MAIDENHEAD UTD 2 SUTTON UTD 2

A goal up inside ten minutes, and a man up after 25, Sutton failed to take advantage of this promising situation and were eventually grateful that Ryan Palmer's first goal of the season 17 minutes from the end enabled them to come away from York Road on Saturday with a point. It would have been tough on U's to have lost, as Tommy Dunn's first appearance of the season in goal was largely an inactive one even though Maidenhead scored twice, but similarly Maidenhead's spirited battling after going a man short also deserved some reward so a draw was probably about right. It looked better than that for U's, though, when Rob Haworth put them in front after eight minutes, climbing above his marker to meet Palmer's cross at the far post with a fine header that looped over goalkeeper Richard Barnard. The keeper was a central figure again fifteen minutes later as Maidenhead were reduced to ten men, as he came out to collect Dave Timothy's diagonal ball in from the right and collided with Matt Fowler, whose foot was dangerously high. Centre back Jamie Jarvis reacted angrily by barging Fowler to the ground and he could have few complaints when referee Dave Buckeridge showed him the red card, with Fowler's original challenge earning him a booking. At that point U's were in reasonable control, but once again playing against ten men proved difficult and seven minutes before half time Dunn failed to claim a right wing corner and Tim Cook headed in to an unguarded net. U's could have been ahead at half time when a free kick from Lewis Gonsalves, the reserve team defender enjoying a sound senior debut, was flicked on by Eddie Akuamoah and then Mike Mison, but with Barnard wrongfooted Chris Ferdinand cleared off the line and Barnard scrambled Mison's second effort round the post. Paul Honey picked up a yellow card for a late challenge just before the break and two minutes after it U's were behind, Ricky Ibe breaking through on the right and pulling the ball across goal to give Lee Channell a simple finish. Five minutes later Sutton should have levelled when Akuamoah headed Timothy's free kick goalwards but Mison scooped the ball over the bar when it seemed much easier to score. Dunn had little to do at the other end from this point on, but U's could only manage a dipping 25 yard shot just wide from Honey before the equaliser came in the 72nd minute. Honey might have been lucky to win a free kick on the right that could easily have gone the other way, but if there was any fortune U's made the most of it as Timothy's deep free kick landed at Chris Boothe's feet beyond the far post, and his chip back across goal was headed in by Palmer. The introduction of substitute Matt Gray, returning from his loan spell at Tooting, saw Sutton finish strongly and he almost created a winner when his low cross was cleared at full stretch with U's players queuing up at the far post, while right at the end Haworth burst through on the right but saw his poorly directed cross shot gathered by Barnard.

Maidenhead: Barnard, Rose(Connor 26), Morley(Croxford 39), Ferdinand, Jarvis, Hickey, Cook, Ibe, Channell(Kelly 78), Saunders, Ulasi.

Sutton: Dunn, R Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Brooker, Honey, Timothy, Boothe, Fowler(Gray 76), Haworth, Akuamoah. Subs n/u Berry, Arkwright.

Referee: D Buckeridge Attendance 253