SUTTON UTD 0 KINGSTONIAN 0

report by Tony Dolbear

Sutton ended their sequence of three defeats on Monday, playing well enough in a well contested if scrappy local derby to feel that a draw was the very least they deserved. With U's own pitch only marginally better than Chesham's on Saturday this was another game where there were too many misplaced passes for it to be anything other than untidy, but a good local derby atmosphere from U's biggest crowd of the season, and attacking intent from both teams, will have left most supporters having enjoyed the game. U's fans aren't used to goalless draws, with this being the first since a Conference match against Hednesford almost exactly two years ago, and although the game took them over the 400 minute mark since their last goal, there was plenty of encouragement in the performance of another young side with Nick Drew, starting a first team game for the first time, coming as close as anyone to tipping the game Sutton's way. There wasn't much between the teams throughout, with Dave Sadler breaking through for K's in the first minute but shooting wide, and Rob Haworth twice threatening for Sutton but seeing one shot go too high, and then firing a good cross in to a penalty area that should have been populated by more U's players than just Eddie Akuamoah. Kingstonian might have been reduced to ten men in the 26th minute when Matt Elverson was fortunate to see only a yellow card for a handball that seemed to prevent Akuamoah having a clear run on goal, but they might also have been ahead when a strong run by Dave Clarke on the right ended with a cross that bounced dangerously across goal before being cleared. Just before half time Lance Key had to scramble to push away a Matt Gray shot that bobbled awkwardly and also may have taken a deflection, and on the hour a similar Gray effort this time took a very definite deflection and rolled just wide. A minute later K's should have been in front when the clearest chance of the game so far fell to Ronnie Green, unmarked six yards out to meet Sadler's volleyed cross with a header that he somehow put wide. Within two minutes U's had had also gone as close as they would to breaking the deadlock as Gray's clever flick invited Drew to surge through on the right, beat off one challenge and fire in a shot that Key diverted just wide of the far post. For much of the rest of the game the defences proved able to frustrate the attackers' best intentions, with Ryan Palmer outstanding for Sutton and Max Hustwick's superb challenge denying Akuamoah the chance of a goal against his former club. Gray, a constant threat in the second half, flashed a free kick just wide and Tim Sills blazed wildly over at the other end when U's failed to clear a corner, but in the end the deadlock wouldn't be broken.

Sutton: Dunn, Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Hammonds, Honey, Drew, Bailey, Akuamoah, Haworth, Gray. Subs n/u Fowler, Tydeman, Timothy.

Kingstonian: Key, Mead, Jones, Royal(sub Rocastle 81), Hustwick, Elverson, Alimi, Clarke, Sills, Sadler(sub Duah 69), Green. Sub n/u Pinnock.

Referee: A Valentino Attendance 94

Report by David Parker

A disappointing local derby game with both teams lacking the fight expected on a derby day. The teams failed to produce any telling moves to break down the opposition defence resulting in a lack of goalmouth action.

The first half past with neither team able to get more than one good chance on goal. The first fell Kinston's way when a cross was fired in from the right, which was nodded just wide by Greene. Although it was Sutton that came the closest to scoring when Matt Gray found enough space for a long shot, which was pushed wide by the keeper.

Both teams still couldn't find a way thru after the break with both defences on top. Fifteen minutes in to the half Kingston had a great chance to take the lead when Clarke was played into the area but Hammonds was on hand to dispossess the striker. Ten minutes later United were lucky that the header from the unmarked Greene went wide. The final chance fell to Matt Gray from a free kick just outside the area, his kick was curled round the wall and went a fraction past the post.

The end result was fair as both teams cancelled each other out. Sutton and Kingstonian will both be disappointed not to have made more of the possession they had but with the pitch making it difficult to play on the ground and the defences able to clear quickly a nil nil was always going to be the end result.