Match Report - SCTFC 2 - 1 Kettering Town FC

In this F.A cup second round replay Sutton were up against Kettering Town at home, and after a tough draw on Saturday, the Royals were ready to do battle again for safe passage to the 3rd round.

Toothy made one change from Saturdays team bringing in Edwin Ahenkorah in place of Ryan Shaw.

It was a wet and windy evening at Coles Lane, but the heat was on in football terms as the fans were in great spirit and the players were ready and focused in the warm up.

Sutton started brightly with Okoro running down the wing and getting a shot off sadly going just wide. Leek on the other wing beat two defenders and put a sweet ball across the goal but alas, no one was there to strike the ball home.

It was all Sutton who were doing all the pressing, Okoro being the one player to have several shots on goal blocked. Kettering were defending for their lives as the blue wave attacked the goal.

On 11 minutes and against the run of play, Kettering scored through Stoher. He ran through the defence avoiding the tackle by Bez, and slotted the ball past Gwilliams into the corner of the net.

0-1.

Sutton did not drop their heads, and Leek went on the attack again running across the penalty area and unleashing a wicked shot that the keeper just put over the bar.

The resulting corner came in and Mutton rose to head it just over the bar.

28 minutes in and Edwin rushed to challenge for a high ball with the keeper. He came off worse and was awarded a penalty.

Leek stepped up, and coolly slotted home to Whites right hand side. 1-1.

42 minutes in, and Sutton were in dreamland when a great run from Leek on the right ended with a ball low into the box which clipped off a defender. It was heading out for a corner, but with Edwin’s clever thinking, he headed the ball back into play beyond the keepers reach and Marselia was on hand to kick the ball into the roof of the net.

2-1 Sutton.

Edwin was fired up and hit a beautiful curling shot which had White diving to make the save. It would have been 3 for certain.

The second half started well for Sutton, and Okoro ran the length of the pitch, cut inside the defender and drew a foul. The free kick for Sutton was taken by Leek who hit a low shot round the wall, the ball was parried by the keeper and both Marselia and Edwin went for the ball. Unfortunately, they got in each other’s way allowing the keeper to grasp the ball back.

It was Kettering who were pushing forward now, as they know their F.A. cup journey was coming to an end. It was do or die for them.

Sutton took Okoro off who had run his socks off and brought on Shaw. Both sides were seeing a lot off the ball and Sutton tried to break whenever they could.

Kettering were trying long range shots but were unable to get close to the Sutton goal due to the team working together to form a solid barrier.

Toothy made a change and brought Gibson on to try and hold the ball up for Sutton. Marselia had a busy night up front and needed to go off.

Beresford made a fantastic last-ditch tackle to stop a certain goal by the Kettering forward, he slid in to make the challenge and save the night for Sutton.

Toothy shored things up bringing on Powney for Edwin and settling for what the team had achieved. It was a victory over a team who were well equipped to have easily beaten Sutton, but the Royals had other ideas, and through dogged determination and hard work showed how the underdogs can be the champions of the hour.

It’s Boston United at home in the 3rd round and who knows? With spirit like this, anything is possible.

Thank you for all your support to help the lads achieve this landmark result