A tale of two Sutton’s. Rovers and United.
While Sutton United were away this Sutton United supporter decided to play. Not on any pitch but to go back to Gander Green Lane to watch our neighbours Sutton Common Rovers (SCR) in the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup. SCR share the Gander Green Lane ground with Sutton United. SCR are a few steps below Sutton United in step 4 the Isthmian South-Central division. Today though was special, FA Cup, the BBC were screening the via something called the red button and it was the Jersey Bulls FC that SCR were playing. The Bulls were formed on 7 August 2018 following some international intrigue. If your curious bring your ears close to this podcast episode.
The game attracted just over three hundred supporters with a strong presence from Jersey supporters in cool red Jerseys. Living not far from Gander Green Lane, I walked down, paid a tenner at the turnstiles to enter a football ground transformed. Once inside I had the right to roam. Like a cat I made first to the players tunnel, tail up I went down the tunnel heading to the bar for a drink. This was a chance to chat with Jersey supporters most of whom flew over for the game. Jetting into sunny Sutton has a Wickers World ring to it. The game started, I could see and hear the Jersey supporters but could not discern were most of the SCR supporters were congregating. The seated stand is where I believe they sat.
Having the right to roam I went into the away section where Jersey supporters were ringing their cow bells. They looked up to the seated stand with one supporter saying he was pissed off he was seeing fellow Jersey fans sat in the seats not down in the pit with their cow bell ringing fellow Jersey supporters. SCR in the first half were on the back foot not as hungry for the ball as Jersey who looked comfortable dinking the ball around the pitch. The went into a two-nil lead. SCR came out second half looking like a team that got a dressing room bollocking. They fought for the ball, took a more direct route to the Jersey box and got their reward to finish the game two apiece. SCR jet out to Jersey on Tuesday for a replay having I’m told held back some of their better players who it is hoped will play on Tuesday. I really enjoyed the game and the match day experience. The game passed without any criminal shenanigans for DS Jim Bergerac to investigate though that didn’t stop me using the cliché Bergerac theme tune in this video below. I could have used cow bell sounds so your lucky.
Now for the second shorter part of the tale of the unexpected or the expected. The tale of how Exeter City beat Sutton United two nil. Like folklore I got this story second hand from the brutally honest Twitter Gandermonium updates. Its a story of a Sutton Utd applying themselves to the game, away from home on the front foot, active in the opposition half and in that all time cliché of football punditry were asking questions of the Exeter defence. To cut a long story short, Sutton didn’t take their chances and Exeter did. When the music stopped Sutton were beaten two nil. The critics posted there reviews soon after the game with some saying Sutton United are a nice team, played well, had plenty of chances but didn’t take their opportunities. Not to worry, we’ll bounce back with a win at home against Carlisle when Saturday comes around. The story of Sutton United’s season will have a happy ending even if some of the chapters are depressing. Onwards.
