Monday 15th February – Ryman Youth League
Tooting and Mitcham 0 Sutton United 1
Sutton travelled to the league leaders and succeeded in beating them for the second time this season in a tight, entertaining match, though were in control for most of the game on a good pitch considering recent weather conditions, claiming victory by the odd goal from a Josh Gallagher strike.
It was Gallagher who had the first chance of the game when he headed over the bar from a Lewis Lovelock cross before Tooting had a good chance to take the lead when, from a corner the ball ricocheted around the penalty area before being cleared off of the goal line. Gallagher’s goal came from a Robbie Drewett free kick, played deep to the back post from the left where Gallagher came in late and unmarked to stroke home. Tooting’s pace was dangerous and they countered well and Sutton played the same tactic when Chris Sessegnon shot wide from twenty yards following a Tooting set piece. Tooting’s pace was apparent again soon after when their left back Leslie Nti raced past 3 players before shooting just wide of Elliot Orris’ near post. Bajrush Halili was being kept quiet and when he dropped short to claim a ball in midfield he was able to send Sessegnon away down the right, laying off to Joe Wornham whose shot was pushed wide by Matthew Drace in the Tooting goal. Sutton were playing the ball around well on a good surface and Tooting were being forced into playing long balls out wide to allow their pacy forwards to chase onto.
Bajrush Halili stepped up to the plate to take a penalty Sutton claimed when a Lovelock ball was handled in the box early in the second half, only for Drace to keep the ball out stopping well to his right. Reece Hall couldn’t beat the defensive wall when the opportunity for an equaliser from a free kick fell his way on the edge of the box, followed by another free kick being touched to Elliott Phipps and his blast being well held by Orris. Sutton exerted more pressure, Lovelock being kept out by the Tooting keeper again who was having a good game. Luke Nonadio attacked the box and shot wide of the U’s goal before James Young, always dangerous form set pieces connected well with a Drewett corner that was cleared off of the line. Late on Sutton had chances to extend their lead with Halili shooting at the keeper, ending back at Elliot Tomkins whose attempted lob was claimed by Drace, Fashoro shooting over the bar following good link up play between Halili and Sessegnon before the final chance fell to Gallagher when Kien Millington split the defence with a looping pass that Gallagher couldn’t put past the solid Tooting stopper.
Sutton: Elliot Orris, Elliot Tomkins, Robbie Drewett, Dan Faulkner, James Young, Kien Millington, Chris Sessegnon, Josh Gallagher, Bajrush Halili (Eamon Carpenter 88), Joe Wornham (Ope Fashoro 65), Lewis Lovelock (Jordan Bird 81) Subs N/u: Ryan Donachie, James Page.
Goal: Gallagher 14. Cautions: Tomkins, Millington, Gallagher
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