The first five minutes of this match resembled an early pantomime. The first time the ball went out of play Sutton players prepared for a throw-in only to see the linesman inexplicably award it the other way. A quick attack down the right brought a corner and Callum Willock was left unmarked at the near post to score with a confident header with just 60 seconds on the clock. A long kick was then left to bounce by a hesitant United defence and Willock fired in a 30-yard volley that Alan Julian did well to turn away. A foul on Michael Spillane then brought a free-kick for the U's 25-yards out in a central position but Glen Southam's effort was straight at keeper Jack Turner. Charlie Clough was then guilty of overplaying the situation as Staines attacked down their left and instead of putting the ball "in row Z" he was dispossessed and saw Stephane Ngamvoulou race clear. Julian did brilliantly to keep out Ngamvoulou's first effort but the visiting forwarded capitalised on the rebound to knock the ball home. The linesman then raised an offside flag, there had indeed been another Staines player beyond Julian as the ball went into the net but after a brief discussion with his assistant, referee David Spain correctly allowed the goal to stand. And there were still only 5 minutes 20 seconds on the clock!
Sutton started the second half where they left off the first and had stretched the Staines defence twice before winning a free-kick 30 yards out from a foul on Reindorf. Jack Evans shaped up take the kick and caught everyone unawares by whipping the ball into the top corner, with Turner rooted to the spot. Kevin Amankwaah then did brilliantly on the right wing to create space and feed Haysman, who turned inside and fired a rising 25-yard shot over the bar. From a rare Staines attack the U's won the ball back deep inside their own half and launched a counter attack through Haysman and Dundas, who put in a good cross only for Reindorf to have a poor first touch and allow the defence to hack the ball clear. More good work by Amankwaah led to his cross being inches too high for Haysman but the U's didn't have to wait long for goal number 4, winning the ball back from Amankwaah's cross and finding Dundas who slipped a pass through to Evans, popping up in the centre forward position, and the full back slid the ball in for his second goal of the game.
A flurry of substitutes broke up the pattern of the game but the Staines midfield largely went missing as U's turned on the style and it was only a lack of care, combined with determined last-gasp defending, that prevented the score from rising. Dundas put in a great run and cross that just evaded everyone and the visitors defended stoutly against a series of corners but then a slick passing move almost backfired when Haysman sold Evans short and Staines broke at speed but failed to trouble Julian.
Haysman, who was named Man of the Match, might have had a penalty when he was nudged in the back as he tried to latch onto Nick Bignall's header and Bignall himself should have scored when set up by Clough's header but took long to get this shot away. With five minutes to go Staines might have pulled one back but Julian reacted smartly to keep out a near post header and the last word almost went to Dale Binns, loudly cheered when he came on, who turned his marker inside out but fired in a cross that was just too high for anyone to get a touch.
Sutton United :
1 Alan Julian 2 Kevin Amankwaah 3 Jack Evans 4 Michael Spillane 5 Callum Hart 6 Charlie Clough 7 Kane Haysman,
8 Glen Southam, 9 Craig Dundas 74 Williams, 10 Jessy Reindorf 61 Bignall, 11 Jo Kuffour 67 Binns, 12 Marvin Williams,
14 Ricky Wellard , 15 Nicholas Bignall, 16 Dale Binns, 17 Matt Lockwood.
Staines: J Turner, S Ming, M Worsfold, M James-Lewis, C M'Boungou, J Ifil, C O'Neill, S Ngamvoulou (sub A Lodge 77), C Willock (sub D Bassett 62), B Kiernan (sub B Pashaj 62), E Buchanan. Subs n/u L Neville, E Felix. Booked: Ngamvoulou.
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