Sutton United extended their unbeaten run in the EFL Youth Alliance League to three games after a clinical 4-2 display against Portsmouth on Saturday morning, striker Mehmet Halim claiming a hat trick.
Sutton started fast, with Tolani Bello picking up the ball and driving forward, but he dragged his shot just wide of the post. It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken. Bobby Sheargold produced a perfectly weighted pass to release Mehmet Halim down the right hand side. Driving into the box and ignoring options in the middle, he smashed his shot past the keeper at the near post, nestling into the top left corner.
With the momentum firmly on their side, Sutton continued to pile on the pressure. Sheargold won a free kick on the edge of the box, and it felt like déja vu as Ronnie Ruiz stood over it, having netted one against Plymouth a fortnight ago. This time, though, his effort cleared the bar.
Having failed to take their chances, Sutton allowed Portsmouth into the game. A quick break saw Jermaine Osifo attempt a low cross into the box. It was partially cleared, but fell to their Ciaran Martin, who drilled a shot narrowly across Klevis Muca’s goal. Sutton responded quickly, with Marvel N’zi flicking on a long ball into the path of Bello, whose effort was smartly saved at the near post. N’zi then cut inside and laid the ball off to Halim, who curled his shot just wide.
Sutton’s attackers were causing chaos for the Portsmouth backline. Rashaad Drysdale beat his man on the right and delivered a cross just too high for Halim to double his tally and Bello then had another curling effort brilliantly saved in what proved to be the final chance of Sutton’s early dominance.
The old saying in football is that if you don’t take your chances, the other team will – and so it proved. Some sharp one–touch passing in the middle of Sutton’s half saw Max Hammond lay the ball off to Dane Bailey, who drilled a low strike across Muca’s goal to level the scores.
Sutton weren’t fazed, and quickly regained their rhythm. Ruiz had a shot blocked on the edge of the box before Charlie Bell tried his luck, and his effort deflected off a defender and looped into the top left corner to restore the lead. Sheargold remained a menace, his cross flicked on by N’zi, but it had too much on it for Bello to connect at the back post.
The second half began with Sutton playing slick, progressive football, yet their third goal came from a direct source, as Muca’s long goal kick sent Halim racing clear. Timing his run to perfection, he lifted his effort over the keeper. The ball struck the post, but bounced in to give him his second of the game.
Sutton looked to kill the contest. Sheargold charged down the Portsmouth keeper, winning the ball before being brought down, but the referee waved away the appeals. Moments later, Sheargold surged through midfield and attempted an ambitious chip, which drifted over the bar.
The hosts did add a fourth. Bello’s sharp interception freed Sheargold on the right side, and he squared it for Halim who curled his finish into the bottom corner to complete his hat trick.
Portsmouth kept pushing, with Martin sending in a dangerous cross that was dealt with by Dan Urpens. They pulled one back late on as Chinedu Agu drove into the box and pulled the ball back for a teammate to turn and guide into the bottom right hand corner. The visitors almost added another when Agu set up Ashton Sizer, but this time, the effort rebounded off the post.
It was a deserved win for Sutton, one that will do their confidence the world of good. The now have a well deserved break before returning to action on Saturday the 13th of September, when they visit Bristol Rovers, who have managed just one win from their opening four games.
