A 90th minute free kick denied Sutton the chance to the move within a point of the leaders Dartford, who are now within touching distance of the National League Academy South Division title. Just as in the defeat to Southend on Monday, Sutton created innumerable chances against Maidenhead, but struggled to force the ball past their goalkeeper Tom Moulder.
Sutton found themselves 2-0 down inside the first eleven minutes due to some questionable decision making, before fighting back with goals from Jayden Keteku and George Vorster to be level at the break. Sutton did complete the comeback with fifteen minutes to go thanks to Rashaad Drysdale keeping his nerve from the penalty spot, before the Magpies forced a free kick into Klevis Muca’s bottom corner in injury time, which leaves Sutton with a difficult assignment if they are to still try and lift the league title.
U’s welcomed Derrell Ashia back to action after he had missed the last two games with a back injury. There was also a change up front as Mehmet Halim replaced Kai McKenzie. The absence of Dan Urpens, who received a red card against Southend deep into injury time on Monday, meant that Luke Ashburn played alongside Adam Reeves at centre back with Geri Katana coming into the side, playing on the left side of the defence.
The first two goals which Sutton conceded led to Glen Nichols labelling them as “horrendous”, the first of these came inside the first seven minutes. Reeves, who had the ball within his own half was pounced upon by an attacker to the defender’s surprise, and the ball was offloaded out to the wing before the winger found the bottom far corner. The second goal came four minutes later as there was a lack of communication between Muca and his back line as to who was going to clear the ball, and in the end nobody took responsibility as the attacker headed the ball against the post and in.
The home side nearly benefited from a third goal just before the first quarter of an hour as a weak header from Ashburn towards Muca was swooped on to by an attacker, whose ball across the six-yard box was cleared by a Sutton defender.
Sutton’ s first chance to strike back came just after the twenty minute mark, with Omotolani Bello dragging a low shot past the post from close range. A minute later, Vorster played in Keteku who saw his shot saved from inside the penalty box.
Sutton did finally find the back of the net with Keteku striking a low effort into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area. Moments before Sutton’s equaliser, the hosts forced Muca into an excellent save with a long throw being flicked towards the back post, with Muca pushing a headed attempt away from the top corner. A minute before half-time, a cross from Katana on the wing was controlled inside the box by Vorster before he squeezed an effort inside the keeper’s near post.
In the game against Southend at the start of the week, the Shrimpers could have scored inside the first minute of the second half. In Friday’s game, it was Sutton who could have scored their third straight away as Bello forced a save from Moulder inside the eighteen yard box. The Magpies then counter-attacked and nearly scored themselves, as a shot from the edge of the box was dragged just past Muca’s left hand post.
Bello then tested Moulder again with just over twenty minutes to go, with his shot from Vorster’s cross being saved at the back post. With Sutton struggling to score from open play, they were then presented with an opportunity to score from the penalty spot after Bello’s shot inside the box struck the arm of the Maidenhead defender. Despite Callum Lee, who had converted two of Sutton’s last three spot kicks, being on the pitch, substitute Rashaad Drysdale, who had scored a penalty against Borehamwood at the end of April, stepped up and made no mistake again as he rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
With Sutton leading for the first time, it would take them within a point of Dartford with one game left to play, and Bello had another shot saved at the back post with five minutes to go. Had that gone in it would have made the final few minutes a lot more bearable, however a situation then appeared which was Sutton’s worst fear. A free kick on the edge of the box was hit underneath the wall and despite Muca getting an outstretched hand onto the ball, it wasn’t enough as it found the bottom corner.
Sutton still created chances deep into injury time with the best of these being from a Reeves corner kick delivery which saw Ashburn, unmarked in the centre of the box, make contact but see his effort go over the bar.
Sutton: K Muca, G Katana, A Reeves, L Ashburn, B San-Norton(sub C Lee 60), R Ruiz(sub B Sheargold 90+2), D Ashia(sub N Nzuzi 50), G Vorster, J Keteku(sub R Drysdale 70), O Bello, M Halim(sub K Mckenzie 65).
With Sutton only taking a point from Maidenhead, it leaves Dartford in a very fruitful position as they are now three points clear of Sutton, with both teams only having one game left to play. Sutton’s only hope of still winning the title would be for Maidenhead to defeat Dartford next Wednesday, which would then require Sutton to overcome Welling by a significant margin at Gander Green Lane next Friday.
However, Sutton can forget about the title race for now as they must turn their attention to the National League Academy Cup Final next Wednesday, making the 158 mile trip to St George’s Park to face FC Halifax Town. Kick off is 5.30pm.
Report and photo: Finlay Harris
