report by Tony Dolbear

No one could fault the commitment or effort, but on a difficult surface that combination wasn't enough to prevent Saturday's Ryman League clash ending in goal-less stalemate. Two days after a gruelling game at Aldershot, Sutton had much of the possession and nearly all the chances, but it was one of those days when it just wouldn't go for them in front of goal, although the Bedford defence takes a large part of the credit. At the other end of the pitch the visitors only rarely threatened a goal of their own, but the first five minutes gave little sign of the pattern to come as Graeme Tomlinson twice found himself beyond U's defence. The first time he shot high over the bar, but on the second occasion may well have had a valid penalty claim as he appeared to receive a tug from Darren Beale, deputising for the unfit Danny Brooker. Referee Ian Gosling waved away the appeals, and then halted play to read the Bedford striker the riot act for his continued protests. After this early scare it was Sutton who forced the pace throughout, and they came close to taking the lead during a five minute period in which Matt Gray enjoyed an inspired spell. One superb cross seemed certain to produce a goal as Nick Bailey and Matt Fowler dived in, only to be frustrated by a magnificent piece of defending from Lee Howey who hooked the ball away for a corner from almost under the crossbar. Moments later another Gray cross fell to Mark Watson, whose shot was diverted for a corner, and given the chaos that the previous two had caused it was frustrating that a third cross seconds later drifted across goal without a challenge. U's couldn't keep up the pressure, although they were under little threat at the other end, and so it continued in the second half. Danny Bolt might have done better when a cross was headed out to him, but he failed to make his usual clean contact and the ball dribbled wide. It was Scott Corbett who had U's best effort when he seized on a half cleared Bolt free kick and saw a powerful 20 yard shot deflected just wide. Bedford substitute Mark Paul looked lively after replacing the injured Darren Lynch, but failed to test Andy Pape with two chances, and the Sutton keeper's most anxious moment came when Josh Sozzo thumped in a 30 yard free kick that Pape beat away, the ball rebounding back out of the penalty area such was the force of the shot. It would have been unjust had Bedford sneaked the points, and in the last five minutes Sutton produced one last effort that almost produced a winner. First Watson beat Duncan Roberts to a Mike Hollands through pass, heading the ball past the keeper and shooting goalwards, but his hopes of celebrating his 29th birthday with a goal were dashed by Howey's clearance inside the six yard box. Then in the last minute Bolt's pass released Gray, who had burst through on the right and was clear of the defence. Roberts was out quickly enough to force Gray to delay his shot, and when he did chip the ball goalwards Paul Covington was on hand to exemplify Bedford's defensive performance and head the shot off the line for a corner.

Sutton: Pape, Gray, Hollands, Palmer, Beale, Bailey, Bolt, Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Gonsalves. Subs n/u Honey, Akuamoah, Brooker.

Bedford: Roberts, Jackman, Folds, Covington, Howey, Sarll, Williams, Miller, Tomlinson, Lynch(Paul 63), Sozzo. Subs n/u Hancock, Hoy, Lawley, Brown.
Referee: I Gosling Attendance 719.