Match Report

Sutton endured a frustrating afternoon, forced to settle for a draw against a Stockport side who ended a run of five consecutive defeats. Sutton had opportunities throughout, but their shooting was consistently off target and, especially in the first half, crosses from both flanks failed to beat the Stockport defence. With Jamie Butler having little to do except deal with shots from outside the penalty area, had U’s been able to take just one of their openings then a deserved victory would have resulted, but when Tommy Wright’s snatched and sliced shot flew wide in the last of the additional four minutes at the end of the game it fairly summed up U’s afternoon in front of goal.

An injury to referee Lloyd Wood in the pre-match warm-up led to reserve official James Hurst taking charge of the game, and he had his yellow card out in only the 7th minute, appearing to take advice from the touchline before booking Jon Barden for a heavy tackle on Dan Cowan. It presented U’s with a problem, and after Barden had sailed close to the wind with two further challenges manager Matt Gray decided the risk of a red card was too great and replaced the midfielder with Kenny Davis.

By then Sutton should have been ahead, Rob Milsom dragging a shot disappointingly wide after the ball had fallen to him in space on the edge of the area, and Wright was unlucky to see a shot from twenty yards go just past Ben Hinchcliffe’s right hand post. Both Will Randall and David Ajiboye were both lively on the flanks and created several crossing opportunities but too often the delivery was too strong or cut out by a Stockport defender. Ajiboye did set up two shooting chances though, first running on to a superb pass by Ben Goodliffe and rolling the ball back for Aaron Jarvis, whose shot was on target but blocked before it could trouble Hinchcliffe, and then pulling another cross back that ran through to Harry Beautyman, but he put what was possibly the best chance of the game high over the bar.

Stockport had enjoyed a spell of pressure midway through the half, with Adam Hammill heading wide and Butler off his line quickly to deny Adam Thomas, and after the second half had started with Davis sending a rasping shot just over from 25 yards, the visitors again enjoyed a spell on top but found it difficult to break through a solid U’s defence and were reduced to mainly long range efforts, Sam Minihan volleying over and Elliot Osborne’s shot held by Butler, who also had to scramble away Hammill’s free kick.

U’s had to make a second enforced change when skipper Jamie Collins limped off to be replaced by Dan Matsuzaka, but finished the game strongly. However their radar was still awry, Wright volleying over after Jarvis had headed a long ball in to his path, and Ajiboye shooting high and wide from the corner of the penalty area after a good run. Kyel Reid replaced Randall and saw a free kick blocked by the Stockport wall, while the last chance fell to Wright after Stockport failed to clear a set-piece, but again the ball flew wide and Stockport had their first point in six games.

Stockport: B Hinchcliffe, S Minihan, D Cowan, P Turnbull, A Palmer, J Keane, A Thomas, S Walker, E Mulhern(sub N Bell 66), E Osborne, A Hammill(sub J Leesley 69). Subs n/u I Ormson, C Dimaio, F Arthur. Booked: Palmer, Keane.

Referee: James Hurst