SUTTON UTD 1 AFC WIMBLEDON 0
Sat 9th August
The 1963 Amateur Cup final between Wimbledon and Sutton was remembered at Gander Green Lane on Saturday before the players of 2003 battled manfully in the searing heat to provide entertainment for a crowd of 1,504. In the half hour leading up to the game players from both sides in the 1963 final appeared on the pitch to be introduced to the spectators, and although the idea of having the original Amateur Cup on display had to be shelved at the last moment the National Football Museum in Preston instead supplied the Jules Rimet Trophy, which England won in 1966, along with the ball used in the World Cup final that year. The table of exhibits was completed by the FA Cup, and the shirt worn by the late Eddie Reynolds when he headed all four of Wimbledon's goals in their 1963 triumph at Wembley. The proceedings also had a sombre note as a minute's silence was observed in memory of Ray Harford, the former Wimbledon manager and father of ex-Sutton midfielder Paul, whose death had been announced earlier on Saturday. In the heat it was too much to expect the players to provide the same excitement as in that 1963 match, but the game started brightly with U's almost taking a 7th minute lead. Mark Watson did well to retrieve a ball on the right and rolled it back for Matt Fowler, whose shot clipped the crossbar. Five minutes later it was Wimbledon's turn to go close as Lee Sidwell caught a 25 yard shot perfectly only to see it matched by a superb save from Andy Iga. Wimbledon possibly had the edge, but the only other incident of real note in the first half was an outburst of temper in the 24th minute which resulted in a fracas that seemed out of place in the context of the afternoon. When the dust had settled, Nick Bailey and Dons' former Sutton and Carshalton defender Sean Daly were both substituted at the request of referee Jim Paterson. Wimbledon made a number of changes at half time and two of their substitutes should have given them the lead as they continued to look the likelier to score. Darren Dobinson headed badly wide from a right wing cross when unmarked, and Ryan Gray shot wide of a gaping goal after substitute goalkeeper Kevin Davies had come out to save at Dobinson's feet. Rob Collins was unlucky for U's with one shot that hit the side netting, but it was Collins who supplied the crucial goal midway through the second half when a long Davies clearance was misjudged by the Dons' defence and Collins ran on to slip the ball past the advancing keeper.
Sutton: Iga(Davies 63), Gray, Akuamoah, Honey, Collins, Gonsalves, Bolt, Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Bailey(Kironde 24)(Cole-Bolt 65).
DULWICH H 1 SUTTON UTD 2
Sutton were indebted to a last minute penalty save from Andy Iga as they made it six wins out of six in their pre season programme at Champion Hill on Monday. As at Leatherhead, manager John Rains made no outfield substitutions, and this time Iga had a full 90 minutes, and they had to work hard for their win as Dulwich changed things regularly throughout the second half. Indeed the home side would have felt they were worth the draw they would have achieved had Hynes shown the same conviction from the spot as Danny Bolt five minutes earlier. U's gave a first appearance to former Charlton, Ipswich and Bradford defender Eddie Youds, and the Liverpudlian centre back gave a solid display as Dulwich rarely threatened in the first half. Sutton took the lead in the 13th minute with a well crafted goal, Bolt swinging a pass wide to Eddie Akuamoah and then making ground to receive the return and find Scott Corbett. From him the ball went to Mark Watson, who turned inside a defender and shot home. The home keeper saved well from Watson and Matt Gray, while Rob Collins' pace was always a problem for the Dulwich defence, but the second half was a different story. Dulwich levelled in the 58th minute when a quickly taken free kick was knocked down for Warren Haughton to score, and looked the likelier to take the lead as Haughton sent another shot just too high, and Hynes had a volley from a corner deflected wide. Sutton's main threat in the second half was Nick Bailey, who drew one good save from Scott Ward and was then brought down on the edge of the area, giving Bolt the chance to fire in a low free kick which was saved well. The winner came five minutes from time through something of a soft penalty as Al-James Hannigan's reckless challenge brought Watson down just inside the area. Referee Chris Hayes, who might have given Sutton two penalties in the first half, obliged on this occasion and Bolt thumped the ball high in to the net. Dulwich still had the chance of salvation when Tony Houghton went over in the last minute under pressure. It had the slight look of an 'levelling up' decision when Mr Hayes pointed to the spot, but any dispute was rendered academic as Iga dived to his left to save Hynes' poorly struck spot kick.
Sutton: Iga, Gray, Collins, Palmer, Gonsalves, Youds, Bolt, Corbett, Akuamoah, Watson, Bailey.
LEATHERHEAD 2 SUTTON UTD 3
Sutton made it five wins out of five in their pre season friendlies, but had to withstand a strong Leatherhead comeback in the second half at Fetcham Grove on Saturday. Andy Iga, who had a brief spell at Sutton as cover for Gareth Howells in U's Conference campaign, started the game in goal for U's and might have been beaten early on by Alex Inglethorpe, one of several ex Sutton players in the home team line up, while former top Football League referee Ray Lewis turned down strong penalty appeals when Nick Bailey appeared to handle. Bailey had gone close with a free kick, while triallist striker Rob Collins, formerly of Horsham, missed a good chance from a Matt Gray cross, but Collins made amends just after the half hour when Gray put him through again and he curled his shot around the keeper and in off the post. Five minutes later Matt Fowler added a second from Mark Watson's pass, but Leatherhead came out strongly in the second half and Phil Ruggles immediately reduced the arrears with a shot that replacement keeper Kevin Davies got a hand to but couldn't keep out. Scott Corbett had a header from a Bailey free kick saved before a strong run by Bailey was ended illegally inside the penalty area, and in Danny Bolt's absence at a wedding Fowler converted the penalty off the underside of the crossbar. With no outfield substitutes U's played the last 20 minutes a man short after Danny Hodges went off injured, Watson filling in at centre back, and Davies had to produce two good saves before Mark Charles-Smith pulled back a consolation goal seven minutes from time.
Sutton: Iga(Davies H-T), Gray, Gonsalves, Palmer, Collins, Hodges, Honey, Corbett, Fowler, Watson, Bailey.
WHYTELEAFE 0 SUTTON UTD 2
Tuesday 29 July
Two goals inside the first 16 minutes enabled Sutton to make it four wins out of four at an unseasonably damp Church Road on Tuesday. Only three minutes had elapsed when Mark Watson met Danny Bolt's free kick with a header that was saved by home keeper Danny Rose, who was then powerless to prevent Ryan Palmer forcing the ball over the line. Danny Hodges almost added a second with a header two minutes later, but then Matt Gray made good ground down the right before crossing low for Nick Bailey to score at the near post. Bailey was in action at the other end with a superb goal-line clearance from a shot hit firmly from close range as Whyteleafe had their best spell of the game either side of the interval. On several occasions U's marking seemed suspect but the home side weren't able to take advantage. Gray almost made it 3-0 with a fierce 25 yard shot that was deflected wide, and Sutton had some good chances to extend their lead after the break as Bailey twice should have done better with headers, and Hodges saw a diving header tipped on to the bar and over by the keeper. Just before the end Watson shot just past the post after being put through by Scott Corbett.
Sutton: Davies, Gray(Corbett 54), Akuamoah, Palmer, Gonsalves, Hodges, Bolt, Rogers(Honey 59), Fowler(Gray 73), Watson, Bailey(Hamlin 77).
Saturday 19 July
SEVENOAKS T 2 SUTTON UTD 4
Sutton opened their pre season campaign on Saturday in hot conditions and on a pitch that hadn't seen a great deal of water, and manager John Rains took a chance to look at most of his squad, the holidaying Mark Watson and the injured Scott Corbett the only exceptions. Former U's skipper Paul Rogers returned for his first Sutton game since leaving for Sheffield United in 1992, and another face in the line up familiar to U's fans was striker Scott Forrester, while Kevin Davies appeared in goal. He had little to do in the first half, but Forrester came close to an early impact with an acrobatic volley just wide. U's took control with two goals in four minutes, both from Danny Bolt. On the half hour he blasted home from just inside the penalty area after Eddie Akuamoah had seized on a misplaced pass and, after seeing his cross blocked, rolled the ball back in to Bolt's path, and four minutes later converted a penalty after Akuamoah had pounced on an error by goalkeeper Danny Black, who then brought him down. Bolt almost claimed a ten minute hat trick with a brilliant piece of quick thinking, winning a free kick and, spotting Black off his line, floating in an instant effort that the keeper just got back to tip over. U's made a host of changes at half time, centre back Rob Dale the only new name, and Sevenoaks were given hope by a fine volley from Robin Jenner, but three minutes later Matt Fowler, who had already gone close once, caught Black off his line with an opportunist 25 yard shot. The hapless keeper suffered further 19 minutes from time when he picked up what was adjudged by the referee to be a back pass just eight yards out, and from the resulting free kick Nick Bailey smashed a shot through the defenders on the line. The last word went to the home side, though, as Ricky Hallchurch headed in a left wing corner with two minutes left.
Sutton(1st half) K Davies, D Brooker, D Dray, M Dunne, L Gonsalves, D Hodges, D Bolt, P Rogers, E Akuamoah, S Forrester, C Brown.
2nd half: Davies, D Hamlin, Akuamoah(Gonsalves 68), R Palmer, R Dale, S Hewitt, N Bailey, P Honey, M Fowler, M Gray, M Hanlan.
Tuesday 22 July
MOLESEY 1 SUTTON 3
Report by Lyall Reynolds
With less than a month to go until Sutton commemorate the FA Amateur Cup Final with their only pre-season friendly against Wimbledon on 9th August, and with the League campaign starting at Hayes the week after, Sutton produced another determined display to notch up a second consecutive pre-season triumph.
On Tuesday evening John Rains' side took to the field at Molesey and were unfortunate to concede an early goal when Ryan Palmer diverted a ball in from the left into the path of the lurking forward who was able to comfortably half-volley passed Sutton's starting 'keeper, Kevin Davis. However, Sutton eventually settled and wrestled control of the game, and on the half-hour mark, found an equaliser. Danny Bolt's pass from left side of midfield perfectly picked out Nick Bailey who evaded his marker to nod home. Four minutes later United had the lead, Bolt's fiercely driven free-kick from the left angle of the penalty area was only parried by Molesey's 'keeper and Paul Rogers was on hand to stab home his first goal since his return to the club. Sutton maintained control of the game and with Rains able to give several other players a decent run out, United eventually wrapped up the victory when Eddie Akuamoah broke through a square defensive line and laid the ball off to Matt Fowler to strike past former U's 'keeper Chuck Martini.
Sutton line-up: (1st half) - K Davis, D Hamlin (M Gray, 43'), E Akuamoah, R Palmer, L Gonsalves, D Hodges, D Bolt, P Rogers, S Gorman, S Forrester, N Bailey
Sutton line-up: (57mins) - D Jean-Zafrini, D Dray, M Dunne, R Dale, P Honey, S Hewitt, S Corbett, S Gorman (E Akuamoah, 71'), M Fowler, M Hanlan, M Gray
Sat 26th July
EASTBOURNE 0 SUTTON 2
TRIUMPHANT COASTAL DAYTRIP
Report by Lyall Reynolds
United took fewer players to the coast on Saturday than previous friendlies, when John Rains had tried to give more players a pre-season run-out, and came away with another deserved victory, their third from three pre-season dates.
Newly promoted to the Dr Martens Premier side, Eastbourne Borough were a well-organised side, who oft caused Sutton's 'keeper, Kevin Davis, and defence alike, to be ready and alert. As early as the second minute, Ryan Palmer had to be on hand to head off the line after Davis had rushed out in vain. Boro's Ben White then rose to head over, sandwiched between two United efforts, Paul Rogers volleying wide from a Danny Bolt corner and Bolt himself lobbing Lee Hook in Boro's goal, and, unfortunately, the bar as well, when through on goal.
Within the first twenty-five minutes, Scott Forrester had started to make an impact, which was to typify his performance on the day. In the eighteenth minute, he got the better of Rhys Wyborne on the left but curled his shot wide of the far post from an acute angle. Five minutes later his cross from the right saw Mark Watson's twisting half volley grabbed well by Boro's 'keeper. Watson had moments earlier saw his 20-foot left-foot drive comfortably saved. Before the break both sides created chances to open the scoring, an incisive run by Nicky Bailey down the right saw him square the ball to Forrester, whose low-driven shot was well held. Boro's White then blazed over from 20 yards after a good move down the left, and former United player John Westcott volleyed spectacularly wide just minutes before the interval.
With a fairly even game mirrored by the level score-line, Sutton eventually gained control of possession, but not without further scares. Matt Gray missed an early chance as did Boro's Allan Day and Stuart Playford, the latter effort being blocked by Davis. In the final twenty minutes, both teams created chances, Kim Monroe flicked a header wide from Westcott's right wing cross and Forrester's 22 yard volley was easily gathered by Boro's sub 'keeper. In the 77th minute, minutes after Boro' sub Steve Dallaway shot lamely at Davis, United took the lead. Forrester, on the right wing, lobbed the ball neatly over the defender for Scott Corbett to volley from 20 yards, over the 'keeper and just inside the angle of the post and bar. Ten minutes later Sutton sealed the win when Paul Honey set Forrester free down the right, his cross to the far post was met by Gray, running in, to head past the wrong-footed 'keeper. On an overcast day with heavier drizzle as the game progressed, a crowd of 302 fans, saw United deserve the 2-0 win.
Sutton: K Davis, M Gray, E Akuamoah, R Palmer (sub: S Corbett, 62'), L Gonsalves, D Hodges, D Bolt, P Rogers, S Forrester, M Watson (sub: D Hamlin, 75'), N Bailey (sub: P Honey, 67'). All subs used.
Eastbourne Borough: L Hook (sub: P Stark, HT), R Wyborne (sub: D Baker, HT), S Playford, M Smart, B White, B Austin (sub: K Monroe, 57'), J Westcott, D Pearce, S Ramsey, S Loft (sub: A Day, 57'), S Yates (sub: S Dallaway, 73').