Sutton v Salford preview

23 September 2022

The VBS Community Stadium is the focal point of London football on Saturday when Sutton and Salford meet in the only Premier League or EFL game taking place in the capital on this international weekend.

With that in mind, anyone who holds a valid current season ticket for any of the other 90 EFL or Premier League clubs can gain half price ground admission if they produce that season ticket at our ticket kiosk next to the Club Shop between 12 noon and 2.45pm on Saturday.

Both sides are in the top ten of Sky Bet League Two, with Salford 6th and Sutton 10th, but a Sutton victory by more than two goals on Saturday would see U's go above the Ammies in the table.

It's been a good start to the season for Salford under new manager Neil Wood, who was previously manager of Manchester United's Under 23s until moving to Moor Lane to replace Gary Bowyer, with five wins and just two defeats from their first nine games. Away from home they have won at Newport and Harrogate, drawn at Swindon and lost at Doncaster, but they come in to the game on the back of two goalless performances, a home defeat by Tranmere in the league last Saturday and a goalless draw against Accrington in the Papa Johns Trophy, although a 4-2 penalties win did leave them at the top of their group.

Salford's side won't include last season's top scorer, and one time Sutton loanee, Brandon Thomas-Asante, who joined West Bromwich Albion during the transfer window, but club captain Ash Eastham could be in the squad after returning on Tuesday following an injury suffered in the goalless draw at Sutton in February, a scoreline which matched the game at Salford in August.

Sutton saw Ali Smith added to the casualty list at the end of Tuesday's game and he faces a spell out with an ankle injury, with Adam Lovatt having been recalled from his loan at Dartford. Rob Milsom is also likely to be on the sidelines after coming off injured in last week's win against Hartlepool, but skipper Craig Eastmond is available despite his red card at Brisbane Road, the one game suspension will be served in Sutton's next Papa Johns Trophy game against Oxford next month.

Referee Rob Lewis is one of the EFL's most experienced officials, having been on the referees' list since 2005. He was in charge of Sutton's 3-2 win at home to Colchester last season.

Tickets for Sutton supporters can be bought on line here, or at the ticket kiosk on Saturday, but there is a £2 increase in prices for adult and concession tickets bought at the ground on the day, and with the kiosk expected to be busy supporters are strongly recommended to buy on line before leaving for the game - the increase does not apply to on-line purchases, even on Saturday.

The fan zone will open at 12 noon for Sutton supporters to enjoy a pre-match drink and a bite to eat, with the away fan zone behind the visitors' stands opening at 1.30pm.

As it is an international weekend the game is being live streamed in the UK as well as overseas, and passes, price £10, can be bought here. The match programme is available to order, price £3 plus postage, and can be ordered here.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Match report for Sutton United 1 Salford City 2

24 September 2022

Sutton United 1 (Neufville 62) Salford City 2 (Lund 80, Watson 87)

An afternoon that for nearly 70 minutes had gone as well as Sutton could have wanted turned sour after the dismissal of striker Donovan Wilson following an off the ball clash with Salford's Theo Vassell, as Salford took advantage of the extra player to score twice in the last eleven minutes and inflict on U's a first league defeat of the season.

Until Wilson's departure for a kick out at Vassell which was spotted by assistant referee Anthony Da Costa, U's had been the better side and put themselves deservedly in front through a far post volley from Josh Neufville that converted a fine cross from substitute Enzio Boldewijn, but although U's seemed at first to be able to survive going down to ten men an equaliser from Matty Lund gave the visitors the encouragement to push on for the winner, which arrived three minutes from time through Ryan Watson, although it needed a stoppage time save from Jacob Chapman, making his first league appearance of the season, to deny Kylian Kouassi an equaliser.

Sutton's goalkeeper was also making his first appearance in the league this season, Lewis Ward replacing the injured Jack Rose, but he had little action in the first half as Sutton enjoyed the better of the game. That said, he ought to have been given no chance after quarter of an hour when Luke Bolton's cross found Callum Hendry unmarked but the striker could only prod the ball straight at Ward.

Will Randall enjoyed another excellent half, shooting just wide after one run cutting in from the left, and tackled on the edge of the penalty area after another jinking run, and he also delivered two dangerous free kicks, one just evading the lunging Omar Bugiel and the other headed across goal and inches wide by Louis John.

The winger didn't reappear for the second half due to injury, being replaced by Enzio Boldewijn, and after John's superb block had kept out Hendry's shot and redeemed his own error in missing an interception that allowed Matt Smith to set up the chance, Boldewijn was the instigator as U's broke the deadlock, his superb cross from the left met on the volley by Neufville at the far post.

It was no more than U's deserved, although Matt Smith might have equalised immediately when he headed wide from Hendry's cross, but six minutes later Wilson's clash with Vassell saw referee Rob Lewis produce a red card after consultation with his assistant, Vassell booked for his part in the incident. At first the dismissal didn't appear to be hampering U's efforts, but the introduction of Odin Bailey and Ryan Leak bolstered Salford's attacking threats, and after two corners had seen Smith, Leak and Lund all have efforts blocked, Bailey's cross from the left was neatly set up by Hendry for Lund to place his shot past a wrongfooted Ward.

The force was now with Salford, and Ward had to move to his right to claim a Smith header, but he was helpless when Hendry and Lund combined again through the middle and John could only divert Lund's pass in to the path of Watson, who slotted the ball in to the far corner.

U's threw Charley Kendall on for the closing stages in a search for the equaliser, and it nearly came when Ward's long free kick caused a scramble in the penalty area and Kouassi showed brilliant close control before getting in a shot that was slightly deflected and tipped round the post by Chapman. Ward was in the penalty area for the resulting corner and won a header which was diverted behind for another corner, which U's had no chance to take before the final whistle, and with arguments continuing Harry Beautyman was booked for a comment to the referee

Sutton: L Ward, J Kizzi, J Barden(sub C Kendall 90+1), C Rowe, C Eastmond, L John, J Neufville, D Wilson, O Bugiel(sub K Kouassi 83), H Beautyman, W Randall(sub E Boldewijn H-T). Subs n/u B House, L Gambin, A Lovatt, A Pierre. Booked: Beautyman. Sent Off: Wilson(violent conduct)

Salford: J Chapman, L Bolton, I Touray, J Lowe(sub R Leak 76), T Vassell, E Watt, R Watson, M Lund, C Hendry(sub A Eastham 90+5), M Smith, K Berkoe(sub O Bailey 76). Subs n/u E Simoes, E Galbraith, J Jenkins, J Torrance. Booked: Watt, Chapman, Vassell, Hendry.

Referee: Rob Lewis

Attendance: 3,404(116 away)