Match Report

There were no signs of rustiness at Gander Green Lane as Sutton came back from a two and a half week lay off to sweep King’s Lynn aside with their biggest win of the season and move to third place in the National League table. Leading the way for U’s was on loan striker Isaac Olaofe, who struck a superb hat trick, but it was a team performance from front to back, Dean Bouzanis making three crucial saves at a time when the visitors threatened to come back in to the game at 2-0, helped out on one occasion by a brilliant clearance from Ben Goodliffe who, like Louis John, completed a first full game of the season in a back four that also saw Rob Milsom replace the injured Ben Wyatt. At the other end King’s Lynn found themselves under pressure throughout, and Tobi Sho-Silva breaking his National League duck for the season rounded off a fine afternoon for Matt Gray and his team.

King’s Lynn won a corner within the first twelve seconds, but a more accurate sign of what was to come came moments later when Olaofe’s pace was too much for defender Danny Lupano, who might well have been booked for his challenge had the game been a bit more advanced. It set the tone for a 45 minutes where King’s Lynn struggled to get out of their own half, with the only criticism of U’s being that they should have led by more than the one at half time. Olaofe was the first to go close, his shot saved by Archie Mair after some fine work by Harry Beautyman had put him through, and David Ajiboye then failed to get a shot away after being put in by Omar Bugiel.

When the goal did come there was an assist for the manager, Matt Gray catching the ball as it went over his head, and allowing Craig Eastmond to take the throw-in quicker than he might otherwise have done. Ajiboye’s cross was deflected, Beautyman completely miskicked, but Olaofe didn’t from ten yards out and Mair had no chance.

Both Bugiel and Ajiboye had shots saved as U’s looked for the second goal they wanted and deserved, and the second half started in similar vein as Kenny Davis volleyed over after the ball had fallen to him on the edge of the penalty area. Eight minutes in, though, U’s finally doubled their lead as Milsom’s corner from the right was met at the near post by a glancing header from Olaofe which flashed past Mair.

It looked as though that might be Olaofe’s last involvement as he took a knock on the knee which required treatment, but bursting on to a Davis pass and shooting just wide confirmed his recovery, and it was Bugiel who made way for Sho-Silva at the same time as King’s Lynn made a double change. It was at a time when the visitors were enjoying their best spell of the game, Bouzanis saving from Jamar Loza and Adam Marriott, and from the rebound on the second occasion Goodliffe intervened spectacularly to prevent Dayle Southwell’s shot reaching the unguarded net.

When Bouzanis tipped away a Rory McAuley header a King’s Lynn fightback looked possible, but any unease for U’s was soon eased as Ajiboye was fouled by Michael Clunan. for whom it was one foul too many in referee Adrian Quelch’s eyes, and Davis’s free kick came back off the bar for Sho-Silva to head in. Little more than a minute later Olaofe turned on to a Davis pass and thrashed the ball past Mair to complete his hat trick.

Also on a booking, Olaofe did make way for Callum Kealy soon afterwards, and King’s Lynn pulled a goal back when Southwell swept a shot from the right across Bouzanis and inside the far post. Two minutes later they had a chance to reduce the arrears further and cause U’s an anxious last ten minutes when they won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, but the wall did its job to block Sam Kelly’s shot, Simon Power sent the rebound out of the ground, and U’s finished the game on top and with Beautyman heading in another Milsom corner to round the victory off.

King’s Lynn: A Mair, R Barrows, A Young, R Jarvis(sub S Power 61), D Lupano, R McAuley, M Clunan, S Carey, D Southwell, A Marriott(sub K Mitchell 61), J Loza(sub S Kelly 73). Subs n/u C Smith, C King. Booked: Jarvis, Clunan.