Deacon The Saviour For Sub Standard Sutton

A late goal from magic man Roarie Deacon saved U’s from a defeat against the league’s bottom side.

Sutton started brightly and Kieron Cadogan was the first to test Cheetham in the Sandgrounders’ goal, his free kick from 25 yards tipped round the post. Puddy was called into action not long after, diving at full stretch to tip an effort from Declan Weeks over the bar. Deacon had a good chance in the early exchanges, turning in the box but firing the ball inches wide of the far post. Not long after though Sutton did take the lead, Bedsente Gomis doing well to get a cross in, with the clearance not getting much distance on it and falling to Deacon. His effort was backheeled in by Kieron Cadogan, staying onside and taking the ball away from the keeper. Sutton looked for further goals, Craig Eastmond the main threat though his shot from just inside the box was blocked by his own player, with no further scoring before the break.

Early in the second half Eastmond had a good chance to double the U’s lead, firing wide after being put through by Roarie Deacon. The pace of United’s play dropped off and their lapses were punished in a painful way, Dan Spence firing in a calamitous own goal under very little pressure after Higgins’ cross was missed by Andrai Jones. Southport had had chances before this as well, with the best of those falling to Cundy. However he sent his header over when he should have been hitting the target. 6 minutes after the equaliser Southport were in front, a cheap foul on the edge of the box punished by an exquisite freekick from Neil Ashton, curled perfectly into the top right corner from 20 yards. To the frustration of the majority of the 1,807 crowd Southport appeared to be comfortable in seeing the game out. However you’re never safe when playing against Roarie Deacon, and with just a few minutes left on the clock he made enough space on the edge of the box to fire off a shot, finding the top corner with Cheetham not even moving. Stoppage time nearly saw United nick a winner, Deacon seeing a similar effort blocked before it reached the goal and later being harshly penalised in the box when there would have otherwise been a great chance. However it wasn’t to be and the game finished with the two sides level

Ian Baird gave his thoughts to SUFCtv after the game:

“It was a good goal from Roarie. Did we deserve it? On the whole probably no”

“We were very very poor today by our standards over the season, but certainly not of late”

“There were words at half time – harsh words – that needed to be said because we’re right in a big big battle here”

“We’re really disappointed today, but the positive to take out of the negative is that we scored in the 90th minute and we salvaged a point”

Photo credit: Ryan Dawkins

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