Monday 30 November 2015. Surrey Senior Cup, 2nd Round.
Sutton United 3 Walton & Hersham 0.
Two goals down in just over ten minutes, and three by the break, Swans looked like going down to a heavy defeat on the 3G pitch at Sutton United in new manager Mark Hams’ first game in charge. But they played much better, matching their higher league opponents, in the second-half, and were unfortunate not to reduce the arrears. The strong, gusty wind was certainly a factor, and the home side took full advantage of it being in their favour during the first 45 minutes.
Although they conceded a corner-kick with less than a minute played, it was Swans who could have taken the lead, twice going close inside the first five minutes. New signing Jamil Okai played Andrew Mensah down the right, and he struck a low shot from the right corner of the box that home goalkeeper Ross Warner just deflected wide of his far-post. Mensah then cut across the edge of the box from the left to drive a shot just over.
But it was Sutton who went ahead in the tenth minute. They played a short corner on the right, and when Dan Wishart got to just outside the right corner of the box, he struck a powerful, low shot that beat Swans’ keeper Sean Fallon at his near-post.
It was just a minute later when Tom Bolarinwa found space in a similar position, and again a strong shot was too good for Fallon.
The home side continued to have the better of the play with the wind to their advantage, but Swans gradually came more into the game and had a good spell just before the half hour. Jack Battie got Mensah down the right, and when his low cross found Harry Mills, his shot was just wide of the right-post. Battie was soon striking a shot from the edge of the box, and a deflection again took the ball just wide of the right-post.
Sutton again played a short corner on the left, and Wishart’s cross sent the ball drifting just wide of the far-post.
Battie then got into the right of the box for Swans and tackles twice took him down, but claims for a penalty went unheeded.
Bolarinwa struck a shot for Sutton from 25 yards out on the left and the ball drifted just wide of the far-post.
Then, with just under ten minutes left of the half, the home side made it 3-0. Craig Dundas found space 25 yards out and curled a fine shot into the top, right corner, giving Fallon no chance.
Swans replaced Sam Pledger with Kambo Smith for the second-half and immediately won a corner, but Battie’s kick from the left was carried behind by the wind.
Sutton had a chance to extend their lead when Dan Fitchett got clear into the box, but Fallon just managed to get a hand to the ball and pluck it from his feet.
Ten minutes into the second-half Swans went close to reducing the lead when Mensah played the ball low across from the right to find Mills inside the left of the box, but his shot was cleared off the line. Okai followed up to get in a header, but again Sutton cleared off the line by heading away. Smith was soon getting in on the left, but his low cross was cleared away. Battie was then found on the right by Smith, and when he got the ball in André Scarlett had a shot from ten yards deflected over.
The home side had a chance with an hour played when Fitchett got into the right of the box, but he shot wide of the near-post.
Swans continued to create openings, and with just under twenty minutes remaining Okai turned in the box to get in a snap shot that Worner got well behind on his line. Battie then made a fine run on the right, and when he played the ball low inside Okai drove a first time shot over from the right corner of the box. Swans had one last chance to get on the scoresheet with five minutes remaining when Dominic Ogun was played down the left and a fine run took him into the left of the box, but a powerful, left-foot shot just cleared the crossbar.
Swans’ Team: Sean Fallon, Olufemi Ismail (Ryan Marklew 77’), Dominic Ogun, Shannon Wallace, James Richmond, Harry Mills, Jamil Okai, André Scarlett, Andrew Mensah (David Koduah 69’), Jack Battie, Sam Pledger (Kambo Smith 45’).
Sutton Team: Worner, Doswell, Wishart, Munro, Cooper (Eastmond 52’), John, Bolarinwa (Stearn 45’), Gomis, Dundas (Collins 62’). Fitchett, Wright. Subs. not used: Shaw, Downer. Scorers: Wishart (10’), Bolarinwa (11’), Dundas (36’).
