Leadership Tests For Sutton
- Mark Bravery
- Sep 28, 2017
- 2 min read
Sutton United once again lead the National League, but face two testing matches during the coming week against clubs just below them in the table, the first this Saturday (30 September) when they travel to north Wales to play fifth-placed Wrexham.
The Red Dragons are one of five clubs sitting just one point behind Sutton. They have the best defensive record in the league with only six goals conceded in twelve games, though their tally of ten goals scored is the division's third-lowest. Their sole home defeat this season came on the opening day when Macclesfield Town won 1-0. Now undefeated in seven matches, they won 1-0 at Tranmere last Saturday despite playing with ten men from the thirteenth minute following the dismissal of midfielder Sam Wedgbury, their goal coming from ex-Macclesfield striker Chris Holroyd.
A little over a year ago Sutton were rather unlucky to lose 1-0 at the Racecourse Ground, conceding to a deflected shot, though they did win the return game by the same score thanks to an own goal.
Sutton have won four of their last five away games, and are now seeing some of their injured players return to fitness. Captain Jamie Collins and forward Ross Lafayette both played against Barrow last weekend, while Nicky Bailey and Dean Beckwith could both be close to returns. Sutton will however be without influential midfielder Craig Eastmond on Saturday, as he serves a one-match suspension for five accumulated bookings. Wedgbury will be suspended for Wrexham.
United will be back in action next Tuesday (3 October) when they are at home to Dover Athletic. Dover did the double over Sutton last season, romping to a 6-0 win at Gander Green Lane at the end of November, although United manager Paul Doswell did choose to rest certain players for that match ahead of the FA Cup tie against Cheltenham Town, and his team played for three-quarters of the game with ten men after Beckwith was shown a red card. Moses Emmanuel scored a hat-trick in that match, with Lafayette also on the score-sheet; both players moved to Sutton in the close season along with left back Aswad Thomas who also played that evening.
Despite losing several key players during the summer, including last season's divisional top scorer Ricky Miller, Dover have started this season well and, like Wrexham, have amassed 21 points, their goal difference putting them in third place. Their away form is particularly impressive as they have won four out of six on the road, their only defeat coming at Macclesfield (1-0). Last Saturday they drew 1-1 at Guiseley, Nortei Nortey their scorer.