MATCH REPORT

SUTTON SIZZLE OUT IN END OF SESAON SPECTACULAR

The final week of the season for the Long Sutton Mens 2nds saw them make the very familiar trip back to Cambridge in order to play the Uni boys in what promised to be a showdown for the ages. With a squad of 12, the only changes being Sam B and Troy stepping out and the return of the McKenzie East and James Collingwood-Smith getting a well deserved call-up into the squad, they arrived to find out that the university team had a full squad of 15 bright eyed, bushy tailed, fit hockey players - not the team they hoped to play with the heat starting to rise!

From the off Sutton were pressed hard, with the back 4 of Ben Hales, Tom Baguley, Stef Fox and Simon Clarke having to work hard to overcome the full press. Edmund White and East helped cause some chaos of their own, with Luke Jackson, Dan Plant, Eddie Hales, Alex Canham and Collingwood-Smith all rotating around and keeping the high intensity up as long as they could. In fact, Sutton would open the scoring, with their new found deadliness from short corners - with some good work from East leading to a back post tap-in by White to take the lead after 20 minutes. Some additional chances fell to Sutton, but the card that Plant received halted them for a while, and Cambridge Uni came back into the game - forcing some good saves from Alfie Braginton in goal leaving the game in the balance at 1-0 at half time.

The start of the second half brought an increase in intensity from Uni boys, and some cracks started to show in the otherwise impervious defence of Sutton. The case was not helped when Jackson had to come off early in the half - the fractured rib he sustained last week clearly proving too much but commendation needs to be made to still play as much as he could in that state. As such, the legs started to wane on all of the Sutton players, and the number difference started to rear it's ugly head. From a lucky equaliser, suddenly the floodgates opened and one very quickly became two with a very well worked team goal. East fancied a little break with a green card, and to be fair Cambridge didn't score while he was off the field - ever the gentlemen they waited until he was back on the pitch before they made it 3-1 and then 4-1 shortly after.

The wind fully out of the Sutton sails, if was all the team could do to keep their minds off of the pub - I'm not sure all of them did - however some chances finally fell to Sutton. Canham in particular had an acrobatic effort sail just over the bar, before a miraculous event occurred. Over the hills came an age old call of "next goal wins" and immediately after that, in the last minute a short corner was won where Fox was slipped the ball and the finish was emphatic. We will await the decision of the East Leagues to see if this sticks, however we are not holding our breath!

The final whistle blew, and whilst Sutton immediately feel disappointed about missing out on promotion, they also have the knowledge that the season was in the end a very successful one, and one that has built upon good performances to generate a really good team spirit and a sense of togetherness. It is all I am left to say, to wish Wisbech and Cambs South the best in the league above, and that it has been a very tough battle between the three teams all season. Roll on the next one!