Sherborne Town 1 – 6 Bishop Sutton
Bishop Sutton traveled to bottom side Sherborne having not played for two weeks for what looked like it could have been a potential ‘banana skin’ in their title challenge. Things got off to the worst possible start for the visitors when they found themselves behind with less than three minutes on the clock. A long throw in was misjudged by keeper Ashley Clarke and somehow managed to find its way in giving the home side a surprise lead. Sutton looked shaken by the early goal but it wasn’t long before they really hit their stride and Sherborne had no answer to some of the football their opponents were playing. Kyle Shallcross leveled after 18 minutes when he curled a free kick in off the post and a minute later Sutton had the lead. A strong commanding run by Hawkins from the restart allowed him to set up Jordan Metters, who stayed composed to chip his shot over the diving keeper. The way Sutton have been playing over recent weeks, it was never going to be long before someone was on the wrong end of a heavy defeat. Sutton added a third with 28 minutes played when a mêlée in the Sherborne goalmouth was ended by a foul on Metters just inside the box. Billy Downes stepped up to confidently convert the penalty. Only three minutes later Sutton scored a fourth to put the game completely beyond the home side. Downes cross was headed back across goal by Sheppard where Todd Winter was waiting to bundle in from close range. It was five one ten minutes before the break and probably Sutton’s best move of the match. Excellent interplay between Sheppard and Hawkins, found Downes free on the edge of the box to drill home for his second of the game. After such a good first half it was always going to be difficult to improve on after the break but the visitors did add a sixth goal midway through the second half. Winter drilled in a powerful cross that the Sherborne defender could only divert into his own net. This empathic win begins what is a massive month for the club where they’ll face many of their closest title rivals. Sutton have nothing to fear though as in their current form on their day they can beat anyone. HH
Bishop Sutton 3 -2 Radstock Town
Bishop Sutton narrowly won this local derby against Radstock Town but as has been the case for most of the season if they had taken their chances and been more clinical in front of goal they would have won by a much greater margin. Having dominated the first half and enjoying the better of the football and possession, it was against the run of play that the visitors took the lead two minutes before the break. With the Sutton defence out of position missed challenges allowed to Plummer to set up Noah Keats to score from inside the box. It wasn’t long into the second half before Sutton levelled to bring them back into the game. Good interplay between Hawkins and Winter caused confusion in the Radstock defence and a goalmouth scramble resulted in Winter prodding home from close range. The home side went in front on 65 minutes when a solo effort by man of the match Kyle Shallcross, saw him dance past Radstock players before skilfully curling his shot past Jackson from a tight angle. Sutton looked to have put the game to bed when Jordan Metters added a third goal ten minutes from time but when Radstock won and converted a penalty it set up a nervy final five minutes.©HH
