Match Report

Sutton made it two wins from two in the pre-season campaign for this season, coming from a goal down thanks to two goals from Aaron Jarvis, who took his tally to three goals in the first two games and whose second was on its own worth the journey for the Sutton supporters, created by a superb piece of wing play from Craig Dundas, who had just come on as a second half substitute.

It was another satisfactory work out for U’s against a side with a lively attack, and it was Tonbridge who opened the scoring in the 20th minute when D’Sean Theobalds beat Barden and Jude Mason with a turn of pace before slipping the ball through to Chinedu McKenzie, and although Ben Dudzinski pushed the striker’s shot out the onrushing Tom Derry couldn’t help but score. Sutton’s response was immediate, though, and after a strong run by Omar Bugiel, whose shot was blocked, a bout of penalty area pinball was ended emphatically from close range by Jarvis.

Before half time Bugiel sent a fierce shot just too high, and early in the second half Jamie Collins, who was very much the experienced head in a starting back four that also comprised Lema, Mason and Bradley Pearce, saw a header saved awkwardly by Jon Henly. The decisive moment came just after the hour mark when Dundas, who had just replaced Bugiel, collected the ball on the right, surged past defender Rian Bray and fired in a superb cross which was met at full tilt by Jarvis with an unstoppable finish. It was Jarvis’s last action as he was one of the players to make way in the last group of substitutions, and  George Tuson-Firth(to give him his correct identity – apologies) went up front alongside Dundas. As at Slough, the Australian was unlucky not to put his name on the scoresheet, twice shooting against the legs of Henly and suffering the same fate when the keeper had been replaced by Ted McDonnell, striking the keeper’s legs after being delightfully set up by Tom Bolarinwa.

Crossley Lema produced one good tackle in the penalty area to halt one dangerous Tonbridge attack near the end, but former Oxford United goalkeeper Manny Agboola had little chance to show his credentials after replacing Dudzinski at half time as Sutton completed another encouraging win to take in to Saturday’s game at Havant.