Mens 1st XI vs UEA Mens 1

Sutton head into Halloween break on one leg!

Sutton welcomed UEA to HQ off the back of a good performance on the road last weekend! They welcomed back several faces in Jim, Foxy, Raggers and Willy T! Jim was nursing a dodgy hamstring after rubbing it up the wrong way at training Tuesday! Wise words from Nellis told him it wasn’t going to go well… Nellis was correct… The Admin was carrying a black ankle after the unfortunate mistake of standing and receiving his co-captain’s back foot shot to the ankle at training also! Despite these two, most the rest of the squad were at full fitness. Not even Cletus had had a beer!

The boys lined up strong to begin and as the game kicked off held out well. They were organised and kept out most things good from the travelling side. UEA we’re to strike first but good ol’ Willy T thought otherwise. A brilliant run through the middle of the park to force a shot and save brought about a long corner from Baker. From such set piece Will found himself in space driving into the right side of the circle to finish tidily into the bottom corner! 1-1.

UEA came back at Sutton but it was the classic 5 minute spell that would cost the home side again. UEA capitalised on this and the back line along with Piggers in goal, could do nothing to prevent two goals going in within this space of time. Sutton wanted to pull themselves back before half time however and that they did. Another PC won and Baker rounded both runners and keeper to put away the home side’s second! HT 3-2

The boys found themselves in a similar position to last week where they were well in a game at the halfway point and if they could keep the organisation and attacks going forward they could certainly get points from this game… oh, and keep their discipline? Maybe that one should’ve been reiterated….

UEA came out firing in the second half and didn’t take long to put away their fourth, instantly putting the Greens on the back foot. It did not quite deter them however. They went back at the travelling side once more and won another PC. A routine between Baker and Batten the home side a stroke. Baker took and converted with aplomb. Sutton were just keeping their foot in the door but after pulling one back soon conceded once more. It was turning into a back and forth affair and a driving run down the left from Baker saw him enter the circle into a dangerous position down the baseline only to be stick tackled through the back in the circle… nothing given… he carried on for a second only for the umpire to blow the other way. Cue huge hot head moment.

Not much description needed of this but it resulted in Baker having a 10 minute sit down as well as Nellis due to the actions of Jim on the sidelines. I will leave you readers to imagine what happened…

And so the home side now had a huge uphill task. 8 outfielders left on the pitch for 10 minutes of the remaining 17, 5-3 down, an admin on one leg and a centre back who’s knees were giving way. Oh and Willy T who was soon to break down with cramp!

Surprisingly Sutton dealt fairly well with 8 outfielders and a few cripples, a 1v1 with the GK saw Willy Ts calves collapse in on him as he entered the circle and he could only watch the ball off the baseline. UEA managed to put one away towards the end of the suspensions and the score was 6-3 as the two re-entered play. Sutton had a couple more chances but so did the travelling side and it was them to add one more to the scoreboard. FT 7-3

It was a bit of a brutal, gruelling game with several knocks, cards, goals and was certainly back and forth with Sutton not being short of chances. Another day, decisions going other ways, could it have been a different game? Who knows. But the boys now have two weeks to prepare for the big one on November 2nd as they head to face S****ing! The first league meeting between the two sides post-covid!

POTM was Dano! A superb right back performance picking plenty and distributing the ball beautifully!

DOTD was Jim! Some will say the biggest robbery of all time… others will say it was the correct decision! Make sure the chicken keeps both legs this time Jim!

See you all in two weeks for the big one!!!