Sutton Athletic 2-1 Stansfeld

Sutton Athletic 2 – 1 Stansfeld
Location	Lower Road, Hextable, Kent BR8 7RZ
Kickoff	06/11/2024 19:45

SUTTON ATHLETIC  2-1  STANSFELD
Presence & Co Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Second Round
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Lower Road

SUTTON ATHLETIC grabbed their place in the last 16 of the Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup after beating Stansfeld at Lower Road.

Wideman Taylor Fisher slotted home his fifth goal of the season to give Peter Nolan’s side the lead, before centre-half Jamal Abubakari headed in a second just 84 seconds into the second half.

Billy Shinners’ side pulled a goal back through centre-half Nathan Asiedu flicking in a corner.

Sutton Athletic went into this tie in thirteenth-place in the Premier Division table, having picked up 17 points from 14 games.  Nolan made five changes to the side that beat Snodland Town 5-1 here at the weekend.

Stansfeld arrived in Hextable sitting in tenth-place in the table with 20 points from their 16 games.

After THAT 6-6 draw at home to Rusthall two weeks ago, Stansfeld lost 3-1 at title-chasing Faversham Town before beating Lordswood 2-1 at home at the weekend, which turned out to be Nicky Southall’s last game in charge of the Medway side.

Shinners made eight changes for tonight’s game and the game started at frenetic pace, with little quality.

Sutton Athletic often played out from the back and holding midfielder Oliver Farmer was pulling the strings, while Stansfeld failed to press the home side’s back four.

Stansfeld were to be denied the opening goal in the 12^th minute when right-back Frank McCormack drove over the half-way line before releasing right-winger Christian Ibitoye in behind Sutton left-back Jayden Boulton.

Ibitoye played in a low cross into the middle for striker David Luzolo, who stabbed his first time right-footed shot across the keeper but Jack Glasborrow dived to his right and used his fingertips to prevent the ball trickling into the bottom far corner of his goal.

Sutton Athletic grabbed the lead, however, with 14 minutes and 47 seconds on the clock.

Striker Tom Borders split open Stansfeld’s high left-back Daniel Watson with a sublime through ball along the deck to put Fisher through on goal and he held his composure to skip past debutant goalkeeper Samuel Okosun before slotting his right-footed shot into the empty goal.

Stansfeld put in a couple of recycled balls into the Sutton penalty area through central midfielder Finlay Boyce and holding midfielder Oliver Andrews, before the ball came back out to Boyce, who clipped a cross-shot into Glassborrow’s midriff from 30-yards.

Glassborrow rushed off his line to deny Luzolo scoring his first goal of the season, spreading himself low to his right to make a vital save with his legs in the 20^th minute – after a long ball split from within a crowd of players inside the Stansfeld half split open the home side’s central defensive pairing of Cameron Reardon and Abubakari.

The home side’s second striker, Shiarow McDonald was released down the left, initially skipping past McCormack down the right before riding a strong bookable challenge from Stansfeld’s centre-back Stefan Kempton before reaching the channel and putting in a cross which was hit first time by Borders’ left-foot, which he drilled just over the crossbar, over Okosun’s outstretched fingertips.

McCormack put the ball in to the box from the right, the ball was flicked on at the near post by Luzolo and Kameron Mendez (a left-winger who often joined Luzolo in a number 10 role) stabbed a first-time shot, which forced the vocal Glassborrow to dive to his left and grab hold of the ball.

The frenetic pace of the first half continued when Harry Smart and Jacob Kalonda linked up in midfield before the ball was worked out to McDonald on the left.  He ignored the potential overlapping run of Boulton and tried to score with a left-footed angled drive from 20-yards, which was comfortably gathered down on his knees by Okosun.

Sutton Athletic were more of a threat down the right (Watson’s side of the pitch) and Fisher and Oliver Farmer linked up down the right before the ball was cut back to right-back George Palmer, who whipped in a first-time cross, which  skimmed off Kempton’s head at the near-post but McDonald failed to keep his header on target from six-yards.

Punjab United coach Jindi Bainwait was on a scouting mission, as Chipie Sian’s men host Stansfeld on the Saturday and he left the stadium at half-time.  The Gravesend-based outfit lost 3-0 at home to Faversham Town last Friday night.

Borders fed McDonald, who went on the outside of Kempton inside the box and his shot from an acute angle was tipped around the post by Okosun diving low to his left after only 57 seconds into the second half.

Sutton Athletic scored from the resulting corner, one minute and 24 seconds in following their second and final corner of the night.

Taylor put in the ball from the right and Abubakari came up from the back to tower over everybody to bury his header into the top right-hand corner from inside the six-yard box at the near post.

Stansfeld pulled a goal back with seven minutes and 23 seconds on the clock, following their first of two corners.

Left-back Watson used his right-foot to put in the ball from the right and the ball bounced in front of the goalkeeper at the near post and Asiedu flicked his right-footed shot over a crowd of players and Glassborrow into the roof of the net.

Sutton Athletic were off target (10:29) when Kalonda took a touch on the right before putting in a cross into the box where Borders chested the ball before hooking his right-footed volley high over the bar while left unmarked.

Shinners made a quadruple substitution just past the hour-mark. He kept the same back four, Harrison English sat in front of them, with Tadiwanashe Nago also in midfield.  Chris Alhassan (with four goals this season) took the number nine role and was joined by fellow sub Greg Williams – who headed home the 12^th goal in THAT game against Rusthall.

However, the poor quality of this Cup tie was evident during the second half as both sides cancelled each other out during a stalemate.

Stansfeld, however, finished the game on the front foot and threw caution to the wind during the last five minutes and squandered two glorious chances from headers following corners.

Firstly, centre-half Kempton found a pocket of space inside the box to glance his header across the keeper and sailing just past the far post (41:03).

Kempton took their fourth and final corner, from the left and his central defensive partner Asiedu sent his header over the crossbar (42:10), as Sutton Athletic joined as Glebe (3-1 winners at Tower Hamlets tonight), Kennington and Punjab United in the Third Round.

Sutton Athletic: Jack Grassborrow, George Palmer, Jayden Boulton, Oliver Famer, Cameron Reardon, Jamal Abubakari, Jacob Kalonda (Ethan Okechukwu 61), Harry Smart (Billy Muckle 56), Tom Borders (Conor Evans 57), Shiaroe McDonald (Arlie Desanges 69), Taylor Fisher (Ryan Mahal 90).

Goals: Taylor Fisher 15, Jamal Abubakari 47 (penalty)

Booked: Taylor Fisher 83, Peter Nolan 85 (manager)

Stansfeld: Samuel Okosun, Frank McCormack, Daniel Watson (Freddie Jolly 76), Oliver Andrews (Harrison English 61), Nathan Asiedu, Stefan Kempton, Jack Mahon (Tadiwanashe Nago 62), David Luzolo (Chris Alhassan 62), Finlay Boyce (Greg Williams 62), Christian Ibitoye.

Goal: Nathan Asiedu 53

Booked: Stefan Kempton 23

Attendance: 69
Referee: Mr Jack Owen
Assistants: Mr Brian Statham & Mr Aghasili Kenechukwu


STATEMENT:
Apologies to Stansfeld supporters, the players’ and my loyal readership – Sutton Athletic did not allow me to conduct post-match media interviews with both managers following this game.

As you’re aware, my mum sadly died of cancer in May 2022 (my dad died of cancer back in 2000) and things have been really tough for me for the past five or so years.

I created this website back in 2003 to promote non-league football in our neck of the woods and through my dedication and hard work it has grown into a resourceful website.

However, since mum’s passing, you will have noticed a dip in my commitment, especially with a lack of previews to weekend’s games on a Friday, apologies.

Added to my mum’s passing, I was diagnosed with suffering with depression and anxiety -  and in June this year I was also diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum, which adds to all sorts of other issues.

Two people with autism can act in different ways.  I struggle with social interaction (especially with people I do not know), I hate social media and find going out to two or three football matches a week and interviewing football managers takes my mind of personal issues and concerns, etc.

At the end of every game, I like to compose myself, check my clipboard and go through my head the questions that I am going to ask the manager(s).  

At the final whistle tonight, I made my way towards the corner of the pavilion and started to go through my thought process when a man unknown to me approached me and said to me ‘we’re getting better.’  I replied, “who?’  He said Sutton.

I replied along the lines of this game ‘was awful’ and so was the previous game that I attended here.

I’ve never met him in my life and I apologised to him on two occasions in another exchange shortly afterwards.

The home club’s chairman approached me and asked me for clarification of the earlier conversation that I had with the other man.

The man re-appeared and asked me to ‘leave my ground’ on about two occasions.  I apologised to him twice and I was escorted from the stadium.

Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways, says www.autism.org.uk.

“Autistic people often have difficulty ‘reading’ other people – recognising or understanding others’ feelings and intentions – and expressing their own emotions.  This can make it very hard to navigate the social world.

“Autistic people may:
Appear to be insensitive
seek out time alone when overloaded by other people
Appear to behave strangely or in a way thought to be socially inappropriate.”

I found tonight a humiliating experience.  On my previous visit to Lower Road I interviewed the chairman who asked for the people of Hextable, Swanley and Wilmington to attend games at Lower Road to boost attendances.

I was the only media outlet attending this game.  

The way that I was treated tonight  was a shock to my mental health.

Everybody in football has a right to an opinion.  The home club may have won the two games that I have reported on but as a football reporter, I dissect the 95-100 minutes of football that I have witnessed, team performance(s), individual players, the tactics used, etc, etc.

My match reports give an honest run down of what happens during the match – and I always ask the management for their post-match reaction.

I apologise if I offended you – I was only giving my opinion of the game literally seconds after it had finished.

Standing out on a cold, damp, misty, murky, November night is tough - especially when you’re not getting paid for the privilege!

I make mistakes, everybody does. When I do, I am man enough to reflect, apologise, learn from it and move on. 

I am unable to field calls on Thursday because I will be at work. 

Reaction:

A former club official at a Southern Counties East Football League club:

“Many thanks for all your excellent work with the Kentish Football website.

“As an ex-football club official and lover of non-league football, I was disappointed to learn that you had been asked to leave a ground after you had expressed an opinion about the performance of two teams.

“As a club official, it is easy to be over-protective towards your club.  However, as club’s progress up the National League System, such officials need to learn the importance of the freedom of the press and that there will be those expressing different opinions to themselves.

“I hope it is not too long before you receive your deserved apology from Sutton Athletic Football Club.

“I was also sorry to hear that your mental health has been suffering lately.  Many people experience depression, anxiety or autism and many of those people seek releases through interests such as watching, reading about or being involved in non-league football.”

Manager at an Isthmian League club:

“I’ve just read your article on your comments at Sutton.  No need to apologise to anyone. It’s your opinion, you go to watch the football matches at your own cost.

“No one understand what you’re going through after you’ve lost your mother.

“I know the pain you’re going through, when I lost my wife the depression is terrible.  You do a great job and you are always be welcome at…”

Meanwhile, there has been no reaction from Sutton Athletic Football Club with regards to how they treated someone with a disability at their match on Wednesday night.

I can be contacted by Email: Stephen@kentishfootball.co.uk

Article updated:  10:00 – Saturday 9 November 2024