDonnell shot was well saved by Howells but the rebound fell to Omari Coleman who was quick to get his shot away and into the back of the net.

                In the early stages of the second half United where sliced open twice in three minutes. The first occasion a ball from the right allowed Peter Garland to get into a one on one position but still shot wide of the target. Two minutes later a scrambled clearance fell to Garland who volleyed from the edge of the area and saw his shot rebound off the bar. With fifteen minutes of the second half gone Sutton equalised when Bolts deep cross fell to Rob Haworth whose looping header dropped over Cleevley and into the net. A minute later a free kick was given to Croydon after a late challenge on Garland. Play continued for a few more minutes until both teams were waiting for a throw to be taken when it looked like Garland said something that angered Nko who started walking toward Garland. Nko then had to be held back by his team mates while the ref talked to the linesman. The ref then sent Garland off and didn’t talk to Nko so it was unlikely Nko was in the wrong. With twenty minutes gone a Croydon corner was swung and met by the head of Ben Judge whose header was saved point blank by Howells. United could have taken the lead when Bolt’s free kick beat Cleevley but came off the bar. With three minutes to go Sutton fell behind again when a cross from the left fell to the unmarked McDonnell who had time to slot the ball past Howells.

 

Elation           Giving Carshalton more work to do to avoid the drop.

 

Deflation        The performance and sprit shown