MATCH REPORT

PLANT THE HAT-TRICK HERO ONCE AGAIN

Sutton made their penultimate travel down to Cambridge early and ready to face a Nomads side who had tested some strong opposition this year, but had fallen shy in a 6 goal blow-out earlier this year. With numbers once again thin throughout the section, Sutton travelled with another 12, with the usual squad joined this week by Ross Emmet Gavaghan, making a return to both hockey and the Green Army for the first time in 6 years. Slotting in next to Tom Baguley at the back, you could sense something amazing was going to happen - even if it took most of the game to do so!

From the first whistle, it looked to be a cagey affair with early chances from both sides repelled by the other teams defence. MOTM Alfie Braginton commanded his back line with aplomb, with Ben Hales and Si Clarke ready to step forward and support the wingers with their running. Stef Fox and Edmund White marshalled the midfield as the dynamic duo that they oh so usually are, allowing Dan Plant, Luke Jackson and Troy Croxford to have their full attacking liberty. Up top, Alex Canham and Eddie Hales were making leads and terrorising the attempted playing out by Nomads.

The half dragged on, and with not too much of note happening it was a great run by Jackson cutting around the outside of the fullback, before firing it across the goal for Plant to notch his and the teams opener. Some might have thought that the floodgates would have opened at this point, but instead some great interplay in the midfield by Nomads - alongside some suspect finishing by Sutton - kept the defence honest and working until the half time whistle.

A full and frank team talk followed, which got Sutton fired up and ready to start the half - possibly too fired up as Eddie managed to pick up a green card about 5 minutes into it! A little bit of calmness had to follow and in the space of 8 minutes Sutton ended up killing the game off in inspired style. To begin, some lovely interplay between Gavaghan and Fox (heard many many times before!) left Eddie and then Canham free to feed Plant to finish off his second of the day by rounding the keeper and slotting home. Just a couple of minutes later, the magic begun to work, with Baguley underlapping Ben and receiving the ball, before sending the ball into Fox who slotted home the third goal. And almost from the off, Canham had a great chance to continue the scoring after an interception but found the finish very lacking. No matter, let the magic work more and some silky movement from Baguley with White in the middle of the park led to a easy back post tap in for Plant to complete his hat-trick.

With the game almost dead, there was just time for the 9th best defence in the East leagues to uncharacteristically give away a short, and after a back post tap in of their own Nomads got their consolation goal. The game looked to be petering out, with both teams picking up cards of their own (cheers Si!) until Sutton won a short corner in the dying moments of the game. Baguley got his permission slip from Captain Canham, and all the spectators could do was to be dazzled and watch in awe as the ball was slipped from Fox to Baguley before an Exocet missile pinged into the goal off the post to leave the final score at 5-1.

With all teams around them winning today, Sutton still find themselves second and right in the mixer for their final game of the season next week. I will have to leave you with the final stat-line of Baguley as he will never forgive me if I don't - 70 minutes played, 2 assists, 1 goal and still no hair on his head!