25.01.2025 Vs Heather St. John’s

Heartbreak at Heather


It was heartbreak for Sutton as Jake Finnerty found a winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Heather St. John’s victory on their home turf.

The Saints had just been reduced to ten men when Kian Taylor was sent off in the 93rd minute, and it looked like Sutton were going to hold on to a well-earned point on the road.

After having conceded five to Heather on the opening day of the season, United worked incredibly hard as a defensive unit and frustrated the home side, limiting them to very few clear-cut opportunities in front of goal. But then one perfect cross into Sutton’s penalty box deep into added time, saw Finnerty finish from close range to steal all three points at the death.

Heather St. John’s top goal scorer, Kyle Jardine, was kept at bay by Sutton’s centre-back pairing of Matt Bishop and George Ray. The Saints captain’s best chance came late in the second half, with a shot over the bar from a tight angle off a corner kick.

The first half saw few clear-cut opportunities in front of goal for either team. The Saints looked the most threatening, but Sutton dealt with the danger well. Heather pressed Sutton high up the pitch and when they found a pass through to Haydn Brown in the box, Bishop made a fantastic challenge to force his shot wide of the target.

Abdul Touaiti worked hard in midfield for Sutton breaking up the opposition’s attacks, but whilst United defended superbly they offered very little going forward, often missing that final pass and they had to wait until the 45th minute for a shot at goal, when Hayden Froggatt played a clever back heel for Joe Gildea, before the striker’s shot was blocked by defender Ben Whitehead.

Heather had a great chance to take the lead early in the second half with a counterattack that found Finnerty free on the left and his shot went wide of the near post.

A ball over the top from Heather in the 76th minute saw Kai Thomas beat the offside and run towards goal where Aidan Jeynes was quickly off his line to challenge, but as the ball fell kindly to Jardine at the edge of the penalty box and with the goal gaping, it was Bishop who was back to clear the danger for Sutton.

United continued to defend as a unit with second half substitutions, Jonny Grigg and Harry Manton, both making crucial challenges inside their own penalty box.

Sutton finished the half strongly with two good chances on goal, as Sam Jeeves did well in midfield to set the Greens off on the attack. First Grigg’s through pass for Jack Skinner was well defended by Jack Hession with a well-timed challenge, and then one of Suttons best moves of the match saw Skinner square the ball for Reiss Hick, whose shot from the edge of the box went over the cross bar.

Sutton had dealt with the danger of Thomas’s long throw-ins all match, until the 95th minute when the clearance was picked up by Hession on the right and his precise cross was slotted into the bottom corner by Finnerty.

Sutton were so close to scoring a minute later when Gildea volleyed the ball from the edge of the penalty area, but Matthew White made an excellent save to deny United the equaliser.

Next up for Sutton is a home fixture on Saturday 1st February against Gornal Athletic 3pm kick off.

Team: Heather St. John’s
1. Matthew White
2. Kai Thomas
3. George Wesley
4. Liam Storer
5. Ben Whitehead
6. Jack Hession
7. Haydn Brown
8. Jake Finnerty
9. Kyle Jardine (c)
10. Jacob Carter
11. Kian Taylor
Sub Unused: Billy Snaith, Nathan McGarrity, Lewis Hopewell, Max Dutton, Tyler Weeks

Management/Assistants:
Neil Costello
Shaun Hession
Paul Griebel
Zoe Price
Carl Liddington

Team: Sutton United
1. Aidan Jeynes
2. Tion Pearce
3. Callum Cook – 57’ Harry Manton
4. Matt Bishop (c)
5. George Ray
6. Sam Simmonds – 61’ Jonny Grigg
7. Abdul Touaiti
8. Sef Semlali – 52’ Sam Jeeves
9. Hayden Froggatt – 73’ Jack Skinner
10. Joe Gildea
11. Oli Jeeves – 78’ Reiss Hick

Management/Assistants:
Richard Heath
Liam Burke
Adam Watson
Bobby Brittan
Amelia Small

Match Officials: David Lane, Darren Dickson, Molly Kavanagh