Match Report

Sutton were defeated in this afternoon’s friendly at Princes Park, the only goal of the game coming with the last kick of the first half through Callum Jones, who reacted to force home the rebound after a shot had come back off the post.

Jack Sims appeared in goal for the first time having recovered from the injury that he had sustained in the warm-up prior to the Tonbridge game, and he was the busier goalkeeper early on as Dartford started well. A trialist defender saw an early header bounce up against the crossbar following a corner before Sims showed his quality with a fine save from Denzell Olupade’s 20 yard shot and another good stop from the same trialist defender from the resulting corner. He also diverted a Jones shot wide as the home side maintained the pressure.

Sutton survived the early scares and started to create chances, with Matt Rush failing to get sufficient power on a low shot after being set up by Jayden Harris, who then shot over the bar after home keeper Jacob Marsden had come out to deny Jeremy Sivi. Marsden made two more good saves, pushing away a low shot from Ryan Jackson and then keeping out a close range header from Tyler French following a fine cross from Sivi.

The decisive moment came right at the end of the half when a cross was cleared as far as Tyler Christian-Law, whose low shot came back off the post but was turned in by Jones, the half time whistle being blown as soon as Sutton restarted.

U’s made three changes at half time, Steve Arnold replacing Sims in goal and Nana Boateng and Jack Wadham on for Josh Coley and Lewis Simper, but it was Dartford who created the first chance when Dean Naylor’s cross found Duane Ofori-Acheampong at the far post but Arnold was well positioned to keep out the shot from the striker, who had scored for Dartford  in the FA Cup tie between the sides in November 2016.

The second half produced less goalmouth activity than the first, but Sutton will feel that they should have forced a draw as French headed over from Siju Odelusi’s free kick when he should have done better, and Wadham also entitled to think he ought to have at least troubled Marsden when the ball fell to him on the edge of the penalty area. Some poor deliveries from the wings and some careless offsides frustrated several Sutton moves, although Will Davies, who had come on along with Dillon De Silva midway through the half, just failed to get a touch on a Boateng free kick and in the last minute saw a header well saved by Marsden as Dartford held on for the win.