Date   6th September 2008     Competition   Ryman League Premier Division     Attendance    383     Referee   Daniel Austin (Bognor Regis)

Lineup   1 Paul Nicholls     2 Jack Smith     3 Alan Bray     4 Dean Palmer      85 Dundas 5 Chris Collins     6 Karim El-Salahi     7 Matt Hann     8 Adam Wilde    79 D Smith 9 Chukki Eribenne     10 Karl Murray     11 Gavin McCallum    90 West         12 Delando Smith     14 Craig Dundas     15 Steve West     16 Steve McKimm     17 Danny Bracken

For the second week running Sutton put a bad result behind them as they bounced back from the 4-0 drubbing at Wealdstone to pick up their first away win of the season against a Horsham side who had won their first four games but for whom this was now a third consecutive defeat. Followers of the Sussex side who had made the 20 mile trip to their temporary home at Worthing would claim that they were worth a point from an entertaining game, but U’s deserved great credit having to cope with by far the worst of the conditions, as the relatively benign weather of the first half gave way to a howling gale and intermittent downpours after the break which U’s had to face. After those conditions had contributed to a Horsham equaliser that went directly in from a corner, the home side would have fancied their chances of going on to win, but U’s survived an awkward ten minutes, finished strongly and were rewarded for their efforts when substitute Craig Dundas, brought on for the last five minutes as a central midfielder, brilliantly set up a last minute winner for Gavin McCallum. U’s had an early scare when Chris Collins slipped as he turned trying to deal with a through ball, and left Paul Nicholls with three Horsham players bearing down on him, but as Mark Knee squared a pass to Lee Carey, U’s keeper did well to keep out a low shot. It took Sutton until the 27^th minute to create their first worthwhile chance, Dean Palmer’s persistence in the tackle enabling Matt Hann to drift in from the right past several defenders, but then shoot wide of Paul Seuke’s left hand post. Palmer was a bit too persistent in his next challenge, booked for a foul which saw Knee depart injured, but Horsham tested Nicholls again five minutes before half time, Lee Carney’s swerving 25 yarder turned away at full stretch, and Jack Smith clearing superbly when the rebound was lifted towards the far post. Immediately before the break it was Seuke’s turn to excel, pushing round a low shot from Chukki Eribenne that was heading for the bottom corner of the net, but as soon as the second half started it became clear that U’s were up against it as the rain poured down and the wind picked up strength. Carney and Carey launched one quick attack that ended with Carney’s low shot being pushed round by Nicholls, but it was Sutton who struck just before the hour mark. McCallum, who caused the Horsham defence problems throughout, turned away from a challenge, cut in from the right, and then played a pass across the face of the penalty area to Adam Wilde, whose first touch seemed slightly heavy and gave Seuke a chance to reach the ball, but whose second touch lifted it delightfully over the keeper in to the net. With the wind behind them Horsham turned up the pressure in search of an equaliser, and another swift attack involving Jack Page and Gary Charman ended with Charman’s shot being blocked by a combination of Nicholls and Alan Bray. Apart from that, though, U’s kept the home side at bay until Karim El-Salahi deflected a shot wide, and Carey’s corner swung in over Nicholls and in to the corner of the net. Having realised the threat, Carey tried something similar minutes later from a free kick. Nicholls managed to keep this one out, but could only beat it down and he was grateful to see substitute Liam Baitup put the rebound over the bar. Carey also hit a low shot that Nicholls grabbed at the second attempt, but U’s survived intact and in the last ten minutes began to create chances of their own. McCallum was fouled in the act of shooting by Sam Page, who was booked for the challenge, and Seuke did excellently to get down and turn McCallum’s free kick wide, and with his first touch Dundas volleyed wide after a free kick had been chipped back by Collins. There was another wind-assisted scare at the other end, as Nicholls again struggled with a Carey corner under pressure, but this time Jacob Mingle missed the clear chance that was on offer and with the game entering stoppage time El-Salahi’s challenge on the half way line enabled U’s to stay on the attack after a free kick had been cleared, and Dundas powered through from midway inside the Horsham half, played a fine one-two with Eribenne, and crossed low for McCallum to win the game from close range.

Horsham: P Seuke, J Page, R Eldridge, A Howard, S Page, L Carney, J Mingle(sub S Graham 89), L Carey, E Archibald(sub L Baitup 71), M Knee(sub L Farrell 29), G Charman . Subs n/u I Payne, R Frankland. Booked: Eldridge(21-foul), Charman(37-foul), S Page(82-foul).

Matt Hann is brough down when through on goal.


Chukki Eribenne flicks the ball on.


Dean Palmer makes a sliding challenge.


Adam Wilde lifts the ball over the 'keeper to give the U's the lead.


Players celebrate Gavin McCallum's injury time winner.


The players applaud the travelling supporters.