SUBSTITUTES SCORE LATE TO WIN FOR SUTTON
BY ANDREW DELANEY
Kaine Donald and Jordan Hall came off the bench to score for Sutton, who climb back to the top of MFL 2 with a deserved victory on the road at Knowle.
Knowle came into the match with the tightest defence in the division whilst Sutton had scored the most goals, and it was Sutton’s attacking prowess that proved decisive in this match with goals from Tom Massey, Kaine Donald and Jordan Hall.
United began the brightest with Massey causing problems for the Robins and threatening an early goal with a thumping 20-yard effort that dipped over the crossbar. Striker Leyton Hines had a great chance at the near post before Lewis Clarke made a well-timed challenge. And later when Hines backheeled in the box to set up Joe Delaney, his effort rose over the target.
The home side battled well but never caused too much of a problem for Reiss Wagstaff in goal, as Matt Bishop led a commanding defence for United. The Robins best chance of the half came when some strong pressing gave Nathan Corey an opportunity from six yards and Brad Gregory made a crucial clearance.
Sutton were reduced to ten men in the 34th minute when Josh Duggan had to serve a sinbin. Knowle looked to press their advantage, but it was Sutton who got the breakthrough when Hines delivered a superb pass for Massey to drive into the box and unleash a wonderful shot into the top corner of the net.
Sutton were back to eleven men for the start of the second half, however, it was the hosts who pulled themselves level in the 50th minute, when skipper Lewis Cosgrove finished at the near post from a corner kick.
United continued to pose the greatest goal threat as Delaney came close with a curling corner that had Craig Johnson tipping over his crossbar, shortly followed by a shot from the edge of the box that went narrowly wide of the top corner.
Sutton did regain their lead in the 67th minute when Hines squared for Massey and his miscued shot fell kindly for Donald to tap home his first goal of the season. And Donald was unlucky not to have a second towards the end of the match with a shot just wide of the upright.
The referee didn’t help the flow of the game, causing tension and confusion, and when he found an incredible twelve minutes of added time, the final exchanges were played out under ever darkening skies.
In the final minute of the match, when Knowle had committed men forward, Sutton caught them out on the break with Delaney sending Hall running into the box, and when he received the ball back his shot was blocked by Joe Sinton, before Hall pounced to finish into the bottom corner to seal the victory for United.
Sutton return home next Saturday for another tough league match against 4th place Earlswood Town.
| Knowle | Statistics | Sutton United |
| 1 | Goals | 3 |
| 5 | Attempts | 12 |
| 4 | Attempts on Target | 5 |
| 9 | Corners | 9 |
| 7 | Fouls Committed | 11 |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| Reece Hewitt | Man of the Match | Matt Bishop |