Bath Time For Sutton In The Trophy
- Mark Bravery
- Dec 8, 2016
- 1 min read
Sutton are at home to Bath City this Saturday in the first round of the Buildbase FA Trophy.
Bath are familiar opponents from Sutton’s time in the National League South, and currently stand 12th in the South table while Sutton are 14th in the division above. Although this might look a relatively easy fixture for Sutton, Bath have won or drawn on all five of their most recent visits to Gander Green Lane. Last February they battled to a 1-1 draw there in Sutton’s 26-match unbeaten surge to the divisional title.
Bath reached this stage of the Trophy by beating Basingstoke Town 2-0 at home in the final qualifying round. Both sides come into this game having won just one of their last eight league matches, though Sutton should be buoyed by their recent FA Cup victories over Dartford and Cheltenham Town.
Sutton will be without centre back Dean Beckwith as he sits out the second game in his four-match suspension, with the long-serving Simon Downer expected to deputise as he did so ably against Cheltenham. Experienced striker Matt Tubbs, who scored against Cheltenham on his Sutton debut, is eligible to play.
Should this game end as a draw then there would be a replay at Bath's Twerton Park ground, most likely next Tuesday (13th December).