Match Centre

Davide Rodari’s first goal in a Sutton shirt gave U’s a first ever league win against Tamworth and moved them out of the Enterprise National League relegation zone. Rodari, who had only been brought on as a substitute five minutes earlier, produced a neat near post finish to convert Lewis Simper’s low cross to round off a move that was one of the few moments of quality in a hard fought but scrappy and at times fractious game which ended with eleven players and one member of the Tamworth coaching staff booked, but he had to share the role of match winner with goalkeeper Jack Sims, who made a magnificent save after only five minutes to deny Tamworth the encouragement of an early goal.

With Jayden Harris replacing Charlie Bell in the only change to the line-up that had started against Forest Green, and playing in to the wind, Sutton were under pressure early on and looked to be in trouble when Ben Acquaye got the better of Callum Tripp close to the left by line and played in a low cross that left Oliver Lynch what looked like a tap in, only for Sims to somehow recover and claw Lynch’s effort away with the home supporters already celebrating what they thought was an early goal.

Sims then had to beat away a shot from Stefan Mols but was rarely troubled again for the rest of the half, with Tamworth’s main threat predictably coming from the long throws of Tom Tonks, but having conceded a goal to one in September’s game at Sutton, U’s this time defended them well and were only in trouble once when Lynch scrambled a header against the post after a near post flick on.  There were moments at the other end as well as Brandon Njoku met a fine Simper cross with a header that lacked the power to beat Jas Singh, and the home goalkeeper then saved well from Simper’s close range shot after Junior Eccleston had headed back David Ogbonna’s cross. In his defensive duties Ogbonna was involved in a moment of controversy near half time when his nudge in the back of Mols had referee George Laflin seemingly on the point of blowing his whistle for a penalty before waving the claims away.

Sutton brought on Will Tizzard for Tripp at half time and continued to keep Tamworth at bay, Sims saving low to his right on the once occasion Lynch did work a shooting chance. David Ogbonna was a threat in the early stages of the half, clipping the outside of the goal frame with one shot and sending a cross beyond the far post which Eccleston sent back across the face of goal,  but the introduction of Rodari and the return from injury of Ashley Nadesan midway through the half proved decisive. Rodari’s first involvement was to draw a challenge from Kennedy Digie that had U’s shouting for a penalty, and within five minutes a good move through the midfield involving Hayden Muller, Simper, Taylor and Kai Jennings ended with Tizzard playing a pass forward for Simper, who managed to wrap his right foot around it before it went out of play to deliver a low cross that was met stylishly at the near post by Rodari.

Having scored the goal that proved the winner Rodari then helped out his goalkeeper by being on hand to turn the ball away for a corner as a low cross from the left evaded Sims, but when Tamworth did create any semblance of a chance their finishing was wayward, Alfie Bates misdirecting a header and Jordan Ponticelli volleying high over the bar during the nine minutes of stoppage time that U’s had to see out to claim a valuable three points, and their frustration at the final whistle saw Singh booked for comments to the referee, the last of the afternoon’s twelve yellow cards.

Sutton: J Sims, C Tripp(sub W Tizzard H-T), B Topallaj, J Eccleston, H Muller, K Jennings, Jake Taylor, L Simper(sub C Bell 90+4), B Njoku(sub D Rodari 66), J Harris(sub A Nadesan 66), D Ogbonna(sub A Jones 90). Subs n/u D Eze, C Haigh. Booked: Harris, Taylor, Rodari, Tizzard, Eccleston.

Tamworth: J Singh, M Curley, J Cullinane-Liburd, T Tonks, K Digie, A Bates(sub J Ponticelli 90), B Acquaye(sub R Maher 67), S Mols(sub B Forbes 78), O Lynch(sub D Creaney 78), T Kurtaran(sub T Roberts 67), L Fairlamb. Subs n/u K Donkor, J Rye. Booked: Tonks, Kurtaran, Curley, Cullinane-Liburd, Fairlamb, Singh.

Referee: George Laflin

Attendance: 1,128(105 away)

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin