Reports 1st

SUTTON STUMBLE OUT OF FA CUP

Poole Town 3 - 0 Bishop Sutton

Bishop Sutton’s hopes of a good run in the FA Cup were ended after they lost 3-0 to Wessex Premier side Poole Town. Goals from Steve Smith, Lamin Dibba and Carl Preston put Sutton out in the early stages of this famous competition.

With several absentees from a full strength squad, Sutton gave a first team debut to youngster Billy Downes, partnering Rob Smart up front and the two combined for the first chance of the game, only to see Smart’s shot straight at Jones in the home goal. Sutton controlled the open exchanges but the hosts had a spell before half time that saw them take the lead. As the Sutton defenders appealed for offiside, Steve Smiths’ weak shot crept past an onrushing Blammon to give Poole a half time lead.

Poole doubled their lead ten minutes into the second half with Sutton conceding a soft freekick, allowing the home side to play to their strength and pile forward their tall men and it was one of them in Lamin Dibba that put them further ahead. The visitors did have the ball in the net midway through the second half only to see it ruled offside. With nothing to lose, Sutton added numbers to their attack, leaving gaps at the back which Carl Preston took advantage of to score Poole’s third.

Poole Town’s style of play will never win prizes for attractiveness but today it proved effective as Sutton struggled to deal with the physical threat of the tall opposition. On another day, if Sutton could have imposed their neat, passing football on a robust Poole side then perhaps it would have been a different story but it is Sutton that are left to concentrate on the league and Poole that progress.

Dawlish Town 0 - 3 Bishop Sutton

Sutton’s season started today with a very comfortable win. Sutton took control of the game from the first minute and never really looked as if they would be shaken. After some clever play, Rob Smart flicked the ball into the path of Darren Hawkins who struck home sending the keeper the wrong way to give Sutton the lead on 5 minutes. Rob Smart then volleyed Sutton into a 2 nil lead on 30 minutes after another flurry of great football. Sutton looked good for their half time lead.

Dawlish came out in the second half with only one thing on their minds and that was to kick Sutton off the park, the referee struggled to make the right decisions to stop this but Sutton continued to play football and Lee Delaney scored on 85 minutes to give Sutton their first 3 points of the season. Sutton could of won this match by a bigger margin and it seems that all guns are now firing. Lets hope the boys can take this form into next weeks FA Cup tie away at Poole Town.