Will Tizzard’s late, late strike secured Sutton United’s passage into the First Round of the Emirates FA Cup.
A topsy turvy encounter saw Farnham Town come to town after a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Memorial Ground on Saturday, with Jayden Harris forcing a replay after a stoppage time strike of his own after the U’s had gone behind three times.
Unfortunately for Sutton, the Town were able to replicate those efforts as Bobby-Joe Taylor struck a powerful effort beyond David Aziaya after 36 minutes, and saw the visitors enter the break ahead.
A truly memorable encounter was far, far away from coming to an end though. Lewis Simper got the hosts back on level terms with an arrowed shot into the top corner just after the hour-mark, before Jack Dean restored Farnham’s advantage with eight minutes to go after pouncing on error from Aziaya.
However, David Ogbonna’s weaving run just moments later led to him firing past Zaki Oualah to take the tie into Extra Time, allowing Tizzard to pop up at the death after some neat interplay between Simper and Ashley Nadesan to fire home with seconds to spare, and seal a place in the First Round for a fifth successive season.
Victory over the Southern League side will see Sutton host AFC Telford United on the weekend of Saturday, 1st November, and will be looking to build on their first win under Chris Agutter with the visit of Hartlepool United on Saturday, 18th October (5:30pm KO).
Ahead of his first game at home, Agutter made three changes to Saturday’s clash with tonight’s visitors, as Harry Phipps returned to his familiar position in the back three in place of Will Tizzard, with the vacant spot in midfield being filled by Mo Dabre, while Noa Boutin and Brandon Njoku replacing Ogbonna and Nadesan respectively; the former going down with cramp at the Memorial Ground on Saturday, while Njoku was rewarded for his superb impact in Surrey.
Sutton came out the blocks quickest and showed their determination to avoid a cup upset, refusing to let the pressure subside during the opening few moments, and showed plenty of neat one-touch passing introduced into their play following the arrival of Agutter.
They fashioned their first real opening after six minutes when Dabre drove forward and saw a low effort deflected into the gloves of Oualah, and was followed by a half chance for Farnham when Jack Dean drilled an effort through a crowd of bodies and off of the midriff of Phipps.
The visitors broke for the first time just after the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Dean found himself in acres of space on the right flank, picking out Darryl Sanders who blasted a shot well over the crossbar, before Edon Pruti went in the book for a cynical foul on Dean moments later, allowing Taylor to whip in a dangerous free kick that Imran Uche headed wide of the target.
Njoku, the super sub on Saturday, looked to make it two goals in as many games after notching one of three equalisers at the Memorial, and showed superb muscle to evade an onslaught of Farnham defenders chasing him towards their own goal, before drilling a low shot towards the bottom corner that Oualah did well to get down to.
The Town stopper had to be on hand to deny another of Saturday’s heroes, as Harris powered a thunderbolt of a strike towards the top corner that Oualah managed to get behind, and came moments after the U’s midfielder came inches away from Boutin’s cross on the slide after a brilliant driving run from the Frenchman to read the byline.
This was followed by another excellent couple of chance for the Town, who took advantage of their ability from dead-ball situations when Taylor whipped in a threatening delivery that Aziaya initially spilled into the path of Ryan Kinnane, who’s effort was diverted away from goal by a superb recovery from the Sutton goalkeeper, pulling out an outstanding fingertip stop to deny his opponent.
This brought a corner for Paul Johnson’s side though, with another excellent Taylor delivery meeting the head of Sanders, who sent a looping header inches over the top.
Farnham were evidently brimming with confidence, with Sam Evans forcing Aziaya into another important stop moments later, but the Southern League side soon found the breakthrough when Taylor turned from provider to scorer, drilling a powerful effort beyond Aziaya with nine minutes remaining of the first half.
It was almost two just four minutes later when Sanders drilled an effort that had Aziaya beaten, but could only watch as his effort travelled in slow motion before cannoning off the crossbar; a let-off for the hosts who needed a response.
Unfortunately, it was Farnham who again came closest to scoring, with Taylor inches away from his second of the half when he raced forward and drilled a low shot off the base of the post with the angle against him, as the Fourth Official indicated one additional minute at the end of the half.
This allowed just enough time for Njoku to have one last shot at goal, meeting a low delivery from the byline to send a looping effort over the top from close range, and brought a disappointing half to a close with the U’s trailing by one.
A double switch at the interval saw Tizzard and Nadesan replace Pruti and Dabre in a much-needed change in shape, which saw the former Gillingham man pair up with Njoku in attack while Tizzard offered an alternative option in defence, looking to strengthen the backline in the second half.
However, it was Farnham who produced the first chance after the restart, with Aziaya clearing the ball straight to Taylor who pulled the trigger and sent a powerful shot back at goal, though Aziaya managed to get a strong hand behind his effort and prevent the Southern League side from doubling their advantage.
This preceded an enforced change in the away dugout with Joe Jackson being replaced by Tom Leggett, shortly before Adam Liddle was introduced in place of Evans, with Johnson’s second change following on from a glorious chance for the visitors that saw Kinnane fire over the crossbar with the goal gaping.
Despite this, Sutton looked to respond with an increased level of intensity as they game reached the hour-mark, with Simper drilling a low shot down the throat of Oualah, before his corner was met by Tizzard, who’s header bounced off the ground and looped over the crossbar.
Nadesan’s impact was also evident, offering an improved amount of energy on the right flank which saw him rob Kinnane of possession before cutting it back to the middle, with the Town captain able to recover and clear the ball before it reached Njoku, moments before another deep delivery had to be cleared away from the former Cambridge United man.
Another change in each dugout saw Johnson introduce Ogo Obi, while Sutton gave Ogbonna a run out during the final 25 minutes, with the former Slough forward having his first touches of the game instantly, cutting inside before blasting a powerful shot from distance that came off a Farnham defender.
However, Sutton levelled things up just moments later, with Simper adding another outstanding strike to his showreel when he arrowed a rocket of a shot into the top corner and cancel out Farnham’s first half opener with 24 minutes to go.
This saw Charlie Bell introduced by Agutter in another attempt to freshen things up, and was followed by Simper almost adding an assist to his tally for the evening when his deep cross from the right was met by Aaron Jones at the back post, but he could only divert his shot into the side netting from the tightest of angles, despite the crowd in the Collingwood Road ending thinking the captain had put the U’s ahead.
And their cheers were not just ended abruptly, but extinguished minutes later, as Dean notched his third goal of the tie and his second of the evening when a seemingly simple ball was failed to be collected by Aziaya, allowing Dean to head home almost of the goalline and send the away end into ecstasy.
However, the Farnham supporters saw their own celebrations ended early when Sutton pegged the Town back for a fifth time in the tie, with Ogbonna going on a weaving run before firing beyond Oualah and into the bottom corner to level things up once again, mirroring Saturday’s clash by doing so just three minutes after they went behind, to send the tie into Extra Time.
The hosts had seemingly taken the momentum into the additional 30 minutes, with three good chances produced within the opening few minutes of Extra Time.
First, Simper showed some neat skill to reach the byline before seeing his shot deflected behind, and was followed by Bell having an effort charged down by Kinnane.
This preceded another promising opening which saw Ogbonna continue where he left off, cutting inside before blasting a shot over the crossbar, and was followed by a couple of chances for Farnham as Adam Liddle’s drive across the face of goal was unable to be met by Dean, before Aziaya did well to tip Taylor’s delivery from the byline away from danger, and was all the two sides could muster in the first half of Extra Time.
Sutton continue to enjoy the better of things, remaining fit and alert as they bossed the final minutes after a seemingly never-ending Fourth Qualifying Round tie. Nadesan saw a header blocked by Tom Leggett before Bell brilliantly retrieved a loose ball and fed Njoku, whose strike flew across goal and away from danger.
A last roll of the dice from Agutter then saw Junior Eccleston replace Jones in an attempt to keep things fresh, before a tame effort from Obi almost saw Farnham steal the winner at the death, shortly before Nadesan again came close, heading Simper’s free kick over the crossbar.
They say the sequel is never as good as the original, and after Saturday’s six-goal thriller it certainly will have been difficult to beat, but Sutton managed to make it two late goals in two extraordinary games, as they finally managed to take the lead against Farnham across 210 minutes of action.
Simper brilliantly danced around the Town backline before feeding Nadesan, who picked out Tizzard in acres of space in the box, with the former Queen’s Park defender firing a low effort past Oualah with seconds to go, and finally seeing Sutton get the better of the Surrey-side.
Sutton United: Aziaya; Phipps, Taylor, Pruti (Tizzard 46’); Jones (Eccleston 112’), Boutin (Ogbonna 64’); Dabre (Nadesan 46), Wadham; Simper, Harris (Bell 74’); Njoku
Farnham Town: Oualah; Dean, Mason, Kinnane, Jackson (Leggett 50’), Uche (Cooklsey 74’), Mackenzie (Purcell 78’), Sanders (Obi 64’), Taylor, Dean, Evans (Liddle 61’)
Photo Credit: Paul Loughlin
