Top Dogs Sutton Bound For 3G Weekend
- Mark Bravery
- Aug 24, 2017
- 2 min read
First up this Saturday (26 August) is the visit of Maidstone. The Stones were promoted with Sutton last year from the South division, and both encounters between the sides last season finished as draws. In their home match in October, Sutton went 2-0 up through Dan Fitchett and Nicky Bailey, only to be pegged back by a penalty from Bobby-Joe Taylor then an equaliser from Jamar Loza. The return match in Kent ended 1-1, Loza's penalty cancelling out an own goal.
Loza won't feature this weekend as he is about to have surgery on his ankle, while Taylor is now at Aldershot. The Stones have signed striker Delano Sam-Yorke who scored against Sutton in April when he was with Woking. Other additions to their squad include former West Ham forward Zavon Hines and ex-Eastleigh midfielder Jai Reason, arrivals from Southend United and Boreham Wood respectively. They made a slow start to this season, but gained their first win last Saturday as they overcame Wrexham 2-1 at the Gallagher Stadium with goals from Alex Wynter and Jack Richards, a result that took them to 17th in the table.
Sutton, who have won four of their five games so far, may still be missing the injured Dean Beckwith, but Louis John, whose stunning opener at Chester was his first goal at this level, will be ready to keep his place at centre back alongside skipper Jamie Collins. Striker Adam Coombes remains sidelined, but Tommy Wright has scored in Sutton's last two games, while a rejuvenated Craig Dundas, whose winner at Tranmere was his first National League goal, is just one short of his hundredth goal in Sutton colours.
On Monday (28th) Sutton make the short journey to Bromley, the club who currently sit just one place below them. The Ravens are unbeaten this season and have only conceded twice, the best defensive record in the division. Their results at home include a 6-1 thrashing of Leyton Orient and, last Saturday, a 2-0 defeat of the other relegated club, Hartlepool United, with Josh Rees and Luke Wanadio on target. Wanadio was in the Dartford team that Sutton beat 6-3 in the FA Cup last season. Bromley have also signed ex-Aldershot striker Brett Williams who scored for Torquay when Sutton won 3-2 there in February, and who replaces Tobi Sho-Silva, now at Dover. The Bromley goalkeeper is David Gregory who had a brief spell at Sutton in the 2013/14 season.
Last season a stoppage time goal from Louis Dennis consigned Sutton to a 1-0 defeat at Hayes Lane on Boxing Day. United won the return match 2-0 on New Year's Day with goals from Max Biamou and Bradley Hudson-Odoi.
Both Sutton's opponents were in action in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday evening, Maidstone winning 2-1 at Tonbridge Angels with Hines scoring twice, while a very late Williams goal gave Bromley a 1-0 victory at Ebbsfleet.