Match Centre

After going two goals up in less than 25 minutes, playing some good football and giving their supporters every reason to believe that an upturn in fortunes was on the way, Sutton’s afternoon at Grosvenor Vale disintegrated as a Wealdstone side buoyed by being gifted a way back in to the game before half time stormed back in the second half to leave U’s facing a first defeat under Chris Agutter. But for home goalkeeper Dante Baptiste, Sutton might have had more than the two goals they had scored in a fine start, but a misplaced clearance just after the half hour mark by U’s own custodian, Tommy Reid, handed Wealdstone a lifeline that they gladly took.

Reid and fellow Friday signing Kai Jennings were both in the starting line-up, with Ashley Nadesan returning up front, and after having to weather an early flurry in which Jack Taylor headed clear from under his own bar Sutton gained the upper hand. They might have scored when Ashley Nadesan seized on a poor back pass but was unable to beat Baptiste, and then Lewis Simper, allowed to cut in from the right, almost made Wealdstone pay with a fierce twenty yard shot that was tipped over by Baptiste. However U’s did lead in the 16th minute when Georgiou managed to cut out a Nadesan pass intended for Simper, but then saw his attempted clearance rebound off Simper’s foot and flash back past Baptiste.  Eight minutes later U’s led by two for the first time this season as Noa Boutin and Simper combined well on the right before Simper’s inside pass allowed Jennings to turn past a defender and fire low in to the net to claim a fine debut goal.

Sutton might have had more in the first half as Baptiste saved well from Jayden Harris and Boutin, the first of those chances coming after a fine move involving Nadesan and Simper, and another Harris shot was blocked away for a corner, but amid these opportunities U’s had given Wealdstone reason for hope as Reid’s clearance went straight to Sak Hassan, an early substitute for Junior Tiensia, and Hassan’s direct run ended with a pass that put Micah Obiero through to beat Reid.

Sutton would still have been encouraged with the half time situation having played some of their best football of the season, but Wealdstone, whose supporters had shown signs of disappointment in the first half, came out strongly for the second half and soon had their fans behind them as for twenty minutes U’s struggled to get out of their own half. It took seven minutes for the equaliser to come, Phillip Chinedu’s fine cross from the left met first time with an unstoppable half volley by Hassan at the far post, and eleven minutes later, following a succession of corners, Hassan’s flag kick from the left was headed in by McAvoy although there may also have been a touch off Phipps.

Sutton came close to the familiar 3-3 scoreline when substitute Brandon Njoku’s shot was diverted by Baptiste’s legs against the bar, bouncing down for the goalkeeper to grab it before it crossed the line, but they were still vulnerable to some speedy Wealdstone attacks and Hassan was denied what would have been a stunning solo goal by an equally stunning tackle in the penalty area from Junior Eccleston.

Hayden Muller also produced a good late intervention, and Reid saved from Nathan Tshikuna and Obiero, but the pattern of six goals in Sutton matches wasn’t to be ended as, deep in stoppage time, Hassan completed a hat trick of assists by setting up Georgiou for a low shot between Reid and his near post.

Sutton: T Reid, N Boutin, A Jones(sub K Crichlow 68), W Tizzard, H Phipps(sub J Eccleston 68), J Taylor(sub C Bell 87), H Muller, L Simper, J Harris (sub B Njoku 60), A Nadesan, K Jennings. Subs n/u J Wadham, M Dabre, D Aziaya.

Wealdstone: D Baptiste, C McAvoy, A Georgiou, O Mussa(sub D Kadji 72), D Woodman, P Chinedu, E Boldewijn, M Obiero, O Olomola(sub D Hutchinson 58), M Kretzchmar(sub N Tshikuna 58), J Tiensia(sub S Hassan 15). Subs n/u H Graczyk, M Diarra, N Young-Coombes. Booked: Kretzchmar, Woodman, Kadji.

Referee: James Durkin

Attendance: 1,536 (249 away)

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin