Sutton v Crewe preview

3 March 2023

It's a big day at the VBS Community Stadium on Saturday, with Sutton United celebrating the 125th anniversary of being formed, and U's will hope to add to the celebrations by continuing a recent fine run as Crewe Alexandra provide the opposition in Sky Bet League Two.

With Sutton unbeaten in six games and with just one defeat in the last eleven, Crewe are on their own unbeaten run of five games, although four of those were drawn and indeed in their last ten games they have drawn seven and won just one, at home to Hartlepool two and a half weeks ago. They lie in 17th place in the table, twelve points clear of the bottom two.

It will be the first league meeting between the sides at Sutton, Crewe having been relegated from League One at the end of last season, but they did meet at the Mornflake Stadium in August when Courtney Baker-Richardson's early goal was enough to give Alex the points despite a strong second half performance from Sutton that many people felt deserved some reward. Baker-Richardson may be fit to return to the squad on Saturday after injury along with midfielder Charlie Colkett, but defender Connor O'Riordan is suspended after being sent off in last week's home draw with bottom of the table Rochdale.

Sutton manager Matt Gray has Omar Bugiel available again after suspension and Rob Milsom is fit to return to the squad, while a late decision will be made on Donovan Wilson, who came off at half time at Newport. Matt has also confirmed that the loans of Tope Fadahunsi and Tobi Ogundega to Torquay and Salisbury respectively have been extended to the end of the season, albeit with recall clauses should either be needed.

Referee Daniel Middleton is in his first season refereeing EFL games, but he has taken charge of a number of Sutton games at National League level, most recently the 1-0 win against Barnet in April 2021 as U's closed in on the championship.

Tickets for the game can be bought here. Prices are £20 for adults, £14 for concessions and £6 for juniors, with tickets for under 12s free if bought in conjunction with an adult or concession ticket. Stand seats are £5 extra. Admission will be available on the day, but prices for adult and concession tickets bought at the ground on the day rise by £2, an increase not applicable to tickets bought on line, even on Saturday.

As usual for Sutton supporters unable to get to the game there will be an audio commentary on our iFollow service, with a match pass costing £2.50 or a monthly pass costing £4.49. Overseas supporters can watch a live stream for £10. Click here to buy the relevant pass.

A copy of the special souvenir 125 anniversary programme can be ordered on line for delivery after the game. Price £4 plus postage, you can order a copy here.

It's a big afternoon off the pitch as the club celebrates 125 years in existence, and there is lots planned to make it a special afternoon.

From 12 noon the fanzone will be open as usual, with a Scandi food truck bringing a taste of Sweden to Sutton United, and between 12 and 1 our friends from Signal Brewery have some special offers at the fan zone bar to help us celebrate. Also in the fanzone will be professional freestyle footballer Jay Rosa showing off his wide range of skills.

The 'Pie Pod' usually found in the fanzone will on Saturday be inside the ground and open from pre-match through to half time.

Scandi food.jpg

Then, from about 2.20pm, we will have a brass band ''Amber Brass'' performing in the stadium, and before the game, at around 2.45pm, the latest three inductees in to the Sutton United Hall of Fame will be introduced. Flag wavers will then welcome the players on to the pitch, with the players accompanied by an array of mascots to mark this special occasion. Expect one or two surprises as well! At half time ''Amber Brass'' will again perform and Jay Rosa will be in the stadium.

After the game attention will switch to the MBA Lounge for our anniversary party. The party itself is free admission and kicks-off at 7:00pm, and while booking for the hot buffet is now closed, it will be possible to buy the usual fare from our kitchen through the hatch in the Players’ Bar.

At 8:00 pm SUFCtv will be showing a club history video in the MBA Lounge and this will be followed by inviting all surviving Hall of Fame members onto the stage, maybe you’d like your photo taken with one of your favourite players? The final, formal part of the evening will have speeches from Dave Farebrother, Bruce Elliott and Matt Gray, but everyone will then have plenty of time to mix and swap their best Sutton United stories.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report for Sutton United 1 Crewe Alexandra 1

4 March 2023

Sutton United 1 (Rowe 90+3) Crewe Alexandra (Agyei 33)

Coby Rowe's third goal in as many games rescued a point for Sutton on a day when U's were far from their best and looked likely to have the 125th anniversary celebrations dampened by a Crewe side who grabbed the lead just after the half hour and then defended resolutely, even after the sending off of centre back Rod McDonald midway through the second half had reduced their defensive manpower.

It was a game of many stoppages and no great quality, but Sutton's renowned spirit was again in evidence, and after McDonald's red card U's had put the visitors under enough pressure to fully deserve the reward that came through Rowe's late header.

With Ali Smith and Donovan Wilson injured U's brought in Omar Bugiel after his suspension while Harry Beautyman returned in midfield, but an untidy start to the game saw both sides struggle to gain any fluency, and neither goalkeeper was called in to serious action. It btook over half an hour for either side to win a corner, but when one came it proved decisive as Tariq Uwakwe's corner was headed in from close range by Daniel Agyei.

Agyei was a threat all afternoon, and might have contributed to a second goal as he played Elliot Nevitt through on the left, but his angled shot was beaten away by Jack Rose and it was U's who finished the half on the front foot and should have been level when Bugiel's header fell to Angol twelve yards out but he shot disappointingly straight at James Beadle.

An even better chance came Crewe's way inside the first five minutes of the second half when McDonald instigated a fine counter attack after a Sutton corner. Agyei continued the break and fizzed a cross to the far post where Sean Robertson was arriving but was unable to keep his shot down.

The game began to shift Sutton's way just after the hour mark when McDonald's high challenge on Angol saw referee Daniel Middleton produce an immediate red card, and the resulting free kick almost led to an equaliser as Beautyman's shot from the corner of the penalty area went just wide of the far post. U's became more dominant territorially, but Crewe's defence was solid and Sutton's final pass disappointing, a number of crosses cut out by the first defender. Bugiel and Craig Eastmond had shots blocked, Joe Kizzi sent two headers wide and substitute Matt Dennis was also off target with a header and failed to get enough power on a shot after another substitute, Kylian Kouassi, had headed a cross down in to his path.

It looked likely that U's 125th anniversary celebrations would fall a bit flat with defeat, but three minutes in to stoppage time the ball was worked to Kizzi on the right, and his chipped cross found Rowe in space to loop a perfect header beyond Beadle and in to the corner of the net.

Sutton wore the red of Sutton Guild Rovers to commemorate one of the two clubs who merged to form Sutton United 125 years ago. The kit also featured a picture of the Sutton Association team (who wore our famous amber and chocolate colours) in the collar. It also featured the very first used SUFC Crest and the names of the around 2,500 players who have pulled on the famous shirt sublimated on the back.

Sutton: J Rose, J Kizzi, S Hart(sub R Milsom 75), C Rowe, B Goodliffe, C Eastmond, D Ajiboye, L Angol(sub M Dennis 70), O Bugiel(sub K Kouassi 75), H Beautyman, W Randall(sub E Boldewijn 75). Subs n/u B House, C Dundas, A Lovatt. Booked: Eastmond

Crewe: J Beadle, K Mellor, R Adebisi, S Robertson(sub R Griffiths 71), R McDonald, L Offord, R Finnigan(sub C Thomas 51), T Uwakwe, E Nevitt(sub C Baker-Richardson 71), J Tabiner(sub C Ainley 60), D Agyei. Subs n/u D Richards, C Colkett, L Brook. Booked: Tabiner, Finnigan. Sent Off: McDonald (serious foul play).

Referee: Daniel Middleton

Attendance: 3,594(372 away)