Tuesday 6th April – Lucas Fettes Isthmian League Cup 3rd Round
AFC Wimbledon 1 Sutton United 2 AET (Score 1-1 after 90minutes)
Birthday boy Bajrush Halili sealed the win in injury time of the first half of extra time after a performance well worthy of victory saw Sutton through to the quarter finals of this cup competition. With Sutton looking to avenge the defeat also in extra time against the same side in the FA Youth Cup earlier in the season, Chris Sessegnon’s equaliser midway through the second half and Halili’s deflected winner won the game after a Wilson Gondue goal had given AFC Wimbledon the lead.
Sutton started brightly with an early Lewis Lovelock chance being kept out by Sujit Dadar in the Dons goal. Good work down the right between Elliot Tomkins, Sessegnon and Lovelock saw Halili’s half volley well stopped by Dadar. Ben Clarke took a knock to the head also and looked as if he may have to come off, without a substitute keeper on the bench, quite a concern, but he managed to carry on. Gondue’s goal came about when some poor defending from a throw in saw him in space to powerfully stroke home. Clarke was kept busy in the Sutton goal, keeping out a fierce Sami Bakhit shot and after punching out a long throw in, the ball ricocheted around his box and was cleared from danger. Joe Jackson had an opportunity to double the Dons lead when sent clear, lobbing Clarke and with Robbie Drewett chasing back, he saw the ball hit the post and go wide. The U’s best chance of the half came near the half time whistle, Sessegnon testing the keeper with a well struck ball before Drewett’s shot on the follow up was tipped over the bar.
Sutton were a lot better in the second half, finding and creating more space and causing many problems for the home side. The hard work came to fruition when also taking advantage of a quick throw, Halil received the ball and squared to Sessegnon, who took a touch on the bobbly pitch before thumping home to get the U’s right back into the game and on the ascendancy. Clarke had to be brave to claim the ball from the feet of a Dons player when the ball broke to him in a penalty area melee and Lewis Wilson put a half chance over the bar before the game had a 10 minute delay when the floodlights on the far side of the pitch went out making the conditions unplayable, they soon came back on though and Ryan Donachie could have won it late on for Sutton when his header from a Wilson corner crept just wide of the far post.
Sutton’s superior fitness and will to win saw them dominate extra time, Ope Fashoro stung Dadar’s fingers with a good strike and Drewett forced the Dons' stopper into a fine save from 20 yards before the breakthrough. Sessegnon played the ball inside to Halili whose shot was going wide until it deflected off Rhys Turner, on the floor having slid in trying to defend, thus deceiving the goalkeeper and the ball rolled into an unguarded net. The second half of extra time saw Sutton playing the ball around well but the Dons didn’t have the fight to get back on level terms, James Young dealing with the only half attempt when Clarke missed a cross from a corner that Young headed away comfortably.
Sutton: Ben Clarke, Elliot Tomkins, Robbie Drewett, Dan Faulkner (James Young 90), Ryan Donachie, Kien Millington, Chris Sessegnon, Lewis Wilson, Bajrush Halili, James Page (Ope Fashoro 83), Lewis Lovelock (George Winter104) Subs N/U: Luke Farrer, Jordan Bird. Goals: Sessegnon 66, Halili 105. Cautions: Lovelock, Tomkins, Millington, Sessegnon
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