A game of fluctuating fortunes saw Slough complete a National League Academy South Division double over Sutton, following up their 2-0 win at Arbour Park in November by coming from 3-2 down at half time to grab a winner five minutes from time after Sutton had been reduced to ten players by a red card for Charlie Bell.
Slough went in front after quarter of an hour when a long clearance was flicked on and Frankie Phillips went through on the right of the penalty area to shoot across Klevis Muca and inside the far post, but Sutton were level four minutes later when Slough’s Joel Sala headed Liam Moore’s inswinging free kick in to his own net.
The visitors regained the lead when a cross from the left was controlled by Milan Trotman before he turned and volleyed home, but Sutton finished the half strongly and after Slough keeper Bob Honey made a fine save to tip over Bell’s 25 yard shot, Bell put Tolani Bello through to slip the ball past Honey and in off the post. Before half time U’s had gone in front as Kai McKenzie dispossessed a defender whose attempt to recover saw him foul the Sutton striker, and McKenzie converted the penalty with the last kick of the first half.
Having gone to the break in front Sutton dominated the early part of the second half and a fine link up on the left between Luke Ashburn and Geri Katana saw Ashburn’s low cross met first time by Bell, who again was denied by an excellent save as Honey tipped the ball over.
The game’s decisive moment came with twenty minutes left as a rare Slough attack saw Noah Nzuzi penalised for a foul and Bell, who had been booked for a foul in the first half, make a comment which the referee viewed worthy of a second yellow card. Salt was rubbed in the wound as the resulting free kick saw Dylan Griffen send the ball in to the roof of the net to tie things at 3-3. Slough took full advantage of the extra player to gain the upper hand and Griffen went through to shoot past Muca for the winner with five minutes to go.
Sutton: K Muca, C Lee(sub B Sheargold 81), L Ashburn, N Nzuzi, D Urpens, T Salaam, L Moore, C Bell, K McKenzie, O Bello, G Katana. Subs n/u R Ruiz, J Coombes, L Ginger, J Oberotimi.
