Sutton United 3-2 Margate - Keister did not swear at the referee - insists Yorath

Tuesday 15th September 2009

SUTTON UNITED 3-2 MARGATE (after extra time)
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) First Qualifying Round Replay
Tuesday 15th September 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Gander Green Lane

MARGATE were within seconds of booking their place in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup and a winnable home tie against Uxbridge - but Danny Phillips had other ideas.

The Sutton United midfielder pounced on a loose ball inside the Margate penalty area and coolly rolled the ball into the bottom far corner to force extra time - with 47:29 on the clock.

On the balance of play, however, Sutton United deserved to go through on the night, although the manner in which Paul Doswell’s side claimed victory left Margate boss Terry Yorath bitterly disappointed.

And before Margate could restart the game, veteran midfielder John Keister, in only his second game since returning to the club following a successful time at Dover Athletic, was sent off for allegedly swearing at the referee.

Sutton had earlier taken a 22nd minute lead through the unmarked Matt Hann - but Wayne Wilson’s freak curling 35-yard free-kick brought the Thanet side level just before the break.

And when Joe Healy finished well, giving Margate a 53rd minute lead, you sensed that they could hold on to what they had and claim a much-needed £3,000 in prize money from the Football Association.

But man-of-the-match Phillips had other ideas, and forced extra time and visiting goalkeeper Paul Nicholls was rooted to the spot for the second time when Sutton clinched the victory with seven minutes of extra time remaining through former Welling United midfielder Sonny Cobbs.

Yorath, who was forced into bringing in Ben Lewis at the heart of his defence for Dan Young (who suffered a knee injury during the first half of Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Hartsdown Park), felt his side shouldn’t have been playing at Gander Green Lane tonight.

“We shouldn’t have been here in the beginning,” admitted a bitterly disappointed Yorath, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after his side’s FA Cup exit.

“We had the game sown up at 2-0 at home but then again we came here today, we fought hard, we played a lot better with a lot more character than we have been doing lately and to be winning with just one minute to go and a blatant handball by the lad, and the referee didn’t give it, so we had to go into extra time.”

Sutton United broke the deadlock after 22 minutes when striker Steffan Payne found space down the right and hiss low centre found Hann unmarked at the far post and he swept the ball past the exposed Nicholls with his left-foot from ten-yards.

Watched by their lowest crowd of the season, due to a combination of horrible wet weater and Champions League football on the box, Cobbs wasted a powerful headed chance after 26 minutes.

Margate almost gifted Sutton a second when Louis Smith was forced to play a misplaced back pass towards his goalkeeper, but his clearance from the left-back position was charged down by Payne and the ball found its way out to Gargen, whose left-footed drive from 30-yards sailed over the top of an empty goal.

Margate keeper Nicholls was called into making a comfortable low save when he prevented Hann from scoring with a low 30-yard drive.

Margate went close in the 33rd minute when Curtis Robinson’s long throw from the left was met by a glancing header from striker Steve West, which sailed agonisingly past the far post.

Robinson then called Sutton goalkeeper Kevin Scriven into making a smart low save as the left-back snatched at a low left-footed shot from just outside the box.

But Margate grabbed a lifeline, levelling through Wilson’s second goal of the season, in the 43rd minute.

There were plenty of bodies waiting for his 35-yard free-kick to be delivered into the penalty area and the former Bromley central midfielder cracked a right-footed free-kick, which looped high into the air before curling and deceiving Scriven as the ball dropped into the bottom near corner.

On first half play, Margate’s leveller certainly came against the run of play - as did their second goal in the 53rd minute.

Keister played a delightful dinked pass through the heart of the Sutton defence and Healy sweetly caressed the ball over Scriven with his left-foot and into the net, delighting the small travelling fans behind the goal at the open end of the sparse ground.

From then on, it was a sea of yellow shirts that poured forward as Sutton pressed for the equaliser.

Nicholls spilt a driven 35-yard free-kick from Cobbs, but the former Sutton stopper was relieved to see the ball fall at a team-mates feet.

Phillips and Cobbs were both off target as resilient Margate thought that they had done enough to book a home tie against lower-league Uxbridge on Saturday week.

But Sutton attacked one last time and the home faithful were celebrating when Nicholls stopped on the spot and could only look in horror as Phillips (there was a hand used in the build-up) rolled the ball across him and into the bottom far corner.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Margate were forced to play the entire 30 minutes of extra time with a man short as Harrow based referee Tony Power sent off Keister - who protested over the decision to award the controversial goal.

So the game went into extra-time and Sutton keeper Scriven was called into action first, making a comfortable low save at his near post to prevent hard-working striker Lloyd Blackman scoring from an angled drive.

And half-way through the first period, Sutton substitute Billy Hawes miss-controlled a sliding pass to him on the wing, and he cut the ball back to Phillips and his looping cross from the right was tipped over the bar by the back peddling Nicholls.

Margate created another chance in the eleventh minute of extra time when Healy slipped in Blackman, but once again Scriven produced a carbon copy of his near post save.

But no-one could break the deadlock in that period until Cobbs pounced in the 113th minute.

A mazy run from Sutton substitute Anthony Joseph - who was wearing flashy yellow boots - saw his shot deflect into Cobbs’ path and he broke Margate’s hearts when he rolled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner - Nicholls, again, rooted to the spot.

Robinson, who received praise from Yorath afterwards, almost forced a penalty shoot-out, but his last-gasp left-footed drive flew just over the crossbar.

Yorath was pleased with his hard-working side performance - but the decision to send off Keister was a bitter pill to swallow for the Welshman.

“We had John sent off so we went into extra time with ten-men and we worked our socks off,” said Yorath.

“We were unlucky because we had the better chances, even in extra-time, down with ten men so obviously I’m not pleased at all.

“I’m pleased with the guts and the way we showed a lot of character in the game, but I’m not pleased with the officials.

“I don’t think they had a player booked, we had three or four and one sent off. Is that a coincidence because we’re away from home and they’re the home team?”

When asked why Keister had an early shower, Yorath replied, “The referee said he swore at him but three of my players stood there and they said he never swore.

“But John’s an experienced player, he got booked once so he should’ve known if the referee’s going to do anything, he’s going to send him off.

“The interesting point about that was it was a yellow card and not a straight red.”

But despite their FA Cup exit, Yorath took the positives out from the game and asks his players for more of the same when Horsham visit Hartsdown Park on Saturday as they look to climb away from the drop zone.

“There were loads of positives, loads of them,” said Yorath. “ Curtis Robinson came back to his best form tonight. Joe Healy played better tonight; Wayne Wilson played better tonight. The front two worked their socks off and I can’t fault any of them - perhaps John’s sending off.”

Sutton United: Kevin Scriven, Bradley Thomas (Billy Hawes 58), Alan Bray, Jason Goodliffe, Justyn Roberts, Sonny Cobbs, Matt Hann, Danny Phillips, Sam Gargan, Stefan Payne, Steve McKimm (Anthony Joseph 58).

Subs: Alan Pouton, Kenny Beaney, Paul Smith, Karim El-Salahi.

Goals: Matt Hann 22, Danny Phillips 90, Sonny Cobbs 113

Booked: Alan Bray 83

Margate: Paul Nicholls, Aaron Lacy, Curtis Robinson, John Keister, Ben Lewis (Dan Lombardo 115), Jack Haverson, Louis Smith (Luke Wheatley 98), Wayne Wilson, Joe Healy, Lloyd Blackman, Steve West (Sam Cliff 106).

Subs: Kiem Millington, Joe Taylor, Alec Krunic.

Goals: Wayne Wilson 43, Joe Healy 53

Booked: Lloyd Blackman 32, Curtis Robinson 45, Ben Lewis 55, Joe Healy 62, John Keister 68

Sent off: John Keister 90

Attendance: 301

Referee: Mr Tony Power (Harrow, Middlesex)

Assistants: Mr Andy Roberts (Woking, Surrey) & Mr Vince Penfold (Addlestone, Surrey)