Sutton v Colchester preview and arrangements - GAME ON

9 December 2022

The frost covers that have been on the pitch this week have done their job and after a pitch inspection today's game against Colchester goes ahead as scheduled, kick off 3pm. Our thanks to our ground staff for their efforts in making sure the game would be on.The fan zone for Sutton supporters will be open at 12, serving a hog roast, and don't forget you can stay at the club this evening to watch the England v France World Cup quarter final in the Players' Bar, with food available.

After the longest trip of the season last week, Sutton return to home soil this weekend with a visit from Colchester United for U's last home league game before Christmas and the first of two big games tomorrow, both of which you can watch at the VBS.

With the World Cup still meaning there are no Premier League games, although the Championship returns on Saturday, there is again an offer to season ticket holders from any of the other 90 Premier League or EFL clubs to come and watch the game for £10 for adults, £7 for concessions and £3 for juniors age 12-18, and that offer also extends to season ticket holders of both clubs who want to bring a friend for the same prices. This offer can be claimed between 1.30 and 2.30 from the ticket kiosk (Sutton supporters) or turnstile 9 (Colchester supporters).

The game will see Colchester looking to improve on their fortunes against Sutton last season, with the Surrey U's achieving a league double, 3-1 away and 2-1 at home, and also knocking the Essex U's out of the Papa Johns Trophy at Sutton by a 2-1 scoreline. After finishing 15th last season, Colchester have struggled this term, particularly away from home where their ten games have yielded just one point, gained at Walsall in mid-September. Matt Bloomfield, who made nearly 500 appearances for Wycombe in his playing career, took over as Head Coach at Colchester at the end of September and has seen Colchester win two of the ten league games since then.

Will Randall, whose late goal won the league game at Sutton last season, should be fit for Sutton after coming off injured near the end of last week's game against Carlisle, and Harry Beautyman is likely to return to the squad after his injury lay-off, but Adam Lovatt will be missing after suffering concussion during last week's game.

The referee on Saturday is Peter Wright from Merseyside, who was in charge of Sutton's game a year ago this weekend at Bradford, and is in his fifth EFL season. He has visited Sutton once before, in August 2017 for a National League game against Maidstone.

Frost covers.jpg

The pitch at the VBS has been protected by frost covers and so the freezing weather that has already seen four League Two games called off will hopefully not be an issue.

Supporters should be aware that due to engineering works there are no trains through West Sutton on Saturday. Trains are operating through Sutton to and from Victoria.

The Sutton fanzone will be open from 12 noon, with a special menu of hog roast to keep supporters warm, and after the game the Players' Bar will remain open, with food available, for supporters who want to watch the England v France World Cup quarter final.

Anyone not at the game can watch a live stream for £10 by clicking here, while a match programme can be ordered on line to be delivered after the game by clicking here.

Tickets can be bought at the game for the New Year's Day local derby against AFC Wimbledon and the Boxing Day visit to Crawley.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report for Sutton United 1 Colchester United 0

10 December 2022

Sutton United 1(Milsom 45+9 pen) Colchester United 0

It wasn't a game that will linger long in the memory, but Sutton recorded a second consecutive crucial home win when Rob Milsom's penalty in first half stoppage time was enough to beat a Colchester side reduced to ten men early in the second half, and who have now lost ten of their eleven away league games this season and dropped in to the bottom two with this result.

It was a scrappy game littered with stoppages and marred by a serious knee injury to Colchester's Irish international midfielder Alan Judge, but after Colchester failed to take advantage of a good start, Sutton deserved a victory which would have been more convincing but for an excellent performance from Colchester goalkeeper Kieran O'Hara, but which they might have been denied when Tom Dallison shot over from Colchester's best chance in the closing stages.

On a surface passed fit after a morning inspection, but never entirely easy, both sides made a cautious start but Colchester settled the quicker, without testing Jack Rose. Their best moment came from Junior Tchamadeu, who intercepted a pass deep in his own half and set off on a run that ended close to the edge of the Sutton penalty area but was let down by a tame finish when better options may have been available. O'Hara had to make one good save when Omar Bugiel headed a Milsom free kick towards the corner of the net, and also scrambled away a deflected Donovan Wilson shot, while at the other end Ossama Ashley was inches away from connecting with Alex Newby's cross.

The decisive moment came just as the first half was entering what should have been four minutes of stoppage time, with Will Randall returning Josh Neufville's cross and Milsom caught by Ashley's high boot as he followed up after his first effort was blocked. Referee Peter Wright pointed to the penalty spot and booked Ashley, but attention was soon diverted to the stricken Judge in the six yard box after he and Bugiel had contested the original cross. It took nearly ten minutes for him to receive treatment before being carried off, but Milsom shrugged off the delay with a composed and convincing penalty.

Having been forced in to two changes in the first half, Cole Skuse also going off after a clash of heads with Craig Eastmond, the visitors were pretty much forced in to a third at the interval, replacing skipper Tommy Smith who could easily have been sent off for a foul on Craig Eastmond after already being booked for bringing down Wilson, but they still found themselves down to ten men within seven minutes when Ashley crudely ended a surging run from Bugiel and was shown his second yellow card. But for O'Hara the punishment might have been even greater, as he made a brilliant stop from Ali Smith after the resulting free kick had fallen in to the midfielder's path, and went on to save twice from Eastmond and once from Harry Beautyman, returning to action after his injury lay-off. The keeper's efforts were almost rewarded at the end when a low cross fell to Dallison following a free kick, but he was unable to keep his shot down and U's saw out the victory.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, R Milsom, J Neufville(sub S Hart 89), C Eastmond, L John, E Boldewijn, A Smith(sub H Beautyman 72), O Bugiel(sub K Kouassi 89), D Wilson(sub T Fadahunsi 61), W Randall. Subs n/u L Ward, L Gambin, C Kendall. Booked: Boldewijn, Randall, Kizzi.

Colchester: K O'Hara, J Tchamadeu, D Chesters, L Chambers, T Smith(sub T Eastman H-T), T Dallison, O Ashley, C Skuse(sub L Hannant 22), K Appiah(sub J Akinde 86), A Judge(sub E Huws 45+8), A Newby(sub S Tovide H-T). Subs n/u T Collins, N Chilvers. Booked: Smith, Ashley, Tchamadeu, Tovide. Sent Off: Ashley (second bookable offence).

Referee: Peter Wright

Attendance: 2,528(275 away)