SUTTON UTD 1 HAMPTON + RICHMOND B 0

report by Tony Dolbear
It may not have been achieved in a classic game of flowing football, although you don't get many of those in England when the temperature is touching 90 degrees, but after the pre-season traumas that they have endured Sutton would have given a lot for being able to walk off the Gander Green Lane pitch on Saturday not just with three points, but a well deserved three points at that. With Mike Mison, Danny Brooker and Craig Brown all nursing injuries there was a touch of inevitability about the news that Dave Timothy, having committed his immediate future to Sutton, had then joined the casualty list at training on Thursday, but on this occasion U's fortunes changed as Darren Beale made an assured debut at right back in his place. Beale was voted Player of the Year for the reserves last season, but that was for performances as a centre back and so a display that received no higher compliment than the withdrawal of Eseyas Yhdego 16 minutes from the end was even more praiseworthy. Hampton's much changed side probably shaded the opening exchanges, with Dean Thomas sending one shot high and wide when he should have done better and Ashley Stestanovic catching the eye in midfield, particularly with one run and shot just wide from 25 yards. U's always looked a threat, though, especially when Danny Bolt had a chance to attack the visitors' back line which suffered the early loss of Billy Mead following a bone-shaking, but perfectly fair, challenge by Mark Watson. Beginning a third spell at Sutton, Watson worked hard throughout and deserved to be cast in the role of match winner, a feat he achieved in the 29th minute as he bundled Bolt's free kick from the left over the line inside the six yard box. He might have had a hat trick, and certainly ought to have doubled his tally inside the first minute of the second half when Beale's fine cross found him unmarked but he put a diving header too close to keeper Andy Iga. Two minutes later another returning U, Danny Hodges, might also have been on the scoresheet, but his header from Bolt's corner flew just wide and Sutton could have regretted these spurned opportunities when Aidan O'Brien looped in a header from a corner and Tom Dunn realised the threat just in time to claw the ball away from the top corner. That was just about Hampton's only serious threat, for all Stestanovic's prompting, and the game rather fell away towards the end as the heat began to take a toll on early season fitness. Watson went closest to changing the scoreline when Bolt swung in a free kick from the right, but his header was just too high.
Sutton: Dunn, Beale, Hollands, Palmer, Hodges, Honey, Bolt, Corbett, Fowler(Hanlan 80), Watson, Gonsalves. Subs n/u Bailey, Shannon. Hampton: Iga, Berry, Rose, McCracken, O'Brien, Mead(Payne 18), Cross, Stestanovic, Riddell, Thomas(Cory 65), Yhdego(Pittwood 76). Subs n/u Bouchez, Ferris. Referee: M Knight Attendance 543

Sutton's reserves shook off the late arrival of several players, and some pre-match injuries, to open their Suburban League campaign with a 3-2 victory at Northwood on Saturday. The late changes required forced manager Phil Dunne in the starting line-up, and he produced the afternoon's highspot eleven minutes before half time when he flung himself at Danny Dray's left wing cross to score with a spectacular diving header. That put U's two up at the interval, Matt Gray having given them the lead with a header from Denton McGowan's corner, but they had to work hard to maintain the advantage in the second half. Northwood pulled a goal back on the hour, but six minutes later Glenn Boosey's through ball gave Chad Heuston the chance to put a well judged lob over the keeper, and although Northwood reduced the arrears again just before the end U's hung on for a deserved victory. Sutton: Ribolla, Hamlin, Dray, Drew, Hewitt, Dunne, Stevens, Doran, Heuston, Gray, McGowan(Boosey).