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1-2
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| Hammatt 7 |
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West 80
Dunn 82
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| 11th October 2008 |
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FA Cup sponsored by E.ON,
3rd Qualifying Round |
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| 474 |
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| Justin Comley (Windsor) |
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1
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Paul Nicholls
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2
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Steve McKimm
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3
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Alan Bray
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4
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Gavin Heeroo
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5
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Chris Collins
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6
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Karim El-Salahi
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7
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Matt Hann
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76 Dunn |
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8
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Dean Palmer
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56 Dundas |
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9
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Steve West
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10
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Adam Wilde
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65 D Smith |
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11
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Gavin McCallum
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12
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Delando Smith
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14
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Billy Dunn
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15
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Craig Dundas
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16
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Jack Smith
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17
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Danny Bracken
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Sutton will appear in the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup for the first time since 1999, but for long spells of Saturday's third qualifying round tie at Wodson Park it looked as though they would again fail to reach that final qualifying stage as Ware struck an early goal and then held on despite U's having the overwhelming majority of possession. Persistence and fitness finally paid off, though, not to mention some well-judged substitutions, and two goals in two minutes, the second another match winner from Billy Dunn, turned the game in U's favour.
It was a win deserving of great credit, as this was a game fraught with danger against an ambitious side chasing a Ryman League Premier Division place who had reached the first round proper last season and who were determined to repeat the feat, watched by a crowd three times the size of their average league gate, although that was also due to the volume of travelling support. It was the sort of tie that Sutton needed to keep quiet for the first twenty minutes to take the sting out of their opponents, but inside seven minutes it was Ware who had the ideal start as experienced striker Bryan Hammatt, formerly with Enfield and Slough and signed during the week, produced a superb finish when the ball broke to him just inside the right edge of the penalty area, firing across Paul Nicholls in to the top far corner of the net.
U's took time to recover from the setback, and it looked as though the travelling supporters might be in for a disappointing afternoon, but as the half wore on U's dominance in terms of possession increased, and inevitably the chances followed. Midfielder Steve McKimm tested Richard Hayward in the home goal with a 25 yard effort when Matt Hann's shot had been blocked, but then should have equalised on the half hour when he ran through an oncoming defence to find himself with just Hayward to beat, but shot weakly to allow the keeper to save. As the pressure mounted home skipper Danny Wolf, already lucky to escape punishment after a clash with Steve West in which there appeared to be head contact, was booked for bundling Gavin McCallum over on the edge of the penalty area, but it was West who came closest when Dean Palmer headed back Adam Wilde's cross, and West volleyed superbly on the turn only to see the goalbound effort headed away by Laurie Stewart. Wilde then thumped in a long range shot which Hayward needed two attempts to save, but the half time whistle rescued the home side when it looked as though an equaliser was only a matter of time, even if the half had ended in the Sutton penalty area with John Frendo's deflected shot looping harmlessly over the bar.
Although still having the vast majority of possession, Sutton struggled to regain the momentum after the interval and Hayward had a relatively untroubled spell as his defenders managed to keep U's attacks at a safe distance. Had either referee Justin Comley or his assistant been in a different position U's would have had a penalty when Chris Collins was pushed in the back, but it wasn't long before manager Paul Doswell rang the changes with Craig Dundas, Delando Smith and finally Dunn all thrown on in an attempt to save the game, Dundas in the central midfield position in which he had caught the eye briefly against Horsham.
There was always a danger of U's being caught on the break, and Sam Berry dragged a 20 yard shot wide after being set up by Hammatt before Smith and Karim El-Salahi combined to clear at the far post from Michael Sharman's dangerous cross. Piling men forward, though, U's finally got their reward when Dunn, just four minutes after coming on, pushed a pass down the left that at last gave McCallum the chance to leave the defence in his wake, and when his low cross was allowed to reach West the experienced striker, ironically given the perfect connection he had made with his unsuccessful first half volley, found the net courtesy of a miskick that completely wrongfooted Hayward.
It may have been scruffy, but it was also richly deserved and a huge relief, as the celebrations involving players and supporters demonstrated. U's would happily have taken the replay at that point, and would have started hot favourites at home, but just two minutes later West climbed to head Gavin Heeroo's free kick back across goal, and Dunn headed in to set off the celebrations again. Ware's efforts to reply lacked conviction, and U's almost had a third in the last minute when Dundas powered through the defence but was denied a memorable goal by the onrushing Hayward. There was still time for one less welcome incident, however, as Heeroo was booked for the length of time he took to take the resulting corner, and as a result will miss the 4th qualifying round through suspension.
Ware: R Hayward, D Blower, M Bardle, D Wolf, L Stewart, S Berry, M Sharman(sub S Horsey 76), K Fehmi(sub L Bristow 65), J Frendo, P Burton, B Hammatt(sub X Doku 78). Subs n/u L Beadle, J Berry, J Hoad. Booked: Wolf(34-foul).
The FA Cup stands on guard as Chris Collins leads the team out.
A Ware defender and the 'keeper combine to deny Gavin McCallum an early chance.
Steve McKimm's one on one effort is saved.
Steve West celebrates his 80th minute equaliser.
2 minutes later... Billy Dunn watches his header go in.
West congratulates Dunn on the winning goal.
Paul Doswell with the prize from the most famous domestic cup competition in the world. |
