Seven Acre & Sidcup 1-2 Sutton Athletic - Cup double will make it a great season, says Jamie Todd

SEVEN ACRE & SIDCUP  1-2  SUTTON ATHLETIC
Hospitals Charity Cup Semi-Final
Tuesday 13^th May 2014
Stephen McCartney reports from Oxford Road

SUTTON ATHLETIC assistant manager Jamie Todd says he wants his side to complete a cup double this week.

The Hextable-based club completed their Kent Invicta League campaign in third-place with 52 points from 28 games.  They beat Fleet Leisure 3-0 in Lee Richmond’s last game in charge to win the Pain & Glory Sports Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy at the weekend and booked their place in Friday’s Hospitals Charity Cup Final where they will meet Phoenix Sports at Park View Road, Welling.

Sutton Athletic manager James Collins, who named thirteen of the sixteen players that were in their Cup final squad, pulled off a tactical masterstroke and changed his formation against Seven Acre & Sidcup, whose manager Lee Hill was at Bayliss Avenue at the weekend on a spying mission.

Luke Newman, who impressed in his right wing-back role, scored on a clinical counter attack to give Sutton Athletic an early lead.

But Sutton Athletic were profligate in front of goal and wasted a high number of chances to kill the game off.

Seven Acre & Sidcup grabbed an equaliser with thirteen minutes remaining through Stephen Weatherly’s eleventh goal of the season before Chris McGinty’s fluke deservedly won it for Sutton Athletic in near darkness at Oxford Road.

“Pleased to be in another final,” said Todd after the game.

“It’s a good season.  Let’s hope we can cap this off.

“We did field a strong wide. We’re taking it serious.  We’re taking every game as serious as the last and you don’t want to get to the Kent Invicta League Cup Final and then throw it all away by fielding a weaker team. 

“It definitely could have been more. We’ve missed five or six good chances. We made some mistakes, allowed them back in to the game when we should have closed it off earlier on.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup manager Lee Hill said: “I thought we played tremendously well.  We haven’t been playing well in our last seven or eight games, struggling to get a full side out.  Even again tonight I had to change the team before kick-off.

“I’m well pleased with the boys.  They’ve shown us what they can do and hopefully what we can achieve next season.

“Obviously moving from here to Thamesmead, hopefully we can attract a better class of player and keep some of the boys we’ve got here.  We can go a long way I think.”

Referee Daren Rudd led both teams out on to the pitch with both team’s captains called Ben Williams!

Sutton Athletic, who were kicking down the slope during the first half, created their first chance inside the opening two minutes.

Grant Brown played the ball to former Ebbsfleet United striker Adam Williams, who rolled his right-footed angled drive into Colin Barnes’ gloves from fifteen-yards.

But Sutton Athletic broke the deadlock after turning defence into a blistering attack inside the opening eight minutes.

Seven Acre & Sidcup won themselves a corner down the left, which was swung in towards the near post by right-back Tony Ecuyer.

Sutton Athletic keeper Dean James punched the ball away, Brown picked the ball up before playing the ball up to Adam Williams’ feet, who played a sublime diagonal ball to release Newman down the right.

Newman cut inside before stroking a right-footed angled drive from 20-yards, which bounced over the diving keeper to nestle inside the bottom far corner.

“We set-up that with Grant Brown to play wide right from the corner so he received the ball, fed Luke Newman down the channel and he’s got loads of pace, the kid’s got loads of pace and he just kept on running and it’s a nice little finish,” said Todd.

“The keeper complained he couldn’t see the ball but we’ll take that! It was a very good start to the game. We started off well, pressed them in, pressed them with a high line. It was good.”

Hill, whose club lost to Meridian in last year’s final, said: “That’s the story of our last half-a-dozen to eight games!

“We get set-plays and we’re our worst own enemy going forward with set-plays/corners.  They go the other end and score against us!  We’ve been trying to work on it. We haven’t resolved it. Hopefully come pre-season that will be all water under the bridge.”

Sutton Athletic missed a decent chance to double their lead when Brown released left wing-back Tom Carlse who reached the by-line before cutting the ball back but Adam Williams hit his shot into the ground and the ball bounced wide.

Seven Acre & Sidcup – who will be playing at Thamesmead Town’s Bayliss Avenue ground for the next three years, although Eltham Palace will remain at Oxford Road – went close to equalise following two set-pieces.

Tony Hill swung in his right-footed free-kick which dipped agonisingly wide from 20-yards, before his captain Ben Williams swing in another free-kick from the left which only just cleared the crossbar off Sutton Athletic’s Mike Mills’ head.

Sutton Athletic continued to waste some good opportunities to kill the game off.

McGinty latched onto a long ball over the top but could only clip his right-footed chip straight into Barnes’ hands before the former Cray Valley striker rounded the keeper before scuffing his shot wide from a tight angle after he was released by his team-mate Ben Williams.

McGinty whipped in a deep free-kick, which was twice headed away by Seven Acre defenders before Brown sent his right-footed chip into Barnes’ gloves at his near post.

The home side created a chance in the 28^th minute when Richard Whyte played the ball inside to Ecuyer, who cut inside a couple of players before drilling his left-footed drive sailing harmlessly wide of the far post from 22-yards.

But Sutton Athletic squandered an excellent chance to increase their lead in the 36^th minute.

Full marks must go to the impressive Newman who danced his way into the penalty area, skipping past three defenders before being brought down by Bobby Hanley’s challenge.

Referee Mr Rudd allowed play to continue and Adam Williams turned his marker before stroking a left-footed shot which was blocked by the legs of the advancing keeper, before play was pulled back and a penalty was awarded.

Brown stepped up and looked on in agony as his right-footed penalty clipped the foot of the right-hand post before going behind for a goal-kick with Barnes diving the other way.

Todd was amazed that Brown failed to hit the target from 12-yards.

“That’s one of the first penalties that Grant has missed ever since I’ve known him, so you allow him one or two mistakes don’t you? That’s the first one he’s missed in ages!

Hill expressed his thoughts on the incident.

“My thoughts on that? I thought it was a penalty but the referee carried on for a good five, six, seven seconds. The guy got a strike on goal, saved and he pulls it back for a penalty so to me he’s played the advantage twice and to me that was the wrong decision by the referee.

“I think justice was done when the penalty went wide.  As I say it was a penalty but he played on so I think justice was done really.”

Ecuyer repeated the same trick as before, cutting in from the right and drilling another shot wide from 25-yards, before Weatherly cracked a left-footed drive over the bar from similar distance.

But the home side should have went in on level terms on the stroke of half-time when Weatherly clipped the ball into the Sutton Athletic box and otherwise quiet striker Dan Parish turned with his back to goal before chipping his left-footed shot over the bar from 12-yards.

Dan Gannon then cracked a right-footed volley on the angle from 25-yards, which screamed past the far post, past a relieved diving Sutton Athletic keeper.

Both camps were asked their thoughts during the half-time interval.

Hill said: “What we said we’ve got to believe in our football.   We try and play football.  Confidence is low because we haven’t won for a long time but I said just believe in yourselves, keep playing football.

“They’ve had a lot of games over the last few weeks, a cup final on Saturday. I knew they would tire.  I said to the boys get the ball down and keep playing football. Keep believing what you could do and we can get the next goal and we could quite go on and win it.”

Todd added: “Just improve! We weren’t playing that well and we needed to be a little bit quicker on the ball, get around each other.  They were picking up too many second balls. We needed to pick them up.  We changed the shape a little bit at half-time and they responded to that.  They got around them a bit more and made it a little bit tougher to break down.”

Sutton Athletic created the first chance of the second half when Ben Williams’ free-kick sailed towards the far post and Chris Mirrlees planted his header over the bar from 12-yards.

Another chance went begging for dominant Sutton Athletic when Newman reached the by-line to pull the ball back for Adam Williams at the near post, who set up McGinty, who looped his right-footed hooked volley over the bar from eight-yards.

At the other end Weatherly drilled a speculative right-footed free-kick straight at the Sutton Athletic goalkeeper from 35-yards.

Adam Williams was to be denied by a fine save from Barnes in the 59^th minute after cutting in from the right and cracking a right-footed curler towards the far corner from 30-yards, which Barnes plucked out of the air high to his right.

Visiting keeper James made a low save to his left to deny Ecuyer scoring with a left-footed drive after the ball was laid into his path by Gannon.

Tom Fitzgerald went on a 30-yard run out of the Sutton Athletic defence before drilling a right-footed shot from 30-yards, which only just cleared the crossbar.

But more frustration grew for Sutton Athletic in the 72^nd minute.

McGinty released Adam Williams through on goal but the striker flashed his shot agonisingly wide of the foot of the far post from eighteen-yards.

“We made a lot of chances second half,” added Todd.

“I don’t want to say there’s a Cup hangover from Saturday or tiredness or whatever but there was a little bit of that in there.”

It was, however, inevitable that Seven Acre & Sidcup would grab an equaliser with thirteen minutes remaining.

Ecuyer whipped in a cross from the right, which was punched away by James at his near post and the ball fell at Weatherly’s feet, who steadied himself before drilling a low right-footed shot through a crowd of players into the bottom right-hand corner.

Hill said: “I thought we didn’t have many chances but I thought we had the better of the second half going forward.

“They defended, clearing their lines. We stopped them playing football and I just thought a couple of crosses in on their keeper, he’s a great keeper but he always seems to parry them or punch them and Steve’s in the right place.

“I think that’s his first goal for a long while. He’s scored ten goals for us this season and this is his first goal and I thought we deserved it and I thought we was going to win the game.”

Todd added: “We want to play football but there’s times to play and they shouldn’t have played from the back then.  They got caught instead of trying to clear the ball.  They delivered it well. I think Mike Mills challenged for the header, it dropped down to Weatherly and he’s buried it home. He’s hit a nice shot. Fair play to him.

“It shouldn’t have been 1-1! The chances we’ve missed is going through our minds. We’ve had so many good chances to bury the game off and we just didn’t take them so you always run that risk of conceding if you can’t take your chances.”

Dark rain clouds formed above Sidcup for the remaining minutes of the game and Sutton Athletic were to be denied a winner after Barnes pulled off a world-class save.

The keeper had to swiftly change direction to dive to his left to push away McGinty’s deflected shot, which was destined for the corner of the net.

Hill said: “It was a great save!

“He’s been playing a lot of Sundays and he’s been struggling fitness on Saturdays. He’s come back in today and he’s played his part.  He’s been a great signing for us a quarter of the way through the season. He’s done tremendously well for us.”

Todd added: “We’ve known Colin for a long time from Erith Town and he’s a great keeper,”

But the goalkeeper made a huge mistake to gift McGinty his 27^th goal of the season in the final six minutes.

McGinty was released down the left and he whipped in a left-footed cross some 30-yards from goal, which sailed over the embarrassed goalkeeper’s head and dropped into the far corner.

“Great cross to be fair,” said Todd. 

“I shouted out from the touchline ‘hit the back stick and that’s exactly what he’s done!”

“I don’t think he can claim that one. It will down as his goal but he deserves some luck. He’s scored some great goals this season and he’s been on form this year.  I think that’s his 27^th goal. Chris is bang on form!”

Hill added: “He’ll probably tell you he’s put it into the top corner but definitely from where we was, we was right behind it, it was definitely a cross!

“He’s sliced it and it goes in the top corner.  It don’t matter what goalkeeper you’ve got in, you can’t defend against that!”

That fluke goal stirred Seven Acre & Sidcup into action and they almost snatched a late equaliser, which would have taken the game into extra-time in the dark with no floodlights at the ground!

Acre skipper Ben Williams played the ball into Hanley, who sliced his shot wide of the target.

But with Sutton Athletic trying to wind down the clock, the home side almost grabbed an equaliser in the sixth minute of injury time.

Fenech played a brilliant diagonal pass out of defence to Hill on the right and he whipped in a precise cross towards the far post where Ecuyer directed his header towards the top left-hand corner from six-yards, but he was denied his 12^th goal of the season after James dived to his right to push the ball against the post.

Hill said: “I’m told it hit the post but from where we was, it was getting quite dark and we couldn’t see it but I just thought as soon as he headed it, it was going in the top corner and I didn’t see the keeper make the save.

“I was celebrating but it was a tremendous save and that denied us taking it to extra-time – in the dark we might’ve had a chance!”

Todd said: “Dean has saved us so many times this year.  He’s been brilliant.  He didn’t have too much to do Saturday so he’s had to pull one out tonight. He’s been quiet most of the night, not had much to do, but pulled one out late on.”

Looking ahead to Friday’s finale against Phoenix Sports, the Sutton Athletic assistant manager said: “Will it be their reserves or will they field a few first teamers? Who knows? We’ll have to wait and see on that.

“A final’s open to anyone. Anyone can win a final on the day. I think James said it three times in his last interview, it’s whoever turns up so I don’t want to coin that phrase but that is what it is.

“It will be very nice (to win the cup double), just top off a very good season and make it a great season.  We couldn’t ask for any more than two cups and third in the league.”

The Seven Acre & Sidcup manager added: “Fair play to Sutton. I think they’ve had a tremendous season.  James and the boys have done tremendously well.  They had a good win on Saturday in the Cup Final. I’ve been watching a few games.  I know they were going to be a hard team and it proved. Best of luck to them in the final.”

Both managers must be congratulated for fielding first team squads for the Hospitals Charity Cup.

Hill said: “We’ve been going in the Hospitals Cup for years and years, first team and reserves and I think it’s a good organisation, a good charity and it’s a well-run competition and the final is played at a decent ground.

“I think there were three or four teams in the Kent Invicta League in it and I do take it serious and most clubs who enter it from the Kent Invicta will take it serious so credit to everyone.”

Hill admits to be feeling disappointed over his side’s ninth-place finish, but the club welcome Arsenal’s star studied Legends side to Oxford Road this coming Sunday, 18 May (2pm).

“We’ve got Arsenal Vets, we’ve managed to get that,” said a proud Hill.

“There’s been a lot of interest. We’ve got a lot of good sponsors on board, worthy charities.  It’s been a lot of hard work.  Hopefully people will come out in their thousands on Sunday and hopefully it will be a great day. Hopefully the weather will be better than it was today.”

When asked who will be lining up for the Gunners, Hill replied: “There’s been a few names.  Perry Groves.  Obviously I remember him well but when I talk to the young boys they don’t even know who he is. 

“They’ve given me a list of 40 but we can’t say who or what until the day really because if you say and they don’t turn up then people will be slightly disappointed.”

Seven Acre & Sidcup: Colin Barnes, Richard Whyte (Rilwan Aminu 81), Tony Ecuyer, Tony Hill, Bobby Hanley, Anthony Fenech, Stephen Wickes, Ben Williams, Dan Parish, Dan Gannon (Robert Palmer 66), Stephen Weatherly.

Goal: Stephen Weatherly 77

Booked: Anthony Fenech 80

Sutton Athletic: Dean James, Luke Newman, Tom Carlse, Chris Mirrlees (Arlie Desanges 81), Tom Fitzgerald, Sean Heather, Ben Williams (Jack White 46), Grant Brown (Kane Rice 67), Adam Williams, Chris McGinty, Mike Mills.
Subs: Richie Humphrey, Danny Ball

Goals: Luke Newman 8, Chris McGinty 84

Attendance: 88
Referee: Mr Daren Rudd (Dartford)
Assistants: Mr Daniel Proctor (Dartford) & Mr Harry Phillips (Dartford)