Southern Youth League Cup Final

With the Surrey Under 18 Floodlit Cup already safely in the trophy cabinet, Sutton completed a cup double when they retained the Southern Youth League Cup with a victory that was eventually comfortable, but only after an awkward first half which it seemed as though U's would finish trailing until Billy Dunn's equaliser with the last kick of the half. A scrappy opening on a difficult surface saw Jerson Dos Santos have an early free kick tipped away by the Chipstead goalkeeper, who then blocked the follow-up from Abi Benis, before Chipstead went ahead with a bizarre goal after 16 minutes as a cross-cum-shot from the right drifted over Danny Bracken's head and inside the far post. Only towards the end of the half did U's begin to look threatening as George Ansell's 20 yard shot was saved and Dos Santos, needing one goal to reach 30 reserve and youth goals for the season, headed badly wide from Dunn's chip in from the right. Just when it looked as though Chipstead would reach the interval ahead Dos Santos burst through from the halfway line and powered in a shot which the keeper could only beat away and Dunn followed in to score. The half time whistle blew the moment Chipstead restarted, and after an early scare in the second half when Bracken was able to save a close range shot and Karl Humphrey blocked the rebound on the line U's began to assert themselves. The breakthrough came with just less than 20 minutes to go as Humphrey got forward to receive a pass from Tom Kavanagh and cut inside before shooting in to the far corner, and seven minutes later Ansell's speculative cross from the right was fumbled by the keeper as he came out, allowing Benis to roll the loose ball home. Chipstead replaced their keeper soon afterwards, the substitute making one fine save from a Benis header, but it was another substitute, Jonny Humphreys, who had the greater impact as he scored twice in injury time to produce a final scoreline that was harsh on Chipstead, the first coming after Dos Santos had again broken free and managed to force the ball to Humphreys as the keeper challenged, and the second a far post header after a fine run and cross on the right by Joe Harvey.

Southern Youth League Cup Semi Final

With Sutton having won sixteen and drawn two of their previous eighteen games, and Camberley going in to the games after ten consecutive victories this was always likely to be a good game, and it didn’t disappoint before being fittingly decided by a superb goal from substitute Abu Mansaray, his first of the season, two minutes from the end of extra time. Camberley had an early shot wide, but in the 11th minute Stuart Young did well on the left and fired in a cross which deflected away as Bentley Graham challenged, only to fall for Abi Benis to volley high in to the net. Jonny Humphreys almost added a second with a free kick that was tipped past the post, and as U’s continued to be the better side Tommy Kavanagh shot over from 20 yards and a Benis cross was smothered by the keeper. Three minutes before half time, though, Danny Bracken beat out a shot but the rebound was returned across goal and turned in at the far post. A Camberley player then headed just over, but U’s regained the initiative after the interval, although the home keeper was called in to only routine action apart from a shot from Humphreys that he gathered at the second attempt. In the last five minutes, though, Camberley twice drew good saves from Bracken, who also had a nasty moment when he mis-kicked a clearance but managed to tackle the home striker who was about to put the ball in an empty net. There were few chances in extra time, Benis having one shot turned over the bar by the keeper, but with penalties looming a throw-in from the left was headed on by Graham and met by Mansaray with a volley which flew in to the top corner to earn U’s a place in the final against Chipstead.

Surrey Under 18 Floodlit Cup Final

Sutton's youth team swept to County Cup success with a superb performance, leading 3-0 at half time and then adding a fourth immediately after the interval to end any Tooting hopes that having the advantage of the strong breeze in the second half might spark a comeback. Having chosen to play with the breeze behind them in the first half, U's started brightly and Jerson Dos Santos shot just wide after chasing a through ball on the right. The Tooting keeper then had to backpedal to tip away an inswinging free kick from Stuart Young, but it was only a brief reprieve and three minutes later Young swung in a corner that was met by Bentley Graham's firm header at the near post to give U's the lead. It was soon 2-0 as Dos Santos ended a mazy dribble on the left of the penalty area with a low shot just inside the post, but Tooting responded, drawing Danny Bracken in to a good double save and also having a goal ruled out for offside. U's regained control, though, and after Dos Santos had volleyed just wide from 25 yards, the keeper made a remarkable save to keep out Young's close range effort with his knee after Dos Santos had set up the chance, but then ruined his good work by dropping Young's corner at the feet of Graham, who found the net again. Jonny Humphreys almost added a fourth before half time, shooting just over from 20 yards, but immediately after the restart he was put through by Abi Benis, and rounded the keeper before rolling the ball in to the empty net. Tooting did pull one goal back four minutes later after a defensive mix-up, but just before the hour Benis beat two defenders before hammering a shot in to the net. Young and Dos Santos might have added further goals before the end, although in the last couple of minutes Tooting missed two good chances to grab a consolation goal.

The two sides that have dominated the East Division of the Southern Youth League provided a cracking game on Wednesday, and although Stuart Young's last minute goal ended Warlingham's 100% record it was not enough to prevent the visitors, the only side to have beaten Sutton in the league this season, from clinching top place, leaving them four points clear of U's who have just one game left. Joe Harvey's early corner almost crept in, being cleared off the line, while Danny Bracken had to make one good save when a low shot threatened to creep in, but nine minutes before half time Warlingham were ahead when a right wing cross was turned in as U's failed to clear. Sutton started the second half well, though, and after Tom Kavanagh had shot just over and Bentley Graham headed straight at the goalkeeper from a free kick, they turned the game on its head as first Graham glanced a corner in at the near post, and then another corner was headed powerfully in by Abi Benis. It looked as though it would be enough to keep U's slim title chances alive, but in the last ten minutes the game was again turned round as a long through ball was neatly controlled before being fired past Bracken with the aid of a deflection, and then a mix-up between Bracken and George Ansell saw the defender head a cross in to his own net with three minutes left. U's weren't finished, though, and Jerson Dos Santos put Young through to beat the advancing keeper, the 13th goal in the two games between the sides this season following Warlingham's 4-3 win in a game U's had led 3-1 in September.

A fine second half display enabled Sutton to reach the semi finals of the Southern Youth League Cup after Whyteleafe had led at half time. The home side went ahead after just five minutes with a powerful volley that gave Danny Bracken no chance, and they almost added a second four minutes later as U's cleared a close range shot, and although Sutton had more possession as the half went on their only threat came when Jonny Humphreys glanced a header just wide from Stuart Young's free kick. U's had another scare at the start of the second half when Bracken's punch rebounded off George Ansell and hit the post before being scrambled away, but the tide began to turn with a good run by Billy Dunn which ended with a shot across the face of goal, and eight minutes in to the second period Abi Benis pounced on a misplaced defensive pass and neatly lobbed the equaliser over the stranded home keeper. Benis then set up Dunn for a chance which was fired narrowly over, but it wasn't long before U's had the lead as a scramble following a corner saw Elliot Mitchell's header cleared off the line but Tom Kavanagh on hand to drive the loose ball through a crowded six yard box and in. Benis came close to extending the lead with a header which rebounded off the post and keeper before going wide, and from the resulting corner Young's pull back led to a low shot from the edge of the area by Kavanagh that was well saved. A third goal did come from a Humphreys penalty after a defender had handled just insdie the penalty area, and although Whyteleafe set up an exciting finish with a close range header after a fine run and cross from the right, U's clinched an entertaining game in the last minute when Kavanagh was again lurking on the edge of the penalty area to meet a half cleared free kick with a low shot that went in off the post.

Two goals in the first fifteen minutes from Jerson Dos Santos set Sutton on the way to a comfortable victory against Banstead, with U's leading scorer then rounding off the win ten minutes from time as he completed his fourth youth team hat trick of the season. Abi Benis had already curled a shot just wide by the time Dos Santos scored his first, battling through on the left before shooting home, and two minutes later, after Bentley Graham's shot had been tipped round the post, Dos Santos met the resulting corner with a powerful header which went in off the crossbar. U's went off the boil after that flying start and allowed Banstead back in to the game, with George Ansell having to make one goal-line clearance and Danny Bracken down well to make a good save from a low shot, and it seemed as though U's might need Banstead to score to get them going again, but after Dos Santos had twice gone close in the first ten minutes of the second half they did begin to assert themselves again and just after the hour Graham went through with just the keeper to beat, and although denied by a brave save he was able to square the rebound for Jonny Humphreys to tap home. Tom Kavanagh added the fourth with a thumping 25 yarder which went in off the post, and Dos Santos was put clear to complete U's nap hand, and his own hat trick, with ten minutes left.

Sutton qualified for the final of the Surrey Under 18 Floodlit Cup with a fairly comfortable win over a Molesey side reinstated in the competition after Woking Whites, who had beaten them in the quarter finals, were removed for fielding an ineligible player. After a scrappy start, U's began to get on top as the game went on and after Billy Dunn had floated a chip just over the bar from 25 yards they went ahead with a quick fire double around the half hour mark. Stuart Young scored the first, making the most of space to convert a right wing cross following a free kick, and then Jerson Dos Santos outpaced the Molesey defence to reach a clearance and then squared the ball across to give Joe Harvey a simple finish as Molesey looked for an offside decision. Dos Santos twice brought good saves from the Molesey goalkeeper early in the second half, and Young shot just wide from 20 yards, but U's were then rocked when a long throw from the right was headed in to bring Molesey back in to the game. Within two minutes, though, Harry Scola volleyed in a deep cross to restore the two goal advantage, and despite the sending off of Dos Santos for two bookings in quick succession U's withstood any late pressure from Molesey to record a deserved win.

Having scored fifteen goals in the two previous meetings between the sides this season, Sutton could have been expecting little to prevent them recording a twelfth consecutive youth team victory but they found Epsom a much improved side from the earlier games, and a repeat of the 9-0 Surrey Under 18 Cup win never looked likely. Sutton had most of the ball in the first half but looked as though they expected a goal to come, and apart from some early scrambles following corners, and a Michael Hunte shot saved on the half hour it rarely looked likely to. They might have even conceded early in the second half when a mix-up between Danny Bracken and a defender left an Epsom player with an open goal, but he failed to hit his shot with enough power and it was cleared. It wasn't until the last ten minutes that U's began to mount any sustained pressure, but for the second night an opposing goalkeeper produced a fine performance, acrobatically keeping out a Jerson Dos Santos header and then twice denying Billy Dunn in the last seven minutes.

This meeting of the top two sides in the East Division of the Southern Youth League proved a hard fought affair with clear chances at a premium at both ends, but Sutton took advantage of their best spell of the game late in the first half to grab the crucial goal. Throughout the game U's defended well so that even when Whyteleafe started brightly they were allowed few sights of goal, and Sutton had the first shot after 17 minutes as Abi Benis cut in and hit a 20 yard effort which was well saved. With U's finishing the half strongly the goal came on the half hour as Billy Dunn put the ball through for Jerson Dos Santos, who had timed his run well and clipped the ball past the oncoming keeper to register his 20th youth team goal of the season. Just before the break Tom Kavanagh had the ball in the net as well but this time an offside flag came to Whyteleafe's rescue. U's had to defend for much of the second half but again U's defence was well organised and on the rare occasions that Whyteleafe did find themselves in a shooting position Danny Bracken was able to save, although one volley a minute from time did beat him but flashed just wide of the post.

A 10th consecutive victory enabled Sutton's youth team to continue their defence of the Southern Youth League Cup in to the quarter final stage, but it was a low key success in marked contrast to the previous week's effort at Woking, although with East Grinstead's youth team supplying several players to their first team it was still a good win. Although the East Grinstead goalkeeper made one fine save from a 20 yard Jonny Humphreys effort, it was the Sussex side who came closest in the first 20 minutes when a close range volley hit the underside of the bar and bounced down on the line, U's clearing as East Grinstead players claimed that the ball had infact come down behind the line. Four minutes before half time, though, Jerson Dos Santos showed some neat skill to beat a defender and place a shot beyond the keeper to give Sutton the lead at the interval. Seven minutes in to the second half, though, East Grinstead were level following a penalty awarded for handball, and it wasn't until 14 minutes from the end that U's were able to re-establish the lead, and then in slightly fortunate circumstances as Joe Harvey's inswinging corner ended up in the net having taken a slight deflection off a defender. It was enough to put U's through to a quarter final away to either Fleet or Whyteleafe.

Sutton's recent fine form at youth team level continued as their best performance of the season saw them overcome a strong Woking Reds side, made up of Academy players, and earn a semi final at home to Woking's other Southern Youth League team, the Woking Whites. Sutton started well and could have scored three times in the first ten minutes, the best chance falling to Jerson Dos Santos who lifted the ball over an open goal after Stuart Young had broken clear and rounded the keeper. Young also had a free kick saved, and then headed wide from a Jonny Humphreys cross, but after 15 minutes U's pressure told when a glorious move ended with Tom Kavanagh putting Joe Harvey through, and although he was fouled by the keeper as he tried to go round him Humphreys rolled the loose ball in to the net and spared the keeper a red card. As U's continued to dominate Young's volley was cleared off the line and Humphreys volleyed over, and Danny Bracken's first acton came three minutes before the break when he kept out an angled shot. The second half promised to be a different story and within two minutes Woking were level when a cross was headed powerfully in. U's response was immediate, as three minutes later Dos Santos was bundled over in the penalty area and picked himself up to slot home the penalty for his 20th goal at reserve and youth level this season. More might have followed for Sutton, with Harvey having a goal ruled out, Dos Santos seeing a shot saved and even defender George Ansell trying his luck with a long range lob which flew just wide with the keeper out of position. The game was finally settled with a minute left by substitute Billy Dunn, who ran on to Bentley Graham's pass and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.

A hat trick from Jonny Humphreys enabled Sutton to pick up an 8th consecutive win, although it wasn't quite as easy as the scoreline suggests. After a late kick off Banstead started the better and one early chance saw a shot flash just wide. Againts the run of play, though, Humphreys scored his first in the 21st minute when he found space on the left to lob the ball over the advancing keeper. He ought to have had a second soon afterwards when he shot straight at the keeper after being put through by Jerson Dos Santos, but the next attack did produce success as Humphreys stooped to head a left wing cross in to the net. The keeper made a brilliant save at the start of the second half, turning Tom Kavanagh's deflected shot over the bar, and Banstead missed a good chance to set up an exciting last twenty minutes when they hit the bar from close range after Danny Bracken had parried a low shot. A minute later the game was put beyond reach as Humphreys completed his treble with a powerful header from Stuart Young's cross, although Banstead did hit the bar again before the end when it seemed easier to score after Bracken had missed his kick attempting to clear.

Sutton had an early scare when an Epsom player broke clear and Danny Bracken had to make a good save, but that was just about Epsom's only threat of the night as U's went on to produce their second nine goal performance of the season. Jerson Dos Santos struck first with a volley after Jonny Humphreys had knocked back a free kick in the 7th minute, and five minutes later added a second from the penalty spot after Abi Benis had been brought down. He almost had a hat trick inside the first fifteen minutes as he then shot in to the side netting, but it was Humphreys who was next on the scoresheet with a header from a Dos Santos cross. Another powerful header, this time by Benis from a Joe Harvey cross, gave U's a four goal advantage at the break, and the one-way flow continued in the second half as Harvey ran on to a Humphreys pass and went on to beat the keeper, Tom Kavanagh thumped in an angled volley, and Dos Santos duly completed his third hat trick this season with a superb 25 yard free kick. There was still more than half an hour to go, but Epsom battled to avoid further damage until Dos Santos scored his fourth, finishing off good work by Harvey. The rout was completed by Kavanagh's miscued shot that deceived the keeper with three minutes left.

Breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half time, Sutton recorded their sixth consecutive win at youth level in reasonably convincing style. After Chipstead had sent an early volley just wide U's created a string of openings, Harry Scola's lob over the keeper looking as though it might give them the lead until a defender managed to get back and clear. Karl Humphrey, Joe Harvey and Abi Benis all came close, and Bentley Graham shot wide when a pass across goal looked a better bet, but after Tom Kavanagh had shot just too high from 30 yards U's finally got the goal they deserved when Humphrey and Jerson Dos Santos combined on the left to set up Harvey, who mis-hit his first shot but recated quickly to score from the rebound. Three minutes after the break Kavanagh forced in the second from Stuart Young's corner, and although Chipstead immediately pulled one back with a header from a free kick Sutton restored the two goal margin when substitute Elliot Mitchell's 30 yard effort was fumbled in by the keeper. Dos Santos missed one glorious chance to add to his tally this season, but with five minutes left it was his shot that again troubled the keeper and this time Benis was on hand to put the loose ball in to the net.

Two goals in the last five minutes of the first half were enough to allow U's to begin their defence of the Southern Youth League Cup with a victory at Tolworth. The first half was fairly even, with Abi Benis and Jonny Humphreys having early shots blocked, and Casuals then having a spell of about ten minutes when Danny Bracken made two good saves and also came outside his area on one occasion to clear. Nine minutes before half time Humphreys hit the underside of the bar from close range following a corner, but five minutes later a quick counter attack saw Abi Benis beat the goalkeeper to a through ball and rollit in to the empty net despite some desperate efforts to clear. Benis might have scored again within two minutes, but there was still time before the interval for Stuart Young to run on to Tom Kavanagh's pass on the left and shoot beyond the keeper for a second. Casuals made a spirited effort in the second half to get back in the game but were let down by some wild finishing, the best effort a 25 yard free kick which flashed just wide, while just afterwards a clear opportunity was sent high over the bar. U's looked dangerous on the break, and Jerson dos Santos twice shot wide after coming on as a substitute before having a shot scrambled off the line in the last minute after good work by Michael Hunte had set him up.