Match Report

Sutton manager Matt Gray said in his notes for Sutton’s first ever ‘virtual’ match programme that he didn’t believe in bogey sides, and his players reflected his comments with a convincing performance to record a first win in eleven league games against Maidenhead, and avoid defeat against the Magpies for the first time at National League level.

The first fifteen minutes gave little hint that the recent pattern between the sides would be reversed, with Maidenhead winger Sam Barratt glancing an early header against the outside of the post and George Wells almost catching Dean Bouzanis out with an ambitious shot from the halfway line, but once Omar Bugiel had put U’s in front there were few occasions on which the visitors looked likely to recover and in the end it was only down to goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond that U’s didn’t win by an even greater margin.

Bugiel had been sent off in the corresponding game last season for a clash with Justin Comley, a decision quickly rescinded, so will have taken delight in opening the scoring on this occasion after Tobi Sho-Silva had headed a Bouzanis clearance on to David Ajiboye, whose cross was headed in at the far post by Bugiel. He should have had a second soon afterwards, heading wide from Will Randall’s corner after Ashby-Hammond had saved well from Rob Milsom’s free kick, but U’s did double their lead with ten minutes to go to half time. Sho-Silva was left regretting referee Sunny Gill’s decision to stop Randall taking a corner as the winger was making contact with the ball, as he was unmarked to head in at the far post, but the retake to the near post also ended up in the back of the net off Maidenhead’s Shaun Donnellan.

Two minutes later there was a setback for U’s as Jon Barden suffered a cut head and was forced off to hospital, Aaron Simpson coming on for his debut, but it didn’t hamper their progress and early in the second half Ashby-Hammond had to race back to scramble the ball off the line after a misunderstanding with Manny Parry looked likely to end in another own goal as the centre back’s header rolled towards the net.

Maidenhead’s introduction of Dan Sparkes gave them more of a threat, and one move on the left ended with a low cross that was turned away brilliantly by Ben Wyatt in the six yard box, but a tendency to stray offside undermined their efforts, and U’s were soon back on top. Craig Dundas came on for his 550th appearance and was booked within five minutes for a foul, but when Callum Kealy came on nine minutes from time his impact was immediate, and he had been on the pitch little more than a minute when he produced a fine instinctive finish for his first Sutton goal after a long throw from Simpson had bounced around the six yard box.

Kealy would have had his second as well near the end but for a superb close range save from Ashby-Hammond, and the keeper also kept out a Harry Beautyman free kick as U’s finished the game well on top and able to enjoy a fine start to the season.

Maidenhead: T Ashby-Hammond; R Shackleford, M Parry, A Massey, G Wells; S Donnellan; J Coley, J Comley, R Upward(sub D Sparkes 65), S Barratt(sub J Smile 72); D Orsi. Subs n/u B Keetch, S Twumasi, R Smith.