After the disappointment of Monday's defeat against Boreham Wood and a slightly turbulent week, Sutton were in much better shape when the final whistle went at Clarence Park on Saturday, able to celebrate three good points against a promoted side that had started the season well, and that much closer to a fully fit squad with Callum Hart and Dale Binns both having a first game of the season, although Hart was forced off with just over twenty minutes to go with an ankle injury that U's will hope does not prove a long-term problem given his largely assured performance to that point. It wasn't all plain sailing,as the home side will have felt that the equaliser they scored on the stroke of half time was the least they deserved at that point, but asked by the home side to play down the slope in the second half U's were much more dominant after the break, even if John Frendo's late effort did cause some anxious moments before Kane Haysman finally killed the game off in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
It took less than five minutes for Binns to provide the spark that U's have missed in the early games of the season, outpacing the defence on the right to reach a long ball over the top and crossing for Jamie Taylor to score his first league goal of the season from close range. The lead would have been short-lived had the lively Sean Shields not dragged a shot wide after bursting through the middle, and both Shields and Steve Wales sent shots just past as St Albans enjoyed a good spell, the throw-ins of Lee Chappell a threat from anywhere inside the Sutton half. but at the other end the home defence never looked secure when Binns and Taylor chased passes over the top, and both Charlie Clough and Ricky Wellard miscued shots when in good positions.
That was moments before half time, and 14 seconds after the interval worse could have followed as Clough reacted too slowly to Hart's headed clearance, allowing Shields to win possession and lift the ball over Julian but against the top of the bar. Instead of being behind, though, U's were soon back in front as Michael Spillane's dipping 25-yard shot was tipped over by Joe Welch, and from Lockwood's corner Clough powered a header in to the net. Marvin Williams then went through on the left but hooked his shot across goal, but U's had a degree of control in the second half, although Hart was required for one crucial interception to deny James Comley in a goalmouth scramble. Moments earlier an aerial challenge had seen Hart fall awkwardly and Clough land on top of him, and the defender departed soon afterwards along with Binns.
The third change soon afterwards saw Jessy Reindorf replace Taylor, and with six minutes left Reindorf seemed to have made the points safe. The goal started with a fine piece of work by Jack Evans, who cut out a crossfield pass with a volleyed pass to Haysman on the half way line, and Haysman put through a perfectly judged ball for Reindorf, who rounded Welch and rolled the ball in despite attentions from a defender that would probably have led to a penalty and a red card had Reindorf not scored. St Albans weren't finished,though, and a long throw from Chappell, albeit one that should have gone Sutton's way, led to a scramble in which Julian made one stunning reflex save from Frendo before the striker finally forced the ball over the line. With the board showing five added minutes as Sutton restarted there was the fear of another winning position being lost, but when Clough headed a free kick away Lockwood opted against clearing the ball as far as possible and instead brought the ball out of defence on the left. Williams took over on the halfway line before playing a pass through to Haysman, who calmly lifted the ball over the advancing Welch and end the home side's resistance.
St Albans: Shields 45 + 1, Frendo 90.
Sutton United: Taylor 5, Clough 49, Reindorf 84, Haysman 90+4
Sutton United:1 Alan Julian, 2 Jack Evans, 3 Matt Lockwood, 4 Michael Spillane, 5 Callum Hart, (67 John), 6 Charlie Clough, 7 Marvin Williams, 8 Craig Dundas, 9 Ricky Wellard, 10 Jamie Taylor, (77 Reindorf), 11 Dale Binns, ( 70 Haysman), 12 Kane Haysman, 14 Jessy Reindorf, 15 Luke Ruddick, 16 Louis John, 17 Tom Lovelock.
St Albans: J Welch, J Kyriacou, L Chappell, D Green, B Martin, D Locke(sub T Ward 32), L Clarke(sub L Pires 70), J Comley, J Frendo, S Shields, S Wales (sub M Taylor 70). Subs n/u E Buchanan, D Keeneleyside. Booked: Martin (66-foul), Ward (78-foul)
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