Date   20th September 2008     Competition   Ryman League Premier Division     Attendance    544     Referee   Lloyd Rendell (Worthing)

Lineup   1 Paul Nicholls     2 Jack Smith    85 West 3 Alan Bray     4 Gavin Heeroo       5 Chris Collins     6 Karim El-Salahi     7 Matt Hann    68 D Smith 8 Adam Wilde    80 Dunn 9 Karl Murray     10 Craig Dundas     11 Gavin McCallum             12 Dean Palmer     14 Billy Dunn     15 Steve West     16 Steve McKimm     17 Delando Smith

Refusing to accept just a point from a game that they had largely dominated from start to finish, Sutton’s persistence on the pitch, and attacking intentions off it, reaped reward when Billy Dunn, one of three attacking players sent on by manager Paul Doswell in the last quarter of the game, forced home his first senior goal for U’s with three minutes left and enabled them to move up to 7^th place in the table, above visitors who must have thought that their defending, with Ben Patten and Chris Moore impressive, had earned them a draw. Having hit the bar, had two shots cleared off the line and seen a goal unnecessarily ruled out for offside Sutton could have been forgiven for thinking that it was just one of those days, and it might have been worse had Dave Lee not missed the best chance of the game during the one spell of pressure that Canvey Island had enjoyed midway through the second half, but just moments after defender Jack Smith had been replaced by striker Steve West, sending out a message that manager Paul Doswell thought the game could still be won, Gavin McCallum raced down the left wing after West had nudged on a throw in, and when his low cross evaded goalkeeper Mel Capleton, Dunn was on the spot to force the ball over the line. It was also reward for McCallum, whose tireless efforts had kept the Canvey defence fully occupied throughout the afternoon and who could easily have had a hat trick, although his keenness to put his name on the scoresheet did deny Karim El-Salahi what would have been the opening goal soon after half time as he tapped the ball in unnecessarily from an offside position. 

McCallum had U’s first chance after seven minutes, just failing to get his header on target when Chris Collins headed back a free kick, but it was later in the half that Sutton came closest as they might have gone ahead three times in a five minute spell. First McCallum showed superb movement and technique to meet Matt Hann’s low cross at the near post with a first time shot that Capleton managed to push against the bar, then Hann dragged a shot wide after Adam Wilde’s pass had run through to him. Moments later Gavin Heeroo did well to make an interception in midfield and put McCallum through on the right, and then kept going to receive a return pass and fire in a shot that beat Capleton but was brilliantly headed clear by Patten. U’s thought they had achieved the breakthrough five minutes after half time when El-Salahi met Wilde’s free kick at the far post and prodded the ball past Capleton. It was on its way in when McCallum decided to intervene, only to be flagged offside once he had touched the ball. McCallum then had a header from Wilde’s corner blocked on the line, and when he had another low shot pushed wide by Capleton it began to look as though it might be one of those days. 

Canvey then reinforced that impression as substitute Danny Curran, who had replaced his brother Jay only minutes earlier, took advantage of a mix-up between Collins and Paul Nicholls and lifted a shot just wide, and then Lee missed the chance of the match so far, skying the ball hopelessly over the bar from eight yards after Leon Gordon had cut in from the right and pulled the ball back. U’s began to make changes, and within four minutes of coming on the lively Delando Smith had contrived a similar miss after being set up by McCallum’s neat backheel, but it was the next substitute Dunn, fresh from his seven goal performance for the youth team in midweek, who was to have the crucial last word and ensure that U’s efforts received their just rewards.

Canvey Island: M Capleton, T Mustafa, R Oliva, B Patten, C Moore, C Davidson, L Gordon, D Lee, J Curran(sub D Curran 63), K Dobinson(sub A West 76), G Fanibuyan  Subs n/u J Edwards, S Batch. Booked: J Curran(15-obstructing goalkeeper’s clearance), Oliva(37-foul), Fanibuyan(85-foul).

Matt Hann runs at the Canvey defence.


Craig Dundas tries to keep the ball away from two defenders.


Karl Murray chips the ball forward.


Gavin McCallum sees his shot hit the back of the net, only for it to be disallowed.


Billy Dunn begins to celebrate his 87th minute winner.


Dean Palmer, Steve McKimm and Paul Doswell celebrate the goal.