Gander Green Lane
Sutton United 2 v Hampton & Richmond 2
Hampton & Richmond seemed to come to Gander Green Lane for a point by playing a defensive game. They tried to close any positive play down by using the offside trap. It took a full twenty minutes for the first real chance of the game when Danny Bolt’s pass from midfield unleashed Joe Nartey to run at goal but his shot was blocked down. Narty was able to regain possession and slip the ball thru to Nko Ekoku who fired the ball straight at the keeper. Ten minutes passed before the next chance of the came, which again fell Sutton’s way. Danny Bolt received the ball just inside the Hampton half and ran on to let a twenty-yard effort fly passed the keeper but the shot rebounded off the woodwork. Joe Narty tried to grab the rebound but the defence managed to clear but only as far as Bolt who hit a low hard shot toward goal, which beat the keeper easily at the near post. Six minutes after taking the lead Sutton had to defend a free kick on the edge of the area. The kick was hit over the four man wall and produced a fantastic save from Gareth Howells who is in excellent form recently. Hampton & Richmond only had to wait another three minutes before they scored. A good ball from the centre of the pitch split the defence and Williams was able to run on to the ball out running Gwynne Berry to slot the ball under Howells.
In the second half Hampton tried to push forward more and were able to create more chances, but it was United who had the first chance. Danny Bolt’s free kick was lifted over the wall, which fell to Paul Harford but he lifted his shot over the bar from just four yards out. Hampton’s defensive play didn’t allow for many chances and it wasn’t until half an hour into the second half before the second chance. Hampton’s goal scorer Williams did well to set Martin Carter free inside the area with only Howells to beat but his scuffed his shot wide. Two minutes later Nko Ekoku and Peter Barnsby were battling for the ball when Barnsby pulled Nko to the ground. The ref had no choice but to sent Barnsby off for a professional foul. From the resulting free kick Danny Bolt struck a low shot passed the keeper for his and Sutton’s second goal. With two minutes left Hampton won a corner, which Sutton failed to clear, a fine turn and shot produced the equaliser. Hampton’s shirt numbers weren’t very clear so I don’t know who scored their equaliser. Just before the end of the game Nko Ekoku and Hampton keeper Ben Miles were involved in a brief collision, which angered United fans, along with the keepers wording of comments to Nko, which the fans deemed to be foul and abusive language.
Elation The form of Danny Bolt and Gaerth Howells.
Deflation Defensive play by Hampton during the first half.
2 Sutton United Vs Hampton & Richmond 2
Bolt 30 , 75
Williams 39
? 88
Howells 1 Miles
Walker 2 Wood
Gray 3 Houghton
Hodges 4 Barnsby
Palmer 5 Flitter
Harlow 6 Shaw
Bolt 7 Williams
Harford 8 Carter
Narty 9 Manwella
Sears 10 Maskell
Ekoku 11 Griffiths