Sutton’s academy side bounced back from Saturday’s heavy defeat at Stevenage to record a convincing victory over Dorking Wanderers in the National League Football Academy South at River Lane and keep in touch with the teams at the top. With the top two, Southend and Eastleigh, sharing the points in their meeting in Hampshire U’s are seven points off the top with games in hand over all but one of the seven sides above them.
In the early stages there was little indication of how the game would finish, with Dorking having the better of the first half hour and Klevis Muca making one fine save high to his left to turn away a flicked header from a right wing cross. Sutton’s only opening in the first twenty minutes fell to Adam Reeves, whose low shot was blocked, but against the run of play U’s went in front on the half hour when a corner from the right was only cleared to Tolani Bello just inside the penalty area and he smashed a shot back in to the net.
Three minutes later Sutton took firm control when an excellent through ball from Jayden Keteku sent Kai McKenzie through on the right, and although defenders got back to prevent him getting a shot in he was able to square a pass to Bobby Sheargold, who neatly sidestepped two challenges before shooting low past the goalkeeper.
The second half saw Sutton continue to dominate for long spells and within three minutes Jayden Obarotimi outpaced a defender (above) to run on to a long clearance from Muca and hammer a shot in to the roof of the net. Seven minutes later Obarotimi turned provider, put in on the right side of the penalty area and unselfishly squaring a pass in front of the keeper to leave McKenzie with a tap-in.
Midway through the half the lead was further extended as Bello burst through from midfield before setting Rashaad Drysdale up to touch the ball past the advancing keeper and it was Keteku this time who had the open goal.
That completed the scoring as U’s matched the first team’s result against Horley the previous night, but they came close to bettering it when Drysdale was denied by a good save at close range.
Sutton: K Muca, C Lee (sub G Katana 76), A Reeves(sub L Ashburn 76), J Coombes, D Urpens, O Bello, R Ruiz(sub L Ginger 56), J Keteku, K McKenzie, B Sheargold(sub T Bamidele 61), J Obarotimi(sub R Drysdale 61).
Sutton and Dorking also met in Division F of the National League Under 19 Alliance at Meadowbank. The game finished 2-2, with Sutton’s goals coming from Haniel Boateng and Jack Pledge.
This Saturday we return to EFL Youth Alliance action with an away game against Wycombe Wanderers, kick off 11am at the Harlington Sports Ground that recently was briefly Sutton’s training ground.
