Late Sutton strike defeats Terras

WEYMOUTH 0

SUTTON UNITED 1

Match Report: Alife Lumb

Jack Bycroft shone for the Terras but could not keep out Sutton United as they ran out 1-0 winners against Weymouth on Saturday.

Brian Stock made four changes to his starting eleven that lost to Woking in mid week, with Alefe Santos, Andy Robinson, Josh Wakefield and Cameron Murray coming into the starting eleven. Jake McCarthy dropped to the bench whilst Ngalo, Thomson and McQuoid were not in contention to play.

Weymouth started well. Cody Cooke found himself on the right wing and launched an early ball into Tom Whelan, but the ball was cleared away before contact could have been made.

David Ajiboye was looking bright on the right side but his ball into the area could not find a body to strike it in.

New signing Isaac Olafe was attacking on the right, but the shot was blocked after he was played through by right back John Barden.

The resulting corner from the U’s forced Bycroft into action in the twenty fifth minute. The Southampton loanee produced an acrobatic save to deny Harry Beautyman. Sutton’s number ten had another chance moments later but he could not get a clear shot away, mis-kicking the ball not once but twice as the Terras managed to clear their lines.

Sutton had continued to dominate the first half, such was their presence that it made it hard for the Terras to attack on the break and left Cody Cooke isolated up front.

Bycroft was proving himself a hero for Weymouth, palming the ball over the bar following a twenty five yard strike from Beautyman. Within five minutes the Terras keeper was needed again. A worked set piece from Sutton United was headed goal bound from Tobi Sho-Silva, and pushed away by the young goalkeeper.

David Ajiboye was next to challenge the goalkeeper. The winger cut in from the right wing towards the centre of the pitch before unleashing a driven shot from twenty yards out. Despite spilling the powerful effort, the goalkeeper pounced on the ball to deny a second strike.

After the second half, Stock looked for more attacking play, pushing Calvin Brooks further up field.

Weymouth were being put under pressure by the away side as they continued to test Bycroft. Will Randall had the first chance of the second half when his floating header from the edge of the box, courtesy of a ball from John Barden, was tipped over by the Terras showstopper.

Moments later, a powerful run from new signing Olaofe took the ball into the box and needed Brennan Camp to usher the attacker out of having a shot. However, Randall was quick to react to the situation at hand and fired a shot away at goal. Bycroft was just as fast as the striker and got down low to block the shot.

Brennan Camp put his body on the line for the Terras as the defenders well timed sliding tackle took the ball away from Randall. The U’s attacker danced through the Weymouth defence before the Bournemouth youth player dove in as a shot was to be unleashed.

It took eighty minutes for the away side to finally break the defensive resilience of the Terras. Bycroft again got down to make a save from an effort inside the area, but the resulting clearance fell to the feet of Randall. Randall was cool and calm and curved the ball beyond Bycroft with his left foot.

Weymouth were trying to press for a goal within the final ten minutes, but could only work the ball around the midfield as every lane was cut off by Sutton United defenders. The frustrations boiled over into added time as players from both sides clashed on the near side of the pitch, with referee Scott Simpson doing well to calm both sides.

The best chance for the Terras came with thirty seconds left of the game within the six minutes of added time. Dean Bouzanis failed to clear the ball, punching it on the edge of the area, with

substitute Jack Hoey looping the ball first time over both goalkeeper and defenders, but the ball went over the bar.

The final score was 1-0 to Sutton United. The Terras will look to bounce back from this on Tuesday night as they travel to the Hive, North London, to face Barnet.

Terras: Bycroft, Camp, Wakefield, Santos (Hoey 71), Leslie-Smith, Robinson, Brooks, Cooke, Murray, Whelan (McCarthy 76), Harfield.

Subs not used: Benfield, Anderson, Burns.

Sutton: Bouzanis, Barden, Wyatt, Ajiboye, Davis, Beautyman, Randell, Rowe, Eastmond, Sho-Silva (Dundas 84), Olaofe (Kealy 75).

Subs not used: Goodliffe, Milson, Simpson.