Sutton v County: Match Thread (06/04/2024)

So it's on to Sutton this Saturday, what can we tell about them?

Well, with a record of W 9 D 12 L 21 F 50 A 73 they are just outside the drop zone by 1 point although Cole U below them have a better GD and 2 games in hand. Sutton's goals for is tied with Cole U and better only than Gillingham (40), FGR (41) and Bratfut (49). At the other end only Swindon (74), Salford (77) and Notts County (79) have conceded more goals. Their H record is marginally better - W 5 D 8 L 8 F 30 A 29, ranking them 21st in L2. All of which suggests a very modest side although they are currently on a 4 match winning run - beating FGR 0-1, Accy Stanley 3-1, Salford 1-2 and Swindon 3-1 - all, it should be said, sides in the bottom 7 of L2. Meanwhile they've changed manager and signed quite a few players (see below) so it's hard to know just how good or bad they'll be.

Their Ws are Notts County (h) 5-1 on opening day, Walsall (h) 4-0 (their 2nd W in early Oct), Bratfut (h) 2-1, Wombles (a) 0-1, Notts County (a) 3-4, FGR (a) 0-1, Accy Stanley (h) 3-1, Salford (a) 1-2 and Swindon (h) 3-1. Their Ds are MKD (h) 1-1, Cole U (a) 1-1, Tranmere (h) 1-1, Grimsby (a) 1-1, Crewe (h) 1-1 (four straight 1-1s), Newport (h) 1-1, Barrow (h) 2-2, Mansfield (a) 1-1, Walsall (a) 1-1 (and again 4 straight Ds), Donny (h) 1-1, Cole U (h) 1-1 and Grimsby (h) 1-1. Their Ls are Barrow (a) 2-1, Gillingham (h) 0-1, Wombles (h) 0-3, Newport (a) 3-1, FGR (h) 0-1, Swindon (a) 5-3, Accy Stanley (a) 4-1 (making 7 straight Ls), Crawley (a) 3-0, Salford (h) 0-2, Donny (a) 4-1, Morecambe (h) 2-3, Wrexham (a) 2-1, County (a) 8-0, Mansfield (h) 0-2, Gillingham (a) 1-0, Harrogate (h) 1-2, Morecambe (a) 1-0, Wrexham (h) 1-2, Bratfut (a) 1-0, Tranmere (a) 1-0 and Crewe (a) 1-0.

All very modest, they've scored 3+ 6 times (twice against Notts), and been blanked 12 times. Their D has conceded 3+ 9 times and kept just 3 clean sheets, which shows where the main problem is. So even with the recent 4 game winning run, against weaker sides, they look to be there for the taking - which suggests a banana skin to yours truly.

Their top scorer is 6ft 5 striker Harry Smith (not to be confused with the BriSCAF1 stock car driver of my youth). He has scored 10 times in 22 apps this term. He was previously at Orient (10 goals in 49 apps) and Northampton and Macclesfield. Next on 5 apiece are MFs Charlie Lakin and Omari Patrick. Lakin is on loan from Burton Albion and has had loan spells at Donny and AFC Wombles. Patrick scored 20 in 100 apps for Carlisle over a couple of spells and has also played at Bratfut and Burton. Tied on 4 each are MF Harry Beautyman (58 goals in 279 apps over two spells) D Omar Sowunmi (he had prior spells at Bromley, Cole U and Yeovil). Fulham forward (on loan to Sutton) Olly Sanderson has 3 in 16 apps this term after scoring 13 in 29 apps on a couple of loans to Oxford city. A total of 6 players have each got 2 goals and 5 more have scored 1 each.

Former Cardiff City boss Steve Morison took the hot seat on 6th Jan and set about rebuilding the squad after Sutton had won just once in their previous 9 L2 games. First signing was Charlie Lakin (see above) on loan from Burton Albion, followed by Olly Sanderson (also see above) on loan from Fulham and Millwall's LB Nino Adom-Malaki, yet to make his debut for Milwall he has played 14 games for Sutton, scoring once. Guyanese born forward Deon Moore signed on a permanent deal from Lewes (12 goals in 51 apps) - he has now appeared 8 times for Sutton but is yet to score.

Further loan moves saw Reading GK's Dean Bouzanis' loan spell extended to the end of the season and QPR MF Stephen Duke-McKenna sign to the end of the season - he has played just 6 times for QPR but has had loan spells at Torquay, Orient and now Sutton. Finally Fulham's Welsh CB Jay Williams joined on loan to the end of the season.

Since Morison took over their record is a bit better - W 5 D 6 L 6, and he looks to have strengthened the squad a bit so we should not be expecting anything like the 8-0 scoreline at EP, even so this feels like a banana skin to me so keep those fingers crossed and hopefully County score early otherwise this could be tricky.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in L2:
Accy Stanley (18th) v slumping Crewe (6th)
AFC Wombles (10th) v Salford (20th)
Barrow (5th) v Swindon (19th)
Bratfut (14th) v Gillingham (9th)
Cole U (23rd) v Wrexham (3rd)
FGR (24th) v MKD (4th)
Mansfield (2nd) v Crawley (7th)
Morecambe (8th) v Donny 16th).

So it's all a bit Top v Bottom so we should expect at least a few of our nearest rivals to bag some points so definitely not a day to stumble.

Your Harry Smith reference and link remind me of something we said when County Heaven was a young whipper snapper. This place is like being in an old pub chatting with your mates. The conversation can, should and will go anywhere!

What a set of half times!

Sutton 1 County 3
Mansfield 0 Crawley 2
Cole U 0 Wrexham 0
Barrow 0 Swindon 2
Accy Stanley 0 Crewe 0

Only FGR 0 MKD 1 to spoil the party!

Oh and our GD is now 41 and Mansfield's is 38. All rather splendid but nothing settled yet.