Vanarama National League strugglers Wealdstone make the trip across London tonight, with Sutton set to welcome their third visitors of 2025.

The Opposition

Wealdstone have established themselves in the National League after spending years below the fifth tier of English football. The Stones had previously spent six straight years in the Conference South before winning promotion in 2020, and are now approaching the same mark after sealing their fifth tier status for a fifth successive campaign with a 16th place finish last time out.

The Stones had previously risen up the divisions under the guidance of Dean Brennan and preserved their status under Stuart Maynard, who was chosen as Luke Williams’ successor at Notts County after he joined Championship side Swansea City. This meant Wealdstone were once again after a manager, and after a brief spells under Dean Noble and interim Sam Cox, Matt Taylor entered the hotseat at Grosvenor Vale, tasked with extending their stint in the fifth tier.

Indeed, Wealdstone are once again in a battle to maintain their National League status and while not entirely plain sailing, currently sit two places above the drop zone on goal difference. The arrival of captain Adrian Mariappa brought steal in defence alongside the long-serving Jaydn Mundle-Smith and Jack Cook, while Sam Ashford and Alex Reid added 14 goals between just the two of them, and the latter returning to parent club Oldham Athletic will prove to be a huge blow for the Stones.

Taylor’s side are also yet to play in 2025 due to their last two National League fixtures being postponed, and they will be looking to get off to a positive start this year having won just two of their last eight games in all competitions.

Recent Form

Maidenhead United 3-1 Wealdstone

Wealdstone 3-0 Dagenham & Redbridge

Oldham Athletic 3-2 Wealdstone

Wealdstone 3-3 Altrincham

Aldershot Town 3-1 Wealdstone

Wealdstone 2-0 Derby County Academy

The Manager

Matt Taylor

Former defensive midfielder Matt Taylor arrived in the Wealdstone dugout back in May, replacing interim boss Sam Cox.

Having turned out for Luton Town, Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United, Burnley, Northampton Town and Swindon Town as a player, Taylor began his coaching career with the latter when he was named interim manager in 2018, and later transitioned into a player-coach role following the appointment of Phil Brown. The 43-year old had previously worked alongside Luton’s Under-15’s and Under-16’s while he earned his coaching badges whilst at West Ham, and later took on his first full time coaching role following his retirement from football in 2019, taking charge of Tottenham Hotspur’s Under-18’s.

He would later go on to take charge of Walsall and Shrewsbury Town, winning League One Manager of the Month whilst with the former, prior to joining Wealdstone last year.

One to Watch

Adrian Mariappa

Wealdstone announced the signing of former Premier League defender Adrian Mariappa back in June, and he has become a key figure in the club’s fight against the bottom end of the Vanarama National League table.

A graduate of the Watford academy, Mariappa began to break into the first team during the club’s promotion-winning campaign in 2005/06, and meant he experienced Premier League football at the age of just 20 with 19 top flight appearances, 16 more than he made in the Championship the previous year. Despite the club’s relegation, the defender continued to appear regularly for the Hornets and became crucial at the heart of the club’s defence over the next six years, going on to make over 200 appearances in his first stint.

Amid plenty of transfer speculation ahead of the 2012/13 campaign, along with a change of ownership at Vicarage Road, Mariappa departed Hertfordshire after winning the club’s Player of the Season award and spent a year at Premier League outfit Reading, and remained in the top flight following the Royals’ relegation with a move to Crystal Palace the following season. The newly promoted Eagles would go on to enjoy a comfortable campaign back in the top flight with Mariappa appearing 24 times, but would find chances harder to come by over the next couple of seasons and departed Selhurst Park in 2016, rejoining Watford who were now entering their second successive campaign in the Premier League.

Mariappa would add a further 93 appearances to his Hornets tally and even started in the 2019 Emirates FA Cup Final, departing for a second time after they were relegated in 2020 under interim Head Coach Hayden Mullins. A season at Bristol City preceded a move to Australia when he joined Macarthur, and was followed by stints in the lower leagues with Burton Albion and Salford City. The 38-year old would drop into non-league for the first time in his career when he returned to Harrow, and with Wealdstone’s captaincy, has been a rock at the back at Grosvenor Vale, starting in all but one of their league games so far this season.

Last Time We Met

A rocket from Charlie Waller on his Sutton debut secured seven points from a possible nine for the U’s, with a win at Grosvenor Vale that was a lot harder work than had seemed likely in the first half-hour.

Given an early lead by a stunning volley from Waller, Sutton dominated the opening stages and could have been further ahead, but Wealdstone rallied late in the first half, drawing one fine save from Steve Arnold, and maintained that level after half time with Us relieved to hear the final whistle having seen home substitute Max Kretzschmar hit the post in stoppage time.

Relive the victory here.

Head-to-Head

Wealdstone 0-1 Sutton United (20/08/2024)

Sutton United 4-1 Wealdstone (20/02/2021)

Wealdstone 3-3 Sutton United (21/11/2020)

Wealdstone 1-2 Sutton United (20/10/2018)

Wealdstone 0-2 Sutton United (31/03/2016)

Sutton United 5-2 Wealdstone (29/08/2015)

Played for Both

Craig Eastmond

Former club captain Craig Eastmond joined Wealdstone last summer following his release from Sutton, having made a name for himself as a firm fans’ favourite and club legend over a superb ten-year spell at Gander Green Lane.

An Arsenal academy product, Eastmond had gained experience on loan at Millwall, Wycombe Wanderers and Colchester United early on in his career, but barring a permanent stint at the latter, struggled to experience regular senior football. A brief spell at Yeovil Town saw him appear just once, but the grass would prove to be greener in his next move which saw him arrive in South London ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

Eastmond would contribute to a National League South-winning season in his debut campaign, with his performances earning him the Club Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards as well as being included in the National League South Team of the Season. He would continue his positive displays into the following season in the fifth tier, being Player of the Month for November following a string of impressive performances, as well as appearing in every round of Sutton’s historic run to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Having already established himself as a central figure within Sutton’s team, Eastmond was named in the 2017/18 National League Team of the Season after helping the U’s to achieve a best ever league finish of third in England’s fifth tier, and was named club captain ahead of the following campaign In which he would lead the club to the National League title, winning promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history and topping off the season with the club’s Player of the Year award for a second time.

The skipper went on to appear almost 100 times in League Two for the club, contributing to a stunning eighth place finish in their first year as well as scoring at Wembley Stadium in the Papa John’s Trophy Final. He would be inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2022, and departed the VBS Community Stadium following relegation at the end of the 2023/24 season, exiting with more than 300 appearances to his name.

The 34-year old returned to the National League himself with a move to Wealdstone in the summer, and has made five appearances for the Stones so far this season.