Match Report

A Sutton side whose outfield line-up comprised entirely academy players suffered an agonising exit from the Surrey Senior Cup, leading twice in the tie and missing two golden chances in stoppage time to avoid the need for a penalty shoot out in which the more experienced Sheerwater side edged through.

There was lots to admire from U’s youthful team, who played some attractive football to create opportunities which they they couldn’t take, the ball flashing across the face of the Sheerwater goal on several occasions during the evening without anyone applying the final touch, but the huge frustration will be the two chances that fell to U’s right at the end, when first Vinnie Tume volleyed over from Joden Trickett’s cross from eight yards out, and then substitute James Fennelow headed a fine Charlie Bell cross wide.

After Sheerwater had made the faster start Sutton grew in to the game and, apart from a Kareem Foster shot that hit the side netting, and Matt Kerbey in the Sutton goal having to dive to his right to save when a cross skimmed off the head of Junior Eccleston most of the goalmouth activity was at the other end. Liam Moore and Khyan Edwards both hit the side netting, Edwards shot wide after a well worked corner move, and both Trickett and Tume just failed to get meaningful contact on low crosses from Callum Lee and Dan Urpens in the six yard box. It was no more than U’s deserved when they went in front four minutes before half time, a neat flick by Tume allowing Bobby Sheargold to attack the penalty area before sending in a low shot which was spilled by goalkeeper Chris Adams and Trickett was on hand to roll the ball in to the net.

U’s were stunned two minutes after the break by a superb piece of opportunism from Joel Onu, who won a tackle with Moore fifteen yards inside the Sutton half, spotted Kerbey off his line, and hit a shot that was in from the moment it left his foot. However Sutton responded well and within five minutes a low cross shot from Edwards found the corner of the net with the help of a deflection off defender Michael Leech. Again U’s couldn’t hold the lead, though, as Dylan Martins sent Foster through a huge gap in Sutton’s defence and although Kerbey came out to make a good save he was unable to prevent Foster scoring from the rebound.

Sheerwater’s best spell of the game followed, but they were unable to test Kerbey and as the game reached its closing stages Sutton increased the pressure, with Tume diverting a Ned Hepburn cross just wide of the near post.

In the six minutes of stoppage time both Tume and Fennelow could have earned U’s a second round trip to Merstham, but neither could hit the target and so penalties ensued in which U’s always seemed to be playing catch up once Trickett’s opening kick had been saved by substitute goalkeeper Fabio Suarez, who had replaced the injured Adams early in the second half. Fennelow and Bell both converted, and although Hepburn’s penalty was again saved by Suarez, this time with the help of the post, two saves from Kerbey, from Martins and Jake Horn, kept U’s in it after four penalties each. Ronny Ruiz then hit the bar with U’s next kick, leaving Sheerwater substitute Noiki Omogbolahan to produce arguably the best of the ten penalties, sent high in to the net to clinch Sheerwater’s second round place.

Sutton: M Kerbey, C Lee, A Reeves, D Urpens, J Eccleston(Sub J Brian H-T), L Moore (sub C Bell 62), K Edwards(sub J Fennelow 81), B Sheargold(sub R Ruiz 89), V Tume, G Vorster(sub N Hepburn 68), J Trickett. Booked: Urpens, Lee, Reeves.

Sheerwater: C Adams (sub F Suarez 56), G Mackie, C Mackie, R White, M Leech(sub L Avery 57), D Martins, K Foster, J Tomlinson(sub J Horn 62), J Onu, B Mitchell(sub E York 57), B Hyseni(sub N Omogbolahan 62).

Referee Nigel Owen

Attendance: 125