Match Report

Sutton suffered defeat in the National League Cup as a goal in each half saw West Ham record a 2-0 victory at the VBS Community Stadium. It was a frustrating evening for Sutton, who struggled to find the form that had been shown in the previous game in the competition against Tottenham, and who lost midfielder Siju Odelusi just before half time with a dislocated shoulder.

Of the starting line-up at Altrincham only Jeremy Sivi was on the pitch for the kick off on Tuesday, with the changes including a first competitive appearance of the season for goalkeeper Sam Roberts, and he was soon in the spotlight as West Ham won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area in the first two minutes, but Roberts passed the test impressively, gathering in Lewis Orford’s skidding shot.

Josh Coley, returning for the first time since being injured in the FA Trophy game against Ebbsfleet, found himself in space in the West Ham penalty area but saw his shot blocked and loop in to the arms of goalkeeper Finlay Herrick, and it was the visitors, playing at a higher tempo than Spurs had a fortnight earlier and much quicker to get the ball forward, who went in front just before the half hour mark when Junior Robinson exchanged passes with Kamarai Swyer to break free down the right and crossed for Ryan Battrum, who shot past Roberts only for Coley to clear off the line, but Josh Ajala was following up and neither Coley or Roberts could prevent his effort crossing the line.

Coley was soon replaced soon afterwards by Vinnie Tume, who just failed to connect with a cross from the left, but while that substitution was intended, the departure of Odelusi just before half time wasn’t, Liam Moore coming on to replace him and impressing in his time on the pitch.

Sutton had chances in the second half to get something from the game, with the best chance falling to Sivi who climbed highest to meet a Dillon De Silva cross eight yards out but put his header wide. Moore drove a 20 yard shot past the near post, and then combined with Tume to set up Nana Boateng, who was denied by a fine challenge from Sean Tarima that sent the ball trickling just wide of the post.

Roberts had had a relatively untroubled second half in U’s goal, but was picking the ball out of his net again eight minutes from time when a left wing cross from Ezra Mayers was collected by Ajala, and although his shot past Roberts hit the foot of the post, Robinson, impressive on the right all evening, had a tap in from the rebound to clinch the Hammers’ victory.

Sutton: S Roberts, R Jackson, C Okoli, S Williams(sub J Wadham 61), H Ransom(sub J Eccleston 60), S Odelusi(sub L Moore 42), J Coley(sub V Tume 32), N Boateng, J Sivi, E Vaz, D De Silva. Subs n/u J Sims, H Muller, B Topallaj.

West Ham: F Herrick, J Robinson, Luizao, P Fearon(sub S Moore 86), S Tarima, A Golambecis, R Battrum, L Orford(sub T Akpata 62), J Ajala(sub B Dolaghan 86), K Swyer, E Mayers. Subs n/u F Hooper, F Fawunmi, D Rigge, G Caliste.

Referee: Matthew Russell

Attendance:1,164