The U’s make the long trip to the North East on Saturday, with the chance to make it five games unbeaten at Hartlepool United.
Last Time Out
Two early goals were enough to seal victory in Surrey, with Sutton United overcoming Woking with a narrow win.
Lewis Simper’s first goal for the club gave the U’s the lead after just 12 minutes in fortuitous fashion, with his low strike from distance taking a huge deflection which wrong-footed William Jääskeläinen and flew into the back of the net to break the deadlock, with Jeremy Sivi doubling their lead five minutes later with a superb volley from the edge of the box.
Substitute Tom Leahy halved the deficit with a little over 15 minutes to go when he got on the end of Deon Moore’s cross, but despite their efforts, Michael Doyle’s side were unable to come from behind with the U’s making it four games unbeaten.
Watch the highlights here.
The Opposition
Hartlepool United are a side in a tricky situation, having been relegated from League Two in 2022 and having to accept a 12th place finish last season under Kevin Phillips.
The Pools have spent much of their history in the EFL but have now spent just two of their last seven seasons in the fifth tier of English football, and will be keen to find stability and a route back to League Two under new manager Darren Sarll, who arrived at the Prestige Group Stadium in the summer. It hasn’t been as plain sailing as planned for the Pools though, who currently sit 18th in the Vanarama National League table, and have lost each of their last four games.
With Emmanuel Dieseruvwe leading the line, it seemed the Pools problem last season was the amount of goals they were letting in, and as a result they have looked to plug the gaps with midfielders Nathan Sheron, Jack Hunter and Greg Sloggett, as well as defenders Kieron Freeman and Billy Sass-Davies. Sarll has also looked to bolster their firepower up top following the departures of Josh Umerah and Chris Wreh to Dagenham & Redbridge and Tamworth respectively, with Gary Madine, Adam Campbell, Luke Charman and Roshaun Mathurin moving to the North East.
Recent Form
Forest Green Rovers 1-0 Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United 0-3 Rochdale AFC
Hartlepool United 0-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Hartlepool United
Boston United 1-2 Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United 0-0 FC Halifax Town
The Manager
Darren Sarll
Darren Sarll enjoyed a short playing career before transitioning into coaching, turning out for Hitchin Town, Berkhamsted Town, Bedford Town, St Albans City, Chelmsford City, Dunstable Town, Hemel Hempstead Town, Chesham United and Biggleswade United, after starting in the Ipswich Town academy. His first professional coaching job saw him take over the reins at Stevenage Borough before joining Brentford as youth team manager ahead of the 2008/09 season, but Sarll would return to Stevenage initially as caretaker manager before taking over the role full time.
Two seasons at Broadhall Way preceded a move to recently relegated Yeovil Town in 2019, which sandwiched a brief return to youth football with a role in charge of Watford’s academy in 2018, however senior football came calling once more and he moved to Huish Park five months after leaving Vicarage Road.
Sarll would guide the Glovers to the play-off eliminator round in his first season, but despite initial success, he couldn’t recreate their form in his second and departed Somerset in March 2022, with Woking announcing him as their new manager on the same day.
This seemed to begin a pattern, with Sarll guiding the Cards to a fourth-place finish in 2022/23, however it would soon turn sour the following season, and the 41-year old departed the Laithwaite Community Stadium in November 2023, making the switch to Hartlepool five months later.
One to Watch
Emmanuel Dieseruvwe
Experienced forward Emmanuel Dieseruvwe has been a thorn in the side of numerous National League clubs, and will no doubt be tough to deal with for the U’s on Saturday.
Born in Leeds, Dierseruvwe began his career in the Sheffield Wednesday academy and spent time out on loan at Hyde United, Fleetwood Town and Chesterfield, before joining the latter permanently in 2013. The forward would spend a season at the Technique Stadium and made 25 appearances, but would be on the move again following a loan spell at Mansfield Town. A switch to Kidderminster Harriers saw him continue to play frequently, with four goals in 29 appearances prior to a brief loan stint at Boston United, which preceded a permanent move to Salford City in 2017.
He would move on loan to Chester after a year in Greater Manchester, but would soon carve out a four-year spell at the Peninsula Stadium, with Dieseruvwe opening the scoring in the 2019 National League play-off final, with Salford going on to win 3-0 against AFC Fylde and reach the EFL for the first time in the club’s history. Dieseruvwe continued this goalscoring form into the following season and wrote his name in Salford folklore with the Ammies’ first ever EFL goal, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Stevenage.
A brief loan move to Oldham Athletic would precede his permanent departure from Salford, with stints at Tranmere Rovers, Grimsby Town and FC Halifax Town following. He would fine great success with the latter two, scoring twice in the Mariners’ victorious play-off campaign in 2022, before joining Halifax the following season.
His single season with the Shaymen saw him score 13 goals and win the FA Trophy, before joining Hartlepool United in May 2023, and the 29-year old would end the season with a career-best 25 goals in all competitions.
Head-To-Head
Hartlepool United 2-2 Sutton United (11/02/2023)
Sutton United 2-0 Hartlepool United (17/09/2022)
Hartlepool United 1-1 Sutton United (19/02/2022)
Sutton United 1-0 Hartlepool United (14/09/2021)
Sutton United 3-0 Hartlepool United (23/05/2021)
Hartlepool United 1-0 Sutton United (30/01/2021)
Played for Both
Richie Bennett
Richie Bennett enjoyed a successful single season at the VBS Community Stadium, having signed from Stockport County following the U’s promotion to League Two in 2021. Bennett had spent the previous season on loan at County’s rivals Hartlepool United, scoring five goals in his first four games for the Pools including a hat-trick in a 7-2 victory over Wealdstone, before being recalled by Stockport at the end of April. He would subsequently play for the Hatters against Hartlepool in the National League play-off semi-final, with the latter going on to seal promotion to League Two.
Despite having his contract by Stockport cancelled, Bennett would still find himself in the EFL with Sutton United adding him to their ranks ahead of their first ever season in League Two. He scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Stevenage – the U’s first ever victory in the EFL and would finish the season with six goals in 38 outings. He also played in all eight games of Sutton’s run to the final of the EFL Trophy at Wembley Stadium, scoring a penalty in the shootout victory over Wigan Athletic in the semi-final, before appearing in the final against Rotherham United as a late substitute.
Team News
Ryan Jackson and Hayden Muller are still a couple of weeks away from a return to action, with the former recovering from a bruised retina picked up against Southend United, while the latter continues his rehab for a hamstring problem sustained against Dagenham & Redbridge.
On a more positive note, Dillon De Silva has trained all week and could be in contention for a place in the squad for the trip up north, having recovered from a knee injury sustained on the opening day of the season against Tamworth.
Watch Steve Morison’s full pre-match interview here.
Officials
Steven Copeland will be the man in the middle on Saturday. In his sixth season as a National League referee, his first game at this level was our 3-1 win at Hartlepool United in August 2019. He subsequently took charge of our games at Wrexham AFC and FC Halifax Town the following season.
How to Follow
Video
Overseas-based supporters can watch a live stream on National League TV by purchasing a match pass here for £9.99.
Audio
UK-based supporters will be able to listen to all the action, with a Mixlr audio commentary being available and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.
At the Prestige Group Stadium
Ticket prices
Adults: £22
Concessions (over 65; 18-21; armed forces; students): £16
Aged 6-13: £6
Under-5: Free when purchased in conjunction with a full paying adult.
All under-14s must be accompanied by an adult.
There is a £1.50 booking fee for online purchases. Tickets on the day can be bought from the ticket office which is open from 10am.
Ambulant Disabled/Wheelchair tickets are sold at the relevant category as above and a free companion ticket will be issued for those in receipt of Higher Rate Disability Allowance or Enhanced PIP (must be shown).
Click here to purchase a ticket.
Travel Info
The Supporters’ Coach leaves at 6.30am, with a fare of £50. You can book by emailing suttonunitedcoachtravel@hotmail.com. Payment required when booking.
By Car: Leave the A1(M) at junction 60 and follow the A689 all the way to Hartlepool. When you get to the Marina area carry on at a roundabout in to Marina Way, and at the next roundabout go left in to Middleton Road and then first left in to Clarence Road.
Parking at the ground is limited and bookable in advance by calling 01429 272584. There is also limited street parking around the ground and pay and display car parks at the transport interchange and Middleton Grange Shopping Centre which are a short walk away. Parking in some town centre car parks is free for the first 3 hours.
By Rail: Engineering works mean that services from King’s Cross are disrupted, with journey times of around five hours in each direction and no convenient direct Grand Central services. Leave at 07.34, changing at Leeds and Thornaby, to arrive at 1pm, or 08.30, changing at York and Thornaby, to arrive at 2pm. You can leave later from St Pancras, at 08.02 or 09.02 respectively, to arrive at the same times, with changes at Derby, York and Thornaby.
The latest train off Hartlepool to return on the Saturday night is 16.59, but if you can organise a lift or taxi to Darlington the last train from there is 18.30.
The ground is about a 5-10 minute walk from the station.
Kit Watch
The U’s will be wearing their amber home kit on the road. You can purchase a replica version here.
