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Kick off 15:00 (UK)

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1-1
22 July 2023 Venue Easy as HGV Stadium Attendance

Kick off 15:00 (UK)

Farnborough
1 - 1
Sutton United
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Match Previews

Weekend preview

21 July 2023

There is a chance for Sutton supporters to take in two games on Saturday, with the first team's friendly at Farnborough (kick off 3pm, Sutton wearing green) preceded by the chance to see how our youngsters are developing for the coming season as the academy side play Farnborough's near neighbours Fleet Town at 12.00.

Like Sutton's first pre-season opponents Havant & Waterlooville, Farnborough were in contention for the National League South play-offs last season but a poor run of six defeats in their last seven games left them eight points adrift in 12th place. They enjoyed a good FA Cup run, though, as U's will remember only too well as Farnborough shrugged off the two division gap to win 2-0 in the first round at the VBS Community Stadium before going out at Wrexham in the second round.

Striker Hisham Kasimu impressed in that game and then joined Sutton in January, although injury prevented him from making his debut last season, but he has been involved in two of U's friendlies so far and will look forward to facing his former clb on Saturday.

Farnborough have played four pre-season games so far, winning at Cove, drawing away to Beaconsfield and on Tuesday at home to Aldershot, and losing against Wealdstone last Saturday.

Sutton suffered a first pre-season defeat on Tuesday at home to Championship side Millwall following victories against Havant and Reading, but manager Matt Gray is pleased with the general progress made so far and U's will look to continue that trend at the Saunderrs Transport Community Stadium.

Admission prices are £10 for adults, £8 for concessions (Over 65/Armed Forces/Students), £5 for age 14-17 and free for under 14s if accompanied by a paying adult. Tickets can be bought on line here or on the gate (cash or card accepted) - tickets bought on line carry a £1 booking fee.

Farnborough's ground is in Cherrywood Road, GU14 8UD, and car parking is available on a first come first served basis, priced £2 - correct money is appreciated. Drivers are warned that the current roadworks at the M25/A3 junction in Wisley have been causing long delays on both roads, and this should be borne in mind when considering route and departure time.

Despite the rail strike on Saturday it is possible to go by train, with a half hourly service from Sutton at 11 or 42 minutes past the hour connecting with a half hourly service from Clapham Junction to Farnborough. Total journey time is an hour and twenty minutes. Do note, though, that due to the strike the last train back from Farnborough after the game is 17.50. The ground is about a mile and a half from the station.

Meanwhile the academy side will be in action against Combined Counties League side Fleet Town, kicking off at 12 noon. Admission is £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and free for Under 18s. Cash only on the turnstile, although the bar inside the ground takes card or cash. Fleet's ground is Calthorpe Park, off Crookham Road, post code GU51 5FA, just south of the town centre and about a 15 minute drive from Farnborough's ground. Fleet station is served by the same trains as Farnborough, five minutes further away from London although the station is some way from the ground walking along Fleet Road  and then continuing at the crossroads by the Oatsheaf pub in to Crookham Road. 

 

 

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Match Reports

Match report for Farnborough 1 Sutton United 1

22 July 2023

Farnborough 1(Pavey 57) Sutton United 1(Kasimu 52)

Sutton's pre-season continued with a 1-1 draw in wet and windy conditions at Farnborough. Hashim Kasimu, starting in a Sutton shirt for the first time against his former club, put U's in front early in the second half, but Alfie Pavey diverted a shot past Steve Arnold five minutes later for an equaliser. 

With Ben Goodliffe and Omar Sowunmi both nursing knocks from earlier friendlies, Craig Eastmond was alongside Joe Kizzi in the centre of the defence as Ryan Jackson made his first appearance of the pre-season programme, while Kasimu partnered Harry Smith up front, and one of the pre-season triallists started on the right wing.

In conditions more suited to October than July, Sutton came closest to a first half goal, firstly when Smith's neat turn and shot drew a good save from Jack Turner, and then when Kasimu showed good feet inside the penalty area and poked a shot past Turner only to see it rebound off the post. The triallist also sent a volley just wide near half time.

U's had to make an unscheduled change just before half time when Sam Hart suffered a knee injury in a tackle on Pavey, and was replaced by Ollie Khinda, with Jackson moving to left back, although the interval saw Jackson replaced by Rob Milsom.

After failing to trouble Steve Arnold in the first half, Farnborough took less than a minute to rectify that as Adam Mekki's low shot was pushed wide by the keeper, who made an even better save from the resulting corner as Ollie Robinson, who had replaced Jack Ball just before half time, powered a header goalwards. Having survived the home side's fast start, Sutton then took the lead as Kizzi's defensive header found Josh Coley, whose neat pass sent Kasimu through to skip round Turner (above) as the keeper came outside his area and walk the ball in to an empty net.

Five minutes later Coley was involved at the other end, caught in possession on the edge of the penalty area and penalised for fouling his opponent. Arnold dealt with Jordan Norville-Williams' free kick with a firm push away, but the resulting long throw from Robinson was only cleared as far as Reggie Young, whose shot was diverted in at close range by Pavey.

Both sides made a number of changes in the last half hour, U's introducing a new triallist in attack alongside Lee Angol, while in defence Jack Taylor, one of last season's academy successes, joined Khinda in a back line that by the end of the game showed both ends of the experience spectrum, being completed by Milsom and Craig Dundas. While Farnborough possibly had the better of the closing stages the better chances again fell to Sutton, with Tope Fadahunsi twice finding space to meet crosses from the right but directing his headers too close to Turner.

Sutton: S Arnold, R Jackson(sub R Milsom H-T), S Hart(sub O Khinda ), C Clay(sub C N'Guessan 76), J Kizzi(sub C Dundas 76), C Eastmond(sub J Taylor 81), Triallist F(sub Triallist G 61), H Kasimu(sub L Angol 61), H Smith(sub T Fadahunsi 61), H Beautyman, J Coley(sub Triallist D 76).

While Jack Taylor was appearing in the first team squad at Farnborough, a number of his team mates from last season's academy side faced Fleet Town of the Combined Counties League and lost 2-0, conceding both goals in the first fifteen minutes, the second from a penalty but then giving a good account of themselves against much more experienced opposition and unfortunate not to pull a goal back, Jordan Caleb hitting the bar in the second half.

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