MATCH REPORT

SUTTON RESTART SEASON WITH POINT TO PROVE

With the season officially starting again this weekend just gone, the Men's 2nd team for Long Sutton had a late Christmas present where they found themselves 3 points clear at the top of the table thanks to other results happening. As such, the onus was on them to try and pick up on the solid groundwork that had been built before Christmas. Without key players Dan Batten and Will White, but with more than able replacements in Olly Taylor and Josh Norey, Sutton looked to get off to a strong start.

The game pushed back, and immediately the game fell into an end to end scenario, with a few chances falling to Alex Canham, Eddie Hales and Luke Jackson but not sneaking into the net. After a short while with some sustained pressure, a smart Bourne-Deeping run down the baseline left the usually unflappable Alfie Braginton alone for a back post tap-in. In fact, they liked it so much that 10 minutes later they did the same thing from the other side instead to leave Sutton 2-0 down. This did spark a fire under the entire Sutton team, and chances kept building, but the half time whilst came with Sutton in an unfamiliar position.

With a team talk akin to lighting a rocket up behind, Sutton came out with renewed vigour and looked like they had finally woken up. The wingers of Ed Hales and Troy Croxford started beating players with ease, before dropping it off to Ed White or Stef Fox who skillfully wove passes through gaps for the strikers to run onto. And it was from one of those passes by MOTM Ed White that found Taylor running off the shoulder of the last man, who then stole into the D and fit a lovely shot under the keeper to half the deficit.

The intensity of the game rose at this point and some cool heads were needed - if not for the resolute defending of Ben Hales, Tom Baguley and Simon Clarke more chances would have come against Sutton. However it was a ball in from Ben Hales which was deflected by Canham to Croxford who, inside the D, collected the ball calmly and slot the ball into the goal off the far post to level the score. Again Sutton tried to break through the resolute Bourne-Deeping defence but with time running out the goal line stops and smart rushing from the keeper kept the scoreline at what felt like an even result of 2-2.

For Sutton, whilst this may feel like 2 points dropped going into the game, any spectator and player will agree that this was most certainly 1 point gained from the performances in the halves - but they also know that they have to improve to keep the distance at the top of the table.