LEAGUE TWO. SATURDAY 21st OCTOBER 2023.

Sauce for the Goose – Points from the Gander for Morecambe…

Morecambe made the long trip south of the capital today to face Sutton United for the first time this century. The only other occasions on which the two clubs have clashed were way back in 1999, when they were members of the Football Conference. Morecambe won both fixtures; 0-1 at the wonderfully-named Gander Green Lane followed by a hammering of the U’s by six goals to two in the return fixture at Christie Park. At that time, United were one of the most famous non-league teams in the country (for once knocking FA Cup winners Coventry City out of the competition, for instance). Since then they have beaten other worthies such as Leeds United in the same competition. Now, however, they have finally made it to the EFL.

Following promotion in 2021, they missed-out on the Play-Offs by just one point in their inaugural season as League Two members, finishing eighth. Last season was more of a struggle for them though – they ended-up eighteenth and on a very long losing streak. Today, they started the game against thirteenth-placed Morecambe rock-bottom of the division with just seven points: eleven less than today’s opponents, who have played two games fewer. Sutton’s last win was five matches ago and they have picked-up just one point from their last four fixtures. Last time out, they were well beaten at Doncaster by four goals to one.

Under pressure Manager Matt Gray – the man who steered the U’s from the National League into the EFL – said the following about today’s opponents:

“Five wins, three draws; three defeats is a very steady and good start for them, coming back down from League One. They’ve got good players; they’ve freshened their squad up a bit. They’ve certainly got threats. Like we all know, it’s another tough game for us. But we are really much focusing on ourselves and constantly looking to improve us as a team as well. (We) keep working on those positives that have been in games and eradicating the mistakes and bad bits of play that have led to disappointing either goals or results. We’re working extremely hard on that.”

Opposite Number Derek Adams had this to say prior to the game:

“We’ve been on a very good run. We’re always confident going into any of the games because we feel we’ve got a very good side. We’ve played against a lot of the top teams already this season (and) competed well against them. We’re still in an excellent position.”

United have finally bowed to the pressure which many other clubs (including our own) have already buckled under and stopped producing match-day programmes. They claim that publishing these things is no longer financially viable. Instead, they are making them available on-line and you can download today’s, free of charge, here:

Click to access morecambe-programme.pdf

There was no room for Sutton’s new signing from Wycombe Wanderers – Dominic Gape –in today’s squad. But Omari Patrick – late of Carlisle’s promotion push of last season and a player widely expected to be featuring for them in League One this – was in the United line-up today. For the Shrimps, James Connolly started his suspension this afternoon after his straight red at Colchester and King Derek put Farrend Rawson back into the starting eleven in his place.

It rained during the morning in Sutton but the match started in warm conditions under dry skies with occasional sunshine, albeit with lots of cloud cover.  

Not a lot happened in the opening minutes of the game but after Sutton’s first corner of the match on five minutes, the visitors broke quickly through JJ McKiernan and Tom Bloxham. Tom tried to find the onrushing Jordan Slew in the home penalty area but his attempted pass was cleared to safety by Craig Clay.

The home crowd loudly appealed for a penalty in the twelfth minute as Joel Senior just might have committed hand-ball as he chested a cross away for a corner. From this, Stuart Moore made a tremendous save to his left from a header by Ben Goodliffe and then did well to keep a headed attempted clearance from Farrend Rawson out of his own net following another corner kick.

In the 23^rd minute, Slew played a sublime long pass to Bloxham. Tom and David Tutonda combined well as the full-back overlapped on the right wing and exchanged a clever one-two before Bloxham sent a nice cross over to Michael Mellon, whose header was just off-target. Morecambe’s leading scorer then had a chance from an acute angle in the twenty-eighth minute after a mistake by a U’s defender. However, Dean Bouzanis in the home goal managed to block his shot, which was cleared away by a suddenly very vulnerable-looking Sutton rearguard.

The Shrimps won their first corner of the match after about half an hour. Adam Mayor took it from the right; Jacob Bedeau attempted to head it; the usual pushing and holding went on as he did so – and Referee Neil Hair pointed to the penalty spot. Had he not read the script? Morecambe never get penalties – particularly away from home… Whatever, Mellon scored comfortably from the spot to both give himself a seven-goal tally so far and the team from Lancashire the lead.

There were no clear chances after this until the end of the forty-five minutes. But in injury time, Totonda did well to effectively half-volley the ball to Bloxham following a brave tackle. Tom again charged down the right wing and sent across a lovely pass which Mayor controlled before beating a couple of defenders and then buried to put the Shrimps’ two goals to the good.

The lead didn’t last long. Sutton’s leading scorer Harry Smith reduced the arrears in the third and final minute of stoppage time when he headed an attempted shot by Clay past Moore from just six yards out.

Derek made two changes at half time. Stuart Moore injured himself trying to keep Smith’s header out at the end of the opening period and was replaced in goal by Harry’s namesake Adam Smith. Yann Songo’o also took the place of Farrend Rawson. For the hosts, Dion Pereira replaced Omari Patrick.

The second half progressed much as the first one had – scrappily. Morecambe had been troubled all afternoon by long throws from Christian N’Guessan and United equalised after another one in the 63^rd minute. Big central defender and Sutton Skipper Goodliffe did well to control the throw before turning and walloping an effort acrobatically past substitute Smith in the away goal.

So – from two goals down to level-pegging in the space of just over half an hour for the hosts.

In the 66^th minute, Aiden O’Brien latched onto a loose ball and bore down, unchallenged on the Morecambe goal. But his final shot missed the target and the danger passed for Derek Adams’ men. Sutton were on top during this period of the game as they won a succession of corners which the Shrimps struggled to clear. Derek sent Jacob Davenport on for Jordan Slew with about a quarter of an hour left presumably to put more bodies behind the ball.

What seemed like a clearer foul on Mellon in the away penalty area than that committed against Bedeau in the first half happened in the seventy-sixth minute. But this time, Mr Hair was not impressed.

At the other end, the men in the all-Amber strip almost went ahead with eighty minutes on the clock. Omar Sowunmi took a deflected shot which beat Smith in the away goal but also just missed the target. United were having a lot of joy when the ball was in the air and King Derek sent Chris Stokes on for Bedeau for the last few minutes of the game to try and steady the ship.

It was more of the same after this: a muscular airborne attack from Sutton being repelled by the men in the red shirts who constantly tried to strike on the break. In injury time, Joel Senior found himself well placed after a couple of corners to Morecambe and chanced his arm with a shot from distance, slipping as he struck the ball. But his phenomenal attempt was powerful enough to beat Bouzanis all ends up in the home goal – and the Shrimps’ Smash and Grab was complete.

Derek understandably got very excited after this but the Referee chose to book him just before the game ended for reasons which were far from clear. Sutton’s heads seemed to drop after falling behind again and they finally trudged back to the dressing rooms in the knowledge that they were still rock-bottom of the entire football league. Worrying times indeed for United. For their victors, their third win on the road in succession  pushed Morecambe back up the table to tenth position – just two points shy of the Play-Offs and with games in hand on all the clubs above them.

Today’s was a classic Derek Adams away win, redolent of their promotion push three years ago. These were his thoughts after the match:

“I thought we were very good today. Especially in that first half, we played some really good football. Just before half time, they scored with what they are trying to do all afternoon. Everyone sees: it’s corner kicks; it’s throw-ins; it’s free-kicks. That’s their game – and it worked for them because they got two goals from it today. We did really well to keep them out because they are a very tall side and very aggressive in that eighteen-yard box. To finish the game the way we did was fabulous. I thought we looked really strong in that last ten minutes of the game. I don’t think it was helped at times with the officiating. I get booked at the end when their Manager collects the ball and throws it back into play which is not allowed. I’m trying to stop the ball going (back) in. Quite rightly, I was booked but you’ve got to understand the Laws of the game. The Referee can’t have it both ways. The amount of times their Manager collected the ball – three or four times – and threw it back into play. Well – it’s not allowed. That wasn’t dealt well with.“

Sutton United: 21 Dean Bouzanis; 4 Omar Sowunmi; 5 Ben Goodliffe (C); 7 Josh Coley (Y); 8 Christian N’Guessan (10 Harry Beautyman 92’); 9 Harry Smith; 11 Omari Patrick (18 Dion Pereira 45’); 16 Craig Clay; 22 Joe Kizzi; 40 Aiden O’Brien (19 Tope Fadahunsi 92’); 42 Sam Hart (24 Robert Milsom 96’).

Substitutes not used: 25 Steve Arnold; 6 Louis John; 23 Ryan Jackson.

Morecambe: 1 Stuart Moore (21 Adam Smith 45’); 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 3 David Tutonda (Y); 4 Jacob Bedeau (15 Chris Stokes 83’); 5 Farrend Rawson (6 Yann Songo’o 45’); 7 Tom Bloxham; 9 Michael Mellon; 10 JJ McKiernan; 11 Adam Mayor; 12 Joel Senior; 14 Jordan Slew (16 Jacob Davenport 75’).

Substitutes not used:  17 Cammy Smith; 19 Ethan Walker; 20 Charlie Brown.

Ref: Neil Hair.

Att: 2,603 (176 from Morecambe.)