Long Sutton Mens’ 1st 8
St Neots 1st 2
Sutton hosted St Neots this week.
In the reverse fixture, the boys travelled with 11 men and won 2-1 in a game that was a real turning point in the lads’ season. Since then, they have only lost once.
Sutton started with a bang. They were two goals up inside the first five minutes.
A penalty corner from Josh Fyson dispatched into the bottom left and then a long ball over the top from the same man, fell to Daniel Batten who with a perfect touch fed in Josh Baker to score in an empty net.
Sutton were firing on all cylinders. Olly Taylor, Batten, McKenzie East, Sam Gray, Nick Ellis, Frazer Watt, Brad Sargeant and Baker were all electric going forward.
Multiple battles were won in the first half meaning both Baker and Fyson doubled their tallies and the score read 4-0 inside 20 minutes.
St Neots then pulled one back.
Sutton made sure to stay focused and switched on at this point and to continue their forages forward after the epic comeback win the travelling side claimed over Bourne last week.
Sutton danced forward and another upgrade saw Fyson fire home another drag flick into the top corner.
The sixth and final goal of the half for Sutton came when a crash ball into the D deflected up, was controlled by the thumb of Baker and then hit home on the reverse into the roof of the net.
St Neots weren’t quite done there however as they added themselves a second.
Two first half hat tricks from the Josh’s saw the score line reading 6-2!
It was a classy first half from the home side but they knew there was still work to be done in the second.
Sutton started well but weren’t quite as potent as the first half although it was always going to be tough to follow up that first half.
The defence of Dominic Ibrahim, Fyson, Michael Donaghy and Luke Proctor held firm however and kept out any St Neots attacks with the help of James Cliff behind and Stefan Fox just in front.
The second half wasn’t one of many highlights but the seventh goal came from a penalty stroke after a Baker shot struck a defender in the mask on the second shot of a short corner.
He took the flick and took his tally up to four for the game.
There began to be a few more chances throughout the second half for the likes of Watt, Batten and Sargeant, but all were unlucky not to score.
Baker would finish proceedings after cutting inside off the baseline and scoring from an angle to the top left on his backhand to make it five for him.
Upon the restart, the full time whistle sounded and Sutton had won once again.
They now have a week off to rest and refocus for the home straight with five games remaining, having won nine games on the trot.
St Ives away is up next on February 24.
Player of the match was Baker, scoring five and linking up on multiple occasions with the attacking and midfield lines to create many chances going forward.
Long Sutton Mens’ 2nd 0
Wisbech 2nd 3
With the half term looming, and vice captain Stefan Fox out through a call-up to the 1st, the men’s 2nd fielded a 12-man side that has grown over the course of the season.
Up this week was a Wisbech side third in the table, bringing not only 14 players but two coaches along for the game.
The game started, and immediately you could sense that this was set to be a great game with both teams pushing hard for the first goal.
Chances mostly came to Sutton, including an absolute screamer from Dan Plant which cannoned off of the crossbar, and Luke Jackson, Eddie Hales and Troy Croxford had some decent chances which were well saved.
At the other end, the defence consisting of Ben Hales, Tom Baguley, Simon Clarke and Adam Taylor were imperious in the first half – with the scant few chances which were generated by Wisbech being saved easily by Alfie Braginton in goal.
The only other thing of note was a green card issued to Croxford before the half ended scoreless.
The second half started, and once again the midfield duo of Ed White and Will Taylor got right back in to chance creating and Sutton again started on the strong foot.
However this time, Wisbech grew into the half and, despite some more good chances by Sutton, they took the lead from a strong short corner that beat Braginton. Sutton were in the unfamiliar position of having to chase the game.
The heat was turned up as Sutton kept pushing towards getting the equaliser but with the game turning into more of a niggly affair, five cards were produced in short succession.
During the resultant powerplays Wisbech scored two more goals to embellish the score line slightly, and with that the final score was 3-0.
Sutton are still top of the table, but any breathing room that they had has now disappeared. They know that they must be near perfect to close out the season if the title dream is to be realised.
Long Sutton Men’s 3rd 1
Spalding 4th 2
Long Sutton Ladies’ 1st 0
Cambridge City 4th 3
Long Sutton Ladies’ 2nd 0 Huntingdon Development 5
