What always looked a hazardous FA Cup assignment for Sutton proved exactly that, but U’s survived in the competition thanks to a goal from Jayden Harris in the eighth minute of stoppage time, the third time U’s had levelled in the game. Six minutes had been indicated, but in that time Farnham defender Jack Dean went down injured and needed to be replaced, and it was in the additional time for that stoppage that Brandon Njoku, who had already scored once within three minutes of coming on, crossed low from the left for Harris to drill a shot in to the back of the net and take the tie back to Sutton on Tuesday.
Both Harry Phipps and Jack Wadham returned from injury, Phipps in a midfield role he hadn’t filled previously in a Sutton shirt, but against a side unbeaten in their fourteen league and cup games this season U’s were immediately on the back foot as Owen Dean escaped the attentions of Jack Taylor on the Farnham right and crossed low for Darryl Sanders, who had time to turn inside Will Tizzard and shoot low past David Aziaya and Phipps on the goalline. It almost got worse before it got better for U’s, as before five minutes were up a quick free kick sent Owen Dean clear of the defence, and U’s were grateful to Aziaya for a fine save to avoid going two down. However U’s then went to the other end and forced two corners, the second of which was taken on the right by Lewis Simper and headed powerfully in by the unmarked Phipps for his first goal in Sutton colours.
Sutton had a lot of the ball after that, but too often moves broke down before they reached the penalty area, with the one clear chance falling to Simper after Ashley Nadesan and Aaron Jones had set him up, but although his shot beat Zaki Oualah, skipper Ryan Kinnane was well placed to clear. At the other end Owen Dean failed to connect properly with a volley after his brother Jack had crossed from the right.
The second half started in much the same way as the first, with Farnham out of the traps quickly, and Bobby-Joe Taylor went free down the right and crossed low for Sanders to sweep the ball beyond Aziaya. Again U’s keeper came to the rescue moments later, Owen Dean left clear after a mistake by Phipps, but Aziaya coming out to save well, and again U’s had soon equalised, Njoku turning the ball in from close range after Harris had put David Ogbonna in on the left to cross low.
Njoku was through again almost immediately from the kick off, rounding Oualah but failing to get enough on his shot to beat the covering defender, and remarkably Farnham went straight to the other end to regain the lead. Taylor again led the attack on the right and this time crossed with the outside of his left foot, and it was third time lucky for Owen Dean as he made no mistake with a crisp volley that gave Aziaya no chance.
Sutton’s attempts to retrieve the situation looked to be fruitless, as Taylor’s header from a Jones corner was headed off the line by Brandon Mason, and Nadesan’s shot was saved by Oualah’s legs, and Farnham were defending their lead with a degree of comfort. However one last attack on the left saw Njoku put in by Noa Boutin, and his cross gave Harris the chance to keep U’s in the cup and a powerful finish left nothing to chance.
Sutton: D Aziaya, A Jones, E Pruti, W Tizzard(sub M Dabre 81), H Phipps, J Taylor, D Ogbonna(sub N Boutin 75), L Simper, A Nadesan, J Harris, J Wadham(sub B Njoku 57). Subs n/u J Eccleston, C Bell, L Vincent, K Eyers. Booked: Wadham, Simper.
Farnham: Z Oualah, J Dean(sub J Stepney 90+2), B Mason, J Jackson, R Kinnane, T Leggett, O Dean(sub O Obi 81), M McKenzie, B-J Taylor, D Sanders(sub H Cooksley 63), A Liddle(sub S Evans 55). Subs n/u I Uche, B Purcell, A Walker. Booked: Leggett, Liddle, McKenzie
Referee: Ross Martin
