RYMAN PREMIER DIVISION
Att: N/A
SUTTON UNITED – 0
PURFLEET – 0
After the fun of Tuesday night and Eddie’s late equaliser, we’re still no more confident of exactly where the next U’s goal is going to come from.
Apparently, the goalless draw with K’s on Easter Monday was our first 0-0 for exactly 2 years. Naturally, true to form, we then go and make it 2 in 12 days. Yeah, cheers.
Walking into the Hood decidedly a bit later than normal, I join Bob and neck a quick beer before the short walk to GGL. A walk that is getting decidedly harder and harder to do as the season has worn on. Today is no different. Waiting for us is a game against Purfleet, who sit comfortably in the top 5 and are finding goals and points decidedly easier to come by at the moment. But then, compared to us, that seems to be the case with pretty much the rest of the Ryman Premier right now.
In the ground, I see something I don’t recall having seen in several visits to the hotel by the motorway. A Purfleet fan. Bloody hell, they’re so rare, the WWF has protection orders in place for them. (And no I’m not talking about the bloody wrestling mob).
The side is the same as Tuesday, with Timothy, Corbett and Wingfield all back again. And Matt ‘most dangerous player’ Gray once more relegated to the bench. Hmmmm.
Things start brightly and the U’s open just as they did at Queensmeadow and take the game to the oppo from the off. Once more, Dave Timothy is going like a train on the right, combining well with Nick Drew behind him and they both supply some good balls into the danger area.
Unfortunately the visitors defence deals with most of them before they reach their targets.
One or two do manage to get thru and surprisingly are mainly from the boot of Nick Drew. One is punched clear by the ‘keeper and drops to the edge of the box. Honey steps up to strike, but his effort lacks conviction and clears the bar. A Sutton corner causes problems for the visitors, with Mison outjumping his man, only to see his header bounce off the top of the crossbar.
Meanwhile the visitors are failing to make any real impact, which is strange considering their recent form, which includes a defeat of title chasing Gravesend. They’re quick up front, but most of their build up is direct and isn’t very well delivered.
The first half and our season is summed up in one moment. A backpass to the ‘keeper is, for once, not doggedly chased down by Haworth. Naturally, the ‘keeper completely slices the pass and the ball spins up into the air. Haworth reaches it in time but he has to lay the ball off to the arriving Wingfield, who then procedes to run the ball out of play. We look to the heavens and mutter about how if it’d been us making said cock up, the ball would 9 times out of 10 have ended up in Dunn’s net.
Approaching half time, Timothy and Drew combine well on the right and the young full back swings a good high ball into the box. Haworth comes to meet it and getting in front of his marker flicks a looping header beyond the ‘keeper and inside the far post. Goooal!
Or no-Goooal as in this case, as somehow the linesman on the far side reckons someone was offside. Once again a decision we on the terraces disagree with. The only 2 U’s players in the box are Wingfield and Haworth. BOTH have opposition defenders marking them closely and the nearest other Sutton player is Akuamouah on the edge of the area. So just exactly who the fuck was offside you blind twat???
Bloody pisspot 3rd rate officials.
The ruling out of our goal gives the visitors a bit of a boost, and they rally before the break forcing a couple of saves out of Dunn. Thankfully tho, we’re not punished.
The usual half time visit to the bar and we’re back out for some more thrilling *ahem!* action.
The second half is little different.The U’s create a the lions share of opportunities whilst the visitors control the possession. Matt Gray replaces Timothy at the break.
The visitors best chance comes from a smart breakout following a failed U’s attack. A run and low cross from the right catches the Sutton defence cold. With Dunn helpless, he can only look on as the arriving attacker slides in and somehow directs his effort well clear of the bar.
Sutton’s best chance of the half falls to Wingfield after some good play by Gray and Drew on the right finds Haworth in the area. Unable to strike, he slips the ball out to the clear Wingfield, but his first touch isn’t great allowing a defender to recover the lost ground. Wingers sidesteps the challenge, but the efforts of the Purfleet man has bought his ‘keeper vital time and he dives full stretch to beat out the shot.
As with recent efforts, the U’s blow themselves out and at the end, the visitors look more likely to snatch a winner.
We leg it back down to the Hood for beer, results and a watch of the Liverpool-Sunderland game. Necking pints of ‘Waggledance’ with which you get a scratch card giving you the chance to win a natty t-shirt. Chalmers is already in possession of one from last week and tonite’s lucky recipients are Bob and Jules. Sadly muggins misses out, but gets a heartfelt consolation prize from the bar staff in the shape of a Youngs brewery postcard adressed to ‘The man without a T-shirt’
Sarky bastards…
MAN OF THE MATCH : Nick Drew. Another steady performance.
ENTERTAINMENT : 6. Not a bad game, just no frigging goals again.
TEAM : Dunn, Mison, Palmer, Drew, Gonsalves, Timothy, Honey, Corbett, Wingfield, Akuamouah, Haworth. SUBS : Hammonds, Fowler, Gray.