Date   25th August 2008     Competition   Ryman League Premier Division     Attendance    546     Referee   Stuart Butler (Maidstone)

Lineup   1 Paul Nicholls     2 Jack Smith     3 Alan Bray      4 Steve McKimm    53 George 5 Chris Collins     6 Karim El-Salahi     7 Matt Hann    53 D Smith 8 Gavin Heeroo     9 Steve West    53 Roberts 10 Craig Dundas     11 Gavin McCallum             12 Delando Smith     14 Kevin George     15 Adam Roberts     16 Danny Bracken     17

Two days after what should have been a morale-boosting three points against Hendon, Sutton lost their unbeaten league record in comprehensive fashion on Monday against a Tooting side without a point from their first three games and coming in to the local derby on the back of a 7-0 hiding at Ashford on Saturday. Had U’s managed to score early on the home side’s confidence might have been damaged, but instead U’s gifted Tooting an opener in the 18^th minute and were then caught out by swift counter attacks in the second half that had the hosts’ first three points of the season in the bag before Gavin McCallum’s two late strikes gave the scoreline a more respectable look. McCallum might have provided that early strike with a second minute header that threatened for a moment to loop over goalkeeper Lawrie Walker before he back-pedalled to clutch he ball above his head, and Steve West had an angled shot blocked, but then Paul Nicholls received a back pass and decided to try and dribble round Allan McLeod before clearing, only to be muscled off the ball by the Tooting midfielder, who rolled the ball in to the net as Nicholls complained in vain that he had been fouled. It was the only time Tooting got close to U’s penalty area in the first half, and although with Dean Palmer joining Chukki Eribenne and Adam Wilde on the injured list U’s struggled to create much themselves from the midfield, they would have fancied their chances of turning things round in the second half. Five minutes after the restart, though, the task became harder as a move following a corner broke down and Matt Hann’s cross was cleared mightily beyond the halfway line, leaving Ben Abbey to race clear, round Nicholls and tuck away a well taken goal. Manager Paul Doswell’s response gave a clear indication of what he thought of events, Hann, West and Steve McKimm all making way in a treble substitution, but there was little improvement and just after the hour mark Tooting were further ahead. U’s this time seemed to have legitimate complaints as Kevin George appeared to be fouled as he tried to bring the ball out of defence, but referee Stuart Butler, who missed too much to be satisfied with his afternoon’s work, waved play on and McLeod’s chip found Jamie Byatt beating Abbey to the ball and lashing a shot unstoppably past Nicholls. Tooting’s ability to get the ball forward quickly always troubled U’s, and brought them more reward twelve minutes from time as U’s again found themselves in the opposing penalty area for an attacking free kick, but then hopelessly outnumbered at the back when the ball was hacked clear. This time it was Colin Hartburn who led the charge, outpacing Jack Smith and squaring the ball across the advancing Nicholls to give substitute Dave Stevens a tap-in. The game beyond them, U’s did salvage some pride in the last five minutes as McCallum first produced a delightful back-heeled finish to divert a low Craig Dundas cross in to the net, and then turned on to a pass from the lively Delando Smith before firing low past Walker, but it was too little, too late as regards the outcome.

Tooting: L Walker, D Hamlin, C Hartburn, O Hunt(sub M Dynan 81), J Vines, A Goode, A McLeod(sub C Pitterson 72), J Pinnock, P Vines(sub D Stevens 74), B Abbey, J Byatt. Subs n/u R Bouadji, M Grant.  Booked: McLeod(38-foul), Abbey(61-obstructing a Sutton free kick), Hamlin(80-shirt pulling), J Vines(85-time wasting).

The U's huddle just prior to kick off.


Craig Dundas is pulled down just outside the area.


Adam Roberts cuts in to the Tooting box.


Gavin McCallum's crafty back heel beats the 'keeper.


McCallum calmly places his shot to bag his second.


The players congratulate McCallum on his second goal.