Sutton progressed to the second round of the Emirates FA Cup thanks to goals either side of half time from David Ogbonna and Ashley Nadesan, but were made to battle all the way by a Telford side who had enjoyed the better of the first half hour before Sutton’s best spell of the game saw them gain an advantage that for all their efforts the visitors were unable to wipe out.

What ended as an exciting cup tie began in low key fashion, with Telford enjoying most of the early possession but it wasn’t until the half hour that they created a clear chance, and then U’s were grateful to goalkeeper Tommy Reid for a superb save low to his right to push Matty Stenson’s shot round the post. Reid had to make a more routine save soon afterwards from Khanya Leshabela, who tried his luck from just outside the penalty area, but five minutes before half time the deadlock was broken at the other end as a left wing move that looked to have fizzled out was revived as Junior Eccleston played in Jayden Harris on the left, and his low cross was deftly flicked home by David Ogbonna, returning to action after his injury against Hartlepool.

That sparked Sutton’s best spell of the game either side of the interval, and seven minutes in to the second half, after nervous murmurs in the stand as Sutton looked to be living dangerously on the edge of their own penalty area, a sweeping end to end move developed that ended with Lewis Simper playing Ogbonna through on the right, and his low cross was perfectly placed for Ashley Nadesan to slide in and score at the far post.

There was a similar move soon afterwards that ended with Eccleston the player sliding in, and goalkeeper Josh Gracy this time out to save, but then Telford were back in the game as a fine cross from Ammar Dyer on the right was headed in by substitute Ricardo Dinanga. When Leshabela curled a shot just over immediately afterwards U’s knew they were in for an anxious last quarter of the game, but apart from a goalmouth scramble which saw Stenson have a shot blocked, and a careless back pass from Jack Taylor that Kai George couldn’t take advantage of U’s defended well and often won the first header when the ball came in.

As Telford pressed for the goal that could have forced extra time Sutton found space for chances of their own, but Brandon Njoku turned the ball wide from close range after Noa Boutin had crossed low from the left, Kai Jennings, set up superbly by Njoku’s backheel, saw his goalbound shot cleared by Jordan Cranston, and in stoppage time Gracy made a good save down to his left to deny Nadesan a second. Gracy was soon in the opposing penalty area as Telford won one last corner, but U’s again cleared the danger and were able to celebrate a second round place.

Sutton: T Reid, A Jones(sub A Woodyard H-T), J Eccleston, H Muller (sub W Tizzard 65), E Pruti, J Taylor, D Ogbonna(sub N Boutin 71), L Simper(sub H Phipps 90), J Harris(sub B Njoku 65), A Nadesan, K Jennings. Subs n/u K Crichlow, M Dabre, C Bell, D Aziaya. Booked: Jones, Reid, Eccleston, Phipps.

Telford: J Gracy, A Dyer, J Cranston, J Piggott, K Leshabela, A Fletcher, C Williams(sub R Dinanga 59), R Walker(sub J Armson 80), M Stenson(sub K George 80), J Meddows, R Hilton(sub O Lawal 59). Subs n/u J Fridye Harper, L Rowe, E Ilesanmi. Booked: Cranston, Dinanga.

Referee: Alex Chilowicz

Attendance: 1,575(444 away)

Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin