Match Report

Sutton suffered their first defeat of the pre-season schedule, beaten by a goal in each half from Jonah Ayunga saw Havabt to success. U’s had a chance to equalise just before the hour mark when they were awarded a penalty, but Omar Bugiel’s spot kick was saved by Ross Worner and a second Ayunga goal twelve minutes from the end confirmed the defeat.

Havant included all six of their former Sutton players in their starting line-up, while U’s gave first appearances of the season to goalkeeper Jamie Butler and player of the year Dale Bennett, and it was the National League South side who enjoyed the better of the first half, with Josh Taylor cutting in from the right and hitting a shot that drifted away beyond the far post. Ayunga sent a shot from the edge of the penalty area too high, and failed to make decent contact with two other efforts that were comfortably saved by Butler, who also had to beat away a free kick from Nicky Bailey.

Four minutes before half time Havant took the lead, a cross from Benny Read saw the ball bounce around the penalty area with both Wes Fogden and Andy Drury having shots blocked before Ayunga hammered the ball in.

Sutton might have been level before half time when George Tuson-Firth dispossessed Bailey and battled through to slip the ball past Worner but also past the post, and came out on the front foot in the second half having made four changes at the break. Harry Beautyman put Bugiel in on the right but he was unable to beat Worner as the keeper came out, and after one of the half time substitutes, Ben Dudzinski, had made a good close range stop from Drury U’s were handed the chance of parity when Jamie Collins headed back a deep corner and as Aaron Jarvis tried to force the ball in he was sent flying by a challenge from Simon Walton, another new arrival at half time. Walton was booked for the challenge, but with Collins allowing Bugiel to take the spot kick U’s were unable to capitalise as Bugiel’s shot was kept out to his right by Worner, who pounced on the rebound before Jarvis could reach it.

Dudzinzki had one anxious moment when he came outside his penalty area to clear, and had to race back in to the six yard box to take a well judged catch as Drury’s first time effort drifted towards goal, but could do nothing twelve minutes from time when Drury broke through on the right and crossed for Ayunga to turn in under pressure from Collins.

Sutton’s late substitutions included a first appearance for Senegalese winger Sullivan Lakhamy, after which Craig Dundas was robbed of a chance to pull a goal back by a foul for which Dean Beckwith was booked, and Dylan Kearney failed to get the ball out from under his feet after being set up by Beautyman as U’s looked in vain to pull a goal back.