SUTTON UTD 2 GRAYS ATHLETIC 2

By Tony Dolbear

Sutton saw their hopes of a first win in ten Ryman League games snatched away on Tuesday when Grays scored twice in the dying minutes to rescue a point from Gander Green Lane. A game that had rarely reached any great heights seemed to be going Sutton's way once a superb goal by Matt Gray had out them in front with 20 minutes left, and a second goal from Mike Mison six minutes from time semed to have ensured the points before that frantic finale. It took a while for anything of note to happen, and when it did Craig Edwards should have done better when a corner was played short to give him a shooting chance, but on the half hour Sutton produced their best moment of the night so far when a Phil Wingfield free kick was cleared to Lewis Gonsalves, whose thumping 30 yard effort drew a terrific flying save from Mel Capleton. It was from Wingfield's free kicks that U's carried most threat, with Mison heading one just wide and Wingfield then going close himself with a free kick that went just too high, but he departed at half time, and the second half followed a fairly uneventful course until Gray showed a glimpse of what U's fans will be hoping for next season. Gaining possession just inside the Grays half, he outpaced the visitors' defence and finished coolly past Capleton. Linking with former youth team colleague Nick Bailey, who had replaced Wingfield at half time, Gray might have been involved in a second when Eddie Akuamoah miscued his shot, but when Mison stooped to head in a Gonsalves corner with six minutes left U's seemed on course for the points. Grays pulled one back in the 89th minute, though, when Mervyn Abraham cut in and hit a shot which Dunn half stopped but couldn't keep out, and equalised in bizarre circumstances immediately. A long shot took a wild deflection high in to the air, and the ball came down on top of the crossbar with Dunn stranded. In the ensuing confusion the ball fell to substitute Alex Fiddes, who rescued a point for the visitors.

Sutton: Dunn, Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Hammonds, Honey, Wingfield(Bailey H-T), Timothy, Akuamoah, Haworth, Gray. Subs n/u Fowler, Corbett

Grays: Capleton, Robinson, McCleod, Keeper, Woolsey, O'Sullivan, Cooper(Haswell), Hunter, Thomas(Fiddes), Edwards(Sussex), Abraham

Referee: M Basten Attendance:440

SUTTON UTD RES 2 DULWICH H RES 1

A goal five minutes from time by captain Aaron Smith saw Sutton bring the Surrey Premier Cup to Gander Green Lane after a closely fought final at Colston Avenue on Monday. Dulwich started the better, and both Scott Stevens and Nick Bailey had to clear off the line following early corners, but in the 26th minute Chad Heuston's cross was deflected in to the path of Darren Delandro, who swept his shot in to the net. Dulwich equalised ten minutes later with a spectacular shot on the turn that flew in to the top corner of Jamie Ribolla's net, but U's almost restored their lead within a minute as Delandro went through only to be tackled on the edge of the area. The ball broke to Danny Dray, but his shot at an unguarded net hit the post before rolling along the line, and when Delandro followed in to force the ball in he was flagged offside. Again it was Dulwich who started the second half more brightly but they failed to cause Ribolla any serious inconvenience, and as the game went on Sutton looked the more likely to shade it. Bailey went close twice, and had a headed effort ruled out for pushing, but with five minutes left a neat passing move ended with Delandro finding Smith, who turned on the edge of the area and fired a low shot past the keeper.

Sutton: Ribolla, Stevens, Dray, Drew, Beale, Hamlin, Bailey, Smith, Heuston(Seal), Moger, Delandro.

U's reserves will be looking for a cup double on Monday when they entertain Berkhamsted in the second leg of the Champions' Cup final, with the score 1-1 after the first leg. The first team bring down the curtain on their competitive season on Saturday at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough.