The U’s switch their attention to FA Trophy action, kick-starting their fourth competition of the season at the Third Round stage.
Last Time Out
Goals at the start of each half saw Sutton United secure their first victory in the National League Cup, with Lewis Simper and Shaun Williams dealing the crucial blow on Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy.
Simper opened the scoring after just eight minutes when the ball fell to him just inside the box, calmly striking home to mark his return from injury with a goal, and a number of excellent saves from Steve Arnold kept Spurs at bay for the remainder of the first half with Damola Ajayi and Yusuf Akhmarich going closest.
Similarly to the first half, the U’s would breach the last line of Spurs’ defence early on, and it was Simper’s midfield partner this time who got on the scoresheet when some brilliant work from Nana Boateng preceded an inch-perfect ball towards Triallist Williams, who made no mistake from a few yards out, before Harry Ransom made the win safe at the death.
A visiting XI entirely made of academy players would continue to put the pressure on in the second half, but the hosts – who would feature plenty of academy players of their own in Vinnie Tume, Junior Eccleston, Joden Trickett and Liam Moore – held firm late on to see out a fourth win in a row.
Watch the highlights here.
The Opposition
Ebbsfleet make their second trip to the VBS Community Stadium before the turn of the year, having lost 3-2 back in September in manager Harry Watling’s second game in charge.
The Fleet have spent much of their recent history in the National League South with promotion in 2023 ending a three-year absence from the fifth tier. The Kent-based outfit survived by the skin of their teeth last season, with a goalless draw against relegation rivals Boreham Wood on the final day of the season enough to keep hold of their National League status whilst simultaneously condemning the Wood to the sixth tier.
Despite aims to survive in the fifth tier for a third successive season, it hasn’t quite gone to plan for Ebbsfleet, with Danny Searle being dismissed back in September after a winless start to the season. Former Queens Park Rangers and Glasgow Rangers assistant Watling was the chosen successor, but despite winning his first game in charge against Hartlepool United, has embarked on a 14-game winless run which began at the hands of the U’s, and currently prop up the league table as they sit rock bottom and ten points from safety.
Recent Form
Ebbsfleet United 0-0 Boston United
Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Eastleigh
Ebbsfleet United 0-6 Solihull Moors
Tamworth 1-1 Ebbsfleet United
Ebbsfleet United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur Academy
Ebbsfleet United 2-2 Wealdstone
The Manager
Harry Watling
Harry Watling became the youngest manager in the National League at the time of his appointment, taking on his first managerial position in English football when he arrived at Ebbsfleet back in September.
The 34-year old became one of the youngest coaches in England to achieve UEFA A, B and Pro licences having started out as an academy coach for Chelsea aged 20, and started his coaching career with a six-year stint at Stamford Bridge before embarking on similar roles at Millwall and West Ham United, where he was academy head coach from 2018 to 2021.
He would later be named head coach at USL Championship side Hartford Athletic, spending 18 months from January 2021 in the United States where he broke several records including most goals scored and most clean sheets in his first season, as well as breaking the club record for the biggest ever win in their history when he beat New York Red Bulls II 7–0 at home who had seven MLS contracted players from the first team in the lineup.
After returning to the UK, Watling gained high profile roles with Championship Queens Park Rangers and then Scottish Premiership side Glasgow Rangers, taking on the role of First Team Coach alongside Michael Beale at both.
He would later replace Danny Searle at Stonebridge Park in his first managerial role since returning to his home country, and got off to a perfect start with a 1-0 win over Hartlepool United, before falling short the following week against the U’s.
One to Watch
Former Leeds United youngster Dominic Poleon has entered his fourth successive season as an Ebbsfleet United player, and is currently their top scorer with four goals, which is 27% of the club’s entire tally this season.
Born in London, Poleon spent time in the academies of Chelsea and Southend United, before moving to Elland Road in 2010. He would spend four years with the Whites and scored on his professional debut, before spending time on loan at Bury and Sheffield United during the 2012/13 season. He would go on to appear 29 times for Leeds but departed in 2014 in search of regular opportunities, dropping into League One when he joined Oldham Athletic on transfer deadline day.
Further spells at AFC Wimbledon, Bradford City, Crawley Town and Newport County would see him turn out over 200 times in the EFL, before a brief loan spell at Dover Athletic saw him drop into non-league for the first time in his career. This would be followed by a move to Ebbsfleet midway through the 2020/21 campaign, scoring two goals in three games in his first season before following it up with a 17-goal haul the following season, helping the Fleet reach the National League South play-offs. Despite falling short at the final against Dorking Wanderers, the Kent-based outfit would win the division in 2022/23, with Poleon contributing a league leading 35 goals which also saw him named Player of the Season.
This would precede a successful return to the National League for the Fleet, with Poleon once again in fine form as he scored 16 goals to fire the club to survival.
Head-to-Head
Sutton United 3-2 Ebbsfleet United (21/09/2024)
Ebbsfleet United 1-1 Sutton United (01/02/2020)
Sutton United 2-3 Ebbsfleet United (26/10/2019)
Sutton United 1-0 Ebbsfleet United (26/01/2019)
Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Sutton United (14/08/2018)
Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Sutton United (21/04/2018)
Played for Both
Will Randall
Winger Will Randall made over 100 appearances for the U’s during a four-year stint at the VBS Community Stadium, contributing to the club’s title-winning campaign in 2020/21.
The Swindon Town academy product had jumped into the Championship when he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2016, but would spend the next few years searching for regular game time with loan spells at Walsall, Forest Green Rovers and FC Jumilla preceding a brief stint at Newport County. Randall would later make the move to Sutton in 2019 though, and immediately found himself at home.
He would make 24 appearances as the U’s won promotion from the National League in his second season as a Sutton player, and continued to feature regularly in the EFL, making 64 appearances in League Two.
After a hugely successful four years, Randall would depart Gander Green Lane with 17 goals in 121 appearances, joining newly promoted Notts County in 2023. His time at Meadow Lane would prove to be brief though, and the 27-year old was on the move again after just a season in Nottingham, making the switch to Ebbsfleet United at the start of the current campaign. He would feature a handful of times for the Fleet, but last month found himself out on loan until January, appearing four times for National League South side Dorking Wanderers.
Team News
Lewis Simper, Ryan Jackson and Harry Ransom have all stepped up their recovery from respective injuries, the former playing a pre-planned half an hour in the National League Cup against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night, while Jackson featured for a little over an hour and Ransom completing his first 90 minutes since September.
There are otherwise no fresh injury concerns ahead of the visit of Ebbsfleet United, with Jayden Harris continuing his rehabilitation from a ruptured Achilles, while it is hoped that Alex Kirk will return from a torn LCL injury in the new year.
Morison’s full pre-match interview is available to view here.
Officials
Garreth Rhodes is in his seventh season as a National League referee and previously visited Sutton in February 2021 when Boreham Wood were the visitors. He will be joined by assistants Ryan Head and Michael Hayden, along with Fourth Official, Conall Bartlett
How to Follow
Audio
A Mixlr audio commentary will be available to listen to and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.
At the VBS
Season tickets will not be valid for this fixture.
Advance online prices for ground admission are as follows:
Adults: £10
Concessions (age over 60/students with current ID): £10
Junior (age 14-18): £5
Under-14s: Free if accompanied by adult or senior concession
Seat prices are £4 more in all cases. Supporters are reminded that these cheaper advance prices are available up to kick-off, and while tickets will be available on the day, tickets bought in person on the day carry a price increase of £3.
Click here to purchase a ticket.
It should also be noted that due to it being an FA Trophy fixture, the match will not feature Extra Time, and will go straight to penalties should it end level after 90 minutes.
