Jake Taylor will serve a one-match ban after being shown a straight red card last week against Walton & Hersham.
The midfielder was at the centre of controversy when a second penalty was awarded to the Swans after Taylor was deemed to have fouled Riley Horan amidst a crowd of bodies, making Sutton’s day go from bad to worse with the score already at 3-0. However, the officials added even more salt to the wound when the former Eastleigh man was dismissed for unclear reasons in the aftermath of the decision to give a second spot-kick to Walton.
Due to the incident not being violent conduct, he will serve just the one game on the sidelines rather than three and will be back in contention for the Boxing Day visit of Aldershot Town, but is set to watch on this Sunday alongside Junior Eccleston, who has another two games to serve of his own suspension after seeing red against Shrewsbury Town.
“He’s had a hell of an impact, he’s been superb and is a big loss but, what we will lose in terms of Tayls’ experience and quality as well, I think Charlie Bell will bridge with his energy and enthusiasm and the adrenalin of a first start for a period of time.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing Belly out there.”
Chris Agutter
On a more positive note though, David Ogbonna, who was shown a second yellow card against Salop for blocking a quick free kick, is now back available for selection, having served his one-match ban on Saturday, and will be a big boost to Chris Agutter’s frontline.
Furthermore, the arrivals of Davide Rodari and Omari Mrisho will add increased quality to the Sutton side starting with the trip to the ARMCO Arena, and both are in line to make their debuts in the West Midlands after training in the days leading up to the lunchtime clash.
“I think if there’s many wide players who are more dangerous than him [Ogbonna] in the league – I’d be surprised.”
“He’s been great for us and he’s improving all the time and with him coming back from suspension, with Davide coming in, with Omari coming in, we look a hell of a lot stronger than what we were last week.”
Chris Agutter
The two new recruits will help to soften the blow of the two missing strikers in recent weeks, with Brandon Njoku and Ashley Nadesan again set to be unavailable for the visit to Solihull.
Njoku had pulled up in the warm-up to the clash with Gateshead last month and has been missing ever since, though he was named as unused substitute last week at Walton & Hersham. However, Agutter said his injury is ongoing, and highlighted his frustration at not having the former Cambridge United man available for the Sunday’s clash.
Nadesan meanwhile had initially picked up his knock away at Morecambe at the start of November, and barring a 66-minute spell against Shrewsbury Town – in which he played despite not being at 100% – has been absent since, with the U’s number ten potentially set to miss up to two more months after receiving confirmation from a scan midweek.
“Brandon’s injury is ongoing which is incredibly frustrating, it seems to be dragging on and I thought he’d be available last weekend – if we get him on the pitch last weekend I think we’re in the next round of the trophy.”
“Ashley Nadesan has had another setback in his recovery so we’re potentially looking at another four to six weeks – we’ve had confirmation from a scan midweek and it’s not good news so again, it leaves us light up top.”
“It’s annoying but it’s an opportunity for somebody else; an opportunity for Dav [Rodari] to have the shirt now and keep hold of it and keep it off those lads when they’re back fit.”
Chris Agutter
