Sutton V Gateshead

[backhome2016]

When Gateshead when 2-0 up shortly after the break I feared the worst. But slowly we found a way back into the game and soon, after pulling a goal back, found a bit of belief and movement, bossing the rest of the second half - although we still let Gateshead walk through our defence on three occasions forcing Ross to pull off a couple of superb saves. Where in recent matches we lacked runners, we found them. Where there had been little desire, there was plenty. When goals 3 and 4 went in the team celebrated with a real spirit - this obviously meant as much to them as it did to the crowd, which celebrated with a wildness that would not normally be associated with such a relatively mundane league game. It was a release of tension all round.

Just in time for the Bruce and Dos show on Monday evening, which might just be a bit more comfortable for them now!

I spent the first half chatting to a couple of Gateshead supporters. I feel for them with their club in a perilous situation, up for sale for £1 and operating with a skeleton squad. It puts our recent whinging into context.

[kpinwp]

Not going to pretend that was a flawless performance, far from it. But I absolutely loved the way the team got stuck in, in the 2nd half. Real effort, belief, team spirit and plenty of people leading from the front. A well deserved come back.

Well done, lads!

[georgieboy]

Fantastic effort boys. Kept going with great spirit and endeavour.
Onwards and upwards

[pinewalker]

The U’s fans in todays 1722 crowd who also endured Tuesday’s performance will have left pleased but baffled today. Dos’s assessment that Tuesday was one of the worst displays of his time in charge meant that any player might have found himself dropped, though it seems Collins and Bailey were out injured, so only Touré and Ayunga were relegated to sub. Bennett was back, but Roarie still found himself asked to play LB while Aswad partnered Deano at CB.
We did not start any better. Playing with the wind behind us it was an open game though Sutton’s shooting was off-target again, and their crosses in the air seemed to be aimed only at Harry – the shortest man in there. The main attacking fault carried over from Tuesday was the inability of Dobson and today Williams (Tuesday Touré) to control the ball, shield it and lay it off. Both chose to play a first-time glance or flick which never went to a colleague. Tom’s work also in the first half inevitably ended in a loss of possession. Kenny was forced off with another concussion and that brought on Barden for his debut. I don’t know what he normally does – today he was tasked with winning the ball in midfield and giving it simple. He did that very well. Starting for the first time was Dylan Kearney. Short by National League striker standards he is nevertheless powerfully built and very direct. What a welcome change that is! Just before the break a short throw by U’s - to a player too close to the thrower - lost possession and the next Sutton player to touch the ball was Worner retrieving it from his net. Sutton were caught on the break (again) 2 minutes into the restart and the mood in the stands changed to ‘how many today?’.
Suddenly it all changed, Roarie had moved over to right wing and a cross from the right found Dylan who headed Sutton a goal back. Jonah came on for the ineffective Williams. Then Dale, Tom and Roarie combined again of the right and Roarie’s shot slammed into Gateshead defenders. The handball was not obvious from the stands, but James Dobson from the spot beat the keeper’s dive to level. Gime came on for Roarie and perhaps the defender who had been marking Deano at corners switched to mark Gime. Deano headed his first goal in ages while apparently unmarked to give Sutton an unlikely lead, then repeated the feat to wrap up the points.
A superb and unforgettable performance – but difficult to explain with so many core players missing unless therein lies the answer.

[simon]

Well done to the lads today.

So we went nearly 4 full games without scoring since the 56th minute against hartlepool. One for the statto's just wondering what our longest barren run is...

[Amber Aleman]

Here's a stat: we scored twice as many goals in 45 second-half minutes today as in our previous 675 minutes of football. And that was after giving Gateshead a two goal headstart. As Dos has said, goals change games. Dylan Kearney's first Sutton goal (a simple but effective header from James Dobson's cross) got us back into the contest, and you could then see the confidence flooding back into the team. Players who had been little more than passengers on Tuesday were suddenly hungry for the ball and making telling deliveries. Yes, we still had to rely on Ross Worner, his two great saves thwarting a Gateshead resurgence. Dobson got us level from the spot, then veteran stand-in captain Dean Beckwith headed in a late brace from corners. Gateshead may be known as the Heed, but today they were undone by other heads.

All this was achieved with a makeshift defence missing both Collins and Bailey, while another experienced player, Kenny Davis, was forced off early, allowing Jonathan Barden to make an impressive Sutton debut in central midfield.

Next weekend's appearance at Chesterfield in front of the BT Sport cameras now looks a bit more interesting than it did twelve hours ago.

[VCLXI]

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Well, the second half after around 46 minutes that is.

Great game, I took three friends with me and they all had an absolute blast.

Can I add that the young guns behind us were bloody brilliant, singing loudly and generally making an exceptional atmosphere. Plus I think that I celebrated with most of you when Sutton scored the 3rd and 4th. Anyway, you guys are a credit to Sutton.

[Del]

Great second half performance after Gateshead had scored a second goal. It was as though someone had flicked a switch and we were back to watching a Sutton team who pushed forward at pace and thoroughly deserved to win.
Let's hope the confidence has returned and we can push on until the end of the season.

[trev]

Today marked the first home match my wife has attended since our incredible exploits in the FA Cup fifth round two seasons ago, as well as the first ever English football match our friend Anita (from Norway) has attended. Suffice to say, we gained a new fan with our spirited comeback today, and every player can be proud of their second half performance.

Special mention must also go to the pupils of Robin Hood Junior School in the seated area, whose vocal support was notable throughout. They played their part in today's memorable game in blustery conditions for sure.

If today's result marks a turning point in our season, then we're in for a very exciting finish!

[os]

At the back we struggled with a make shift defence, we really missed JC and it shows how much he does when he isn't there.

Feared the worse like many, then something kicked in and all of a sudden we were an aerial threat, Roarie moves more central and causes immediate problems for the Gateshead defenders. Kearny looks a good find, and a special mention for Harry, worked his socks off all afternoon.

What a lovely feeling that last 25 mins were today, proud of the lads for fighting back so brilliantly.

[Jared]

Mar 16, 2019 20:18:09 GMT simon said:

Well done to the lads today.

So we went nearly 4 full games without scoring since the 56th minute against hartlepool. One for the statto's just wondering what our longest barren run is...

We went almost 8 games without scoring in the spring of 2002, the run ending with an injury time wonder goal by Eddie Akumoah at Kingstonian

[Andy K]

One for me today was Dobson. I've lost count on how many times he lost possession when hes played since he scored his debut goal for us at the Hive. And similar stuff in the first half today. But totally changed in the 2nd. Had a hand in all 4 goals. He must be pleased as punch

[surreyu]

Dobson's best game for us, delivery exceptional and a well taken penalty. Kearney equally very good up top. Harry works so hard and Barden had a very solid debut.
Hope Kenny is ok, very worrying to see him go down with another head injury. Get well soon lad.

[RobboAccounts]

Mar 16, 2019 23:04:30 GMT trev said:

Today marked the first home match my wife has attended since our incredible exploits in the FA Cup fifth round two seasons ago, as well as the first ever English football match our friend Anita (from Norway) has attended. Suffice to say, we gained a new fan with our spirited comeback today, and every player can be proud of their second half performance.

Special mention must also go to the pupils of Robin Hood Junior School in the seated area, whose vocal support was notable throughout. They played their part in today's memorable game in blustery conditions for sure.

If today's result marks a turning point in our season, then we're in for a very exciting finish!

For all of those supporters that are commenting on the great atmosphere that was created today especially in the second half, this was an initiative of our UCFB students to re-engage the club with local primary schools and we had three in attendance I am led to believe and other primary schools will be in attendance at future coming Saturday home matches. Our UFCB students attend lectures two days a week at the UFCB Wembley Stadium Campus and are with us the other two days, helping out in the general office and gaining football administration experience with the tasks that the club set them.

[markf]

Just like the old London buses you wait for one and then x amount come along; in this case four. Another strange affair at the KCS, plots as thick as a decent murder mystery plus one inaccurate accusation on the Gateshead forum, although the sentiments about yesterday's ref are agreeable.

Often the turning point is a goal and that could be argued yesterday. I'd argue there was a bit more to it than that though. Firstly was the change in who plays where as it moved Roarie D up the pitch and Tom B had far more success from the deeper position than he had further forward. Secondly was the otherwise impressive Olley's missed chance for his hat-trick and perhaps we can thank the half gale that blew throughout for that as much as his heavy touch. Then the sudden resurgence of James D whose cross was met met by young Kearney for his first Sutton goal and the comeback was on. I say resurgence because Dobbo seemed to have gone through a metamorphism during h-t and suddenly we had the player who had so impressed for Slough. He was everywhere and along with the arrival of Gime T allowed U's to take the match to the visitors and that proved a huge success.

U's could have been 4-0 adrift before they scored. Gateshead hit a post scored twice and then Olley missed that chance. Then Dobbo's cross and Dylan's header, a perhaps fortuitous penalty well converted and then two towering late headers from skipper for the day Dean B (his first goals of the season) and all was well with the amber & chocolates. It should be noted that not for the first time in recent matches Ross W made two fine saves (the one from that powerful strike was brilliant) to keep parity while Dylan probably should have headed in from Aswad's superb cross before Dean intervened and prevented an eighth 2-2 draw for the season.

Five goals scored into the wind says much about how both sides seemed to cope with it on their backs making controlled, attacking play difficult with many over hit passes, crosses and shots. It was an almost impossible beast to tame.

Well done to the management for making those changes and the players responding to them and showing tremendous character to fight back, particularly when confidence may have been low following the recent run and then going 2-0 behind within a minute of the re-start. MotM was Dobbo. Scored one, assisted two others but I thought Dylan had a great first start causing the visiting defence much anxiety and boy did they moan about him (moaned about almost everything as it goes). Liked the look of Jonathan Barden too. Liked a tackle and timed the well and for the most part used the ball well. Another decent debut.

So to the ref who has received mixed marks over the season from the sages the NLP relies on for that sort of thing. As the Heed forum suggests he made glaring errors. One of their posters suggests that Aswad elbowed one of their fellas in the neck and we got away with a two footed lunge. Both in the first 30 minutes. No idea about the first accusation but the second I assume refers to Dobbo's yellow card challenge. It looked as if he had made more than decent and controlled contact with the ball and their fella arrived a second later to be caught by his momentum. It certainly wasn't two footed and Paul L actually has a photo to back that claim up. I didn't think it was a foul as he was in control. The guy was up quick enough to run about. Glaring error indeed. He seemed to listen to players rather than make his own mind up and perhaps was consistent in that approach with our penalty award. Will have to reserve full judgement until seen again.

And what about the challenge that led to Kenny D's early departure? Was a yellow sufficient? As for Dylan, the Gateshead 'keeper moaned about him constantly for taking up a position close to the goal line and the ref duly obliged by calling him out when he was doing absolutely nothing to impede any opposition player. Memo to ref: make your own mind up that's what you get paid your fee for.

A great afternoon's entertainment at the KCS and a welcome three points a long with goals at last - four in a match for the first time this season.

As for the Gateshead fans; best of luck with your club and well done for travelling. As a good number of us know, it is a fair old trek.

Onto Chesterfield who have picked up some form under Sheridan and will be looking to impress on the tele thing. Looking forward to seeing their stadium and hopefully a bent spire too.