Report by Tony Dolbear

Turning in as impressive a performance as at any time this season, Sutton moved in to the third round of the FA Trophy on Saturday and gained quick revenge for their league defeat at the Camrose back in October. That was the start of a good run for the Hampshire side, whose run of six consecutive subsequent wins eclipsed U's record that had seen them win their last four games prior to Saturday, but it was U's run that was extended, together with the record of never having lost to Basingstoke in a cup tie. It was an afternoon that merited a mention in the club's history even before a ball had been kicked, with Alison Chapman's presence making it the first senior Sutton match to be refereed by a female official. It was also U's first ever appearance in black and white stripes as, having raised eyebrows when Bishops Stortford turned up at Sutton in a yellow kit last Tuesday, U's found the boot on the other foot as they arrived at The Camrose with their amber and chocolate kit, which would have clashed with the home side's yellow and required the loan of Basingstoke's change strip. The absence of Mark Watson, who had been badly missed in the league game, would have encouraged the home defence, but they were shaken from any confidence within the first five minutes as Matt Gray made the most of having been preferred to Matt Hanlan by indicating that he would run them to distraction, and Matt Fowler joining the mood to give a superb performance which yielded both goals and might have ended with a hat trick. After only 15 minutes Fowler raced clear of the defence and lifted his shot past Scott Tarr but narrowly wide, and with Lewis Gonsalves already having headed over from Danny Bolt's corner Sutton supporters were entitled to feel encouraged. They had an anxious moment when Neville Roach, who always looked the most threatening home attacker, hit the side netting but generally Basingstoke were subdued and it was no more than U's deserved when they went in front on the half hour. Mike Hollands won a good header after a right wing cross had only been partially cleared, and Fowler again lifted the ball past Tarr. It was touch and go whether the shot would reach the goal before being cleared, but Ricky Allaway's attempt was unimpressive and ended with him lying next to the ball in the back of the net. Either side of half time Fowler could have doubled the lead, volleying over from 20 yards and then, seconds after the interval, miscuing in front of goal as a cross came in from the left. The home side carried a little more threat, with Glenn Howes having a header saved by Andy Pape and Allaway heading wide from a corner, but U's always seemed capable of scoring again, a Hollands cross causing chaos in the six yard box before being cleared. Howes should have done better when he blazed over after a run in from the right, but with fifteen minutes left U's took a giant stride towards the third round as Gray and Nick Bailey combined delightfully on the right, and when Tarr could only parry Bailey's low driven cross, the ball sat up nicely for Fowler to hook it acrobatically past the covering defender from eight yards out. From the way U's defence had quietened the home attack it was always long odds against Basingstoke coming from two down, but Pape had to be off his line quickly on two occasions to deny substitute Jason Graham and the otherwise anonymous Craig McAllister, the Premier Division's leading scorer this season. U's were well in control, though, and could have had a third when a fine run down the left by Gray ended with a low cross being diverted to Bailey, but he snatched at the shot and sent it high over the bar.

Basingstoke: Tarr, Dickens, Stamp, Gibbens, Hemmings, Allaway, Rooke(Graham 72), Elad(Ray 76), McAllister, Roach, Howes. Subs n/u Anderson, Lyttle, Herbert.

Sutton: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Brooker, Bailey, Bolt(Honey 70), Corbett, Fowler, Beale, Gonsalves. Subs n/u Brett, Hanlan, Timothy, Ribolla

Referee: A Chapman Attendance 529