Sutton 4 Bognor 0
15th October 2011 The Rocks went crashing out of the 3rd Qualifying Round of the F.A. Cup thanks to a master class of attacking football from the hosts.
Three goals inside the first half alone had beaten the Rocks’ spirit before another goal came deep into the second half to end the misery.
Kane Wills was absent through an ankle injury but the bench included four substitutes, Jon Marzetti, Lewis Ide, Darryl Wollers and Jack Blatchford.
Bognor started with the similar three-pronged attack of Luke Nightingale, Jason Prior and Terry Dodd in the starting XI that was used successfully at Ramsgate in midweek.
Top goal scorer for the U’s, Craig Watkins, started on the bench.
It was apparent from the start that Bognor were going to have a difficult afternoon. Inside the first minute Tony Taggart played in Craig Dundas through defence but Dundas’ shot from a tight angle was deflected into Craig Stoners arms.
Then Dundas tried to play in Leroy Griffiths with a pass, but Stoner dashed out of his goal first to boot clear.
Down the other end, Dodd slipped a ball in towards Prior, splitting the defence, though it was called offside.
Chris Piper sped forward to square to Griffiths. Griffiths hit a left-footed curling shot from outside the box, but it was easily saved by Stoner.
On 9 minutes the hosts won a corner after Matt Whitehead cleared a dangerous cross. Though the corner kick came to nothing.
Sutton made a defensive mistake seconds later when goalkeeper Kevin Scriven passed straight to Dan Beck in midfield. The skipper spotted Scriven off his line, but his chipped effort flew well wide of the right post.
Taggart flicked the ball over Whitehead to set Piper up. The full back juggled the ball over his marker before hitting a volley, though it didn’t trouble Stoner, who watched it bounce off for a goal kick.
Prior managed to win a free kick when Simon Downer had leant over him in a challenge. The free kick from the left was taken by Ben Johnson, who hit a searching cross of which both Beck and Prior wanted to head towards goal - though the home defence did well to clear the danger.
Harry Beautyman then lofted a high ball over towards Griffiths but the striker couldn’t quite get to it, as it went over the line for a goal kick.
On 16 minutes Prior was blocked off with his shot from outside the area, before moments later Nightingale struck at goal only to be blocked again. This time it was Sam Page who got in the way, with appeals for hand ball ignored by the referee.
A quieter period for the U’s saw Paul Telfer’s forward ball from a free kick go out of bounds, spurring ironic cheers from the large contingent of Rocks fans who had made the trip to Gander Green Lane.
But Sutton were ruthless in attack and on 22 minutes grabbed the opening goal of the game. Fola Orilonishe got into good space to hit a deflected shot away for a corner. From the corner kick the ball fell to Griffiths who scuffed his shot on the rise but Dundas was there in the 6-yard box to tap home.
Anthony Riviere then fled down the right flank but his cross couldn’t be converted with a goal by either Griffiths or Dundas.
Scriven saved a Prior header comfortably on the 25th minute before another worrying moment saw Orilonishe beat his marker before hitting a shot beyond Stoner at the other end. Luckily Tim Bond was in support to clear.
Perhaps Rocks’ best shot on target came on the 28th minute. Dodd held the ball up well on the right to square to James Crane who rushed in from right back position. Crane instantly went for goal, aiming for the top-left corner but Scriven was just as good with his save, palming it over the bar.
Sutton got their second of the day on 29 minutes. Rocks were suddenly left bare at the back, allowing the hosts to spring on the counter. Griffiths managed to divert the ball over Stoner to the unmarked Taggart to stab home.
The pressure continued. Bond had to head clear a dangerous looking cross from Taggart after Whitehead had given away a free kick.
There was small hope going forward for Bognor. Chris Breach lofted the ball forward to Prior, who won a corner. Though the short kick came to nothing, when player’s were waiting in the box.
Beautyman then brought out a fantastic save from Stoner on 37 minutes with a powerful drive. The goalkeeper deftly tipped the ball over the bar with his left hand.
Bognor were on the cusp of losing this game by quite a margin come half time. They had to scramble to clear the ball off the line after a throw in led to Dundas causing havoc in the Rocks’ penalty area. And then Orilonishe sprayed a shot well over the bar from inside the box.
Sutton’s quality going forward showed again on 43 minutes. Good play down the left by Orilonishe allowed him to get a pinpoint cross in for Taggart, who nodded into the top right corner.
HT 3-0
Rocks were hoping for some kind of consolation in the second half. Though it seemed as hard as the first half.
Dodd had found Prior in space with his first touch, but the tall striker had timed his run incorrectly and was flagged offside.
Page then headed well over the bar as he rose to meet Taggart’s right sided delivery.
The U’s perhaps could have done better on 50 minutes when Orilonishe whipped in a cross into the area but Dundas glanced his header wide, and so the onslaught, realised in the first half, continued.
Dodd had the ball in the net 2 minutes later. But he was flagged offside before even shooting.
Frustration may have been behind Beck’s late tackle on Beautyman. The midfielder received a yellow card but Taggart blasted the free kick opportunity right into the defensive wall.
Orilonishe managed to combine with substitute Alan Bray on the left to win a corner. Taggart’s cross was headed high by Bond and it was Stoner who had to be brave to come and get it.
Dundas then beat Beck with some trickery before playing a one-two with Griffiths. Dundas’ cross however was slid away by Stuart Axten. The resulting corner fell to Page who nodded his header wide of the right post.
Griffiths then let fly with a shot from the edge of the box, which flew high and wide as Bognor struggled to reply.
Crane was beaten for pace by Orilonishe after the hour mark. Orilonishe played the ball forward to Griffiths who crossed along the deck for Dundas, but he failed to capitalise on a clear opportunity to score.
Griffiths then laid the ball off for Dundas - the pair appeared to have a good understanding all afternoon. Dundas banged a shot narrowly wide of the right post.
A long ball forward towards Prior by Johnson bounced tamely into Scriven’s arms as Bognor lacked impetus going forward.
Taggart then belted a shot on the rise from just outside the D with his left boot, inches away from the left post.
Beck then failed to intercept Taggart with the ball and the tricky winger let fly with another left-footed shot and won a corner. Page headed over from the chance.
Substitute Marzetti was the second Rocks player to receive a yellow card on 74 minutes, when he slid into Orilonishe late from behind near the touchline.
And to make matters worse, within the same minute Sutton had scored their fourth. Despite Stoner’s attempt at stopping Griffiths’ curling shot, the ball still dropped into the bottom left corner.
Rocks had the ball in the net again on 76 minutes. This time Johnson whipped in a cross for Prior who netted with ease on his first touch. The goal was disallowed as the striker was clearly offside.
Then Johnson’s throw-in was bizarrely blocked by the arm of Telfer as he stood right in front of him. The referee just gave a warning.
With 4 minutes left, Axten let the ball fly over his head, almost providing Griffiths with another goal. The striker slid in to try to reach it but Stoner bravely got down to stop it.
Sutton had the last chance of the day when Orilonishe squared to substitute Tom Kavanagh just outside the box. But unfortunately for him his shot missed the target.
Rocks were given an exhibition in attacking football today, and their defence simply could not resist the unforgiving onslaught of an improved Sutton United side.
Attendance - 622
Team: Stoner, Crane (Marzetti 64), Whitehead (Wollers 81), Breach, Axten, Bond, Beck, Dodd (Ide 64), Prior, Nightingale, Johnson
Unused Subs: Blatchford