Sutton continued their progress in the Surrey Senior Cup against AFC Croydon Athletic but with a good deal less comfort than had seemed likely at half time. A fluent first half performance had seen Croydon, chasing for promotion from the Isthmian League South East division, reduced to spectators at times as Sutton moved the ball crisply with a display that was worthy of more than just the two goals. However if the first half was good, the second came somewhere near the other end of the scale and by the end Croydon were close to forcing a penalty shootout, only for a close range header from a stoppage time corner to be scrambled wide.

Sutton’s team mixed the experience of first team regulars with the promise of some of the academy players, and for the first half Croydon were rarely out of their own half as Sutton moved the ball well and accurately. U’s went in front in the 10th minute when a Jayden Harris free kick was headed back by Will Tizzard, and Aaron Jones showed some neat control before volleying in to the top corner for his first Sutton goal.

The second came just before the half hour as Eduino Vaz, who had just sent a speculative long range effort over the top, decided to get closer to goal with a characteristic darting run and an exchange with Harris which left him clear to slip the ball past Frankie Beckles in the Croydon goal.

If there was a disappointment in the first half it was that, for all Sutton’s attractive play, Beckles wasn’t busier, with the final pass or cross cleared too easily. The keeper did have to make one save from a Charlie Bell shot from just outside the penalty area, and a couple of crosses flashed in front of goal, but apart from that moves broke down in or around the penalty area before clear chances could be created.

Even so, there was little hint of what was to come in the second half as Sutton, who had made two changes at the break including David Aziaya coming on in goal for the underworked Tommy Reid, were careless in possession, too often passes going straight to Croydon players or out of play, and the visitors, who had made three substitutions at half time, were allowed back in to the game. Sutton generally defended well enough when they had to, and apart from saving a low Harvey Kedwell shot the majority of Aziaya’s action was receiving passes from his defenders and then trying to start moves with varying degrees of success, but it was still little surprise when Croydon did pull a goal back with twelve minutes to go, a clearance being quicky returned down the right and Josh Williams, one of the half time substitutes, went on to shoot past Aziaya in to the far corner.

It was an indication of how scrappy Sutton were in the second half that it wasn’t until stoppage time that Beckles was called in to action, tipping over a header from substitute Jack Taylor, but the final goalmouth activity was at the other end as Croydon had a corner which ended up going just wide of the far post before referee Richard Marus called time.

Sutton: T Reid(sub D Aziaya H-T), A Jones, E Vaz, H Muller(sub Jack Taylor 70), W Tizzard, A Reeves, M Dabre, C Bell, G Vorster, B Sheargold, J Harris(sub J Eccleston H-T). Subs n/u L Simper, E Pruti. Booked: Dabre.

AFC Croydon Athletic: F Beckles, C McCarthy, B Wynter, L Dreher, H Kedwell, C Colkett(sub A Vindrells Parcerisa H-T), K Daniel(sub J Binnom-Williams 76), R Afrane-Kasey, D Bremang, B Pierrick(sub J Williams H-T), L Theophanous(sub J Dunne H-T). Sub n/u R Hall. Booked: Kedwell, McCarthy.

Referee: Richard Marus

Attendance: 254