Another Cat-Ash-trophic performance. What the Hell Happened?

It was the battle for the Booby Prize at the very bottom of the National League today at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium. Two recent members of the English Football League found themselves in a crunch tie to try and avoid what – for Morecambe – would be their third relegation in four seasons and for Sutton United would be their second in two years.

But here’s a potted history of today’s opponents as it appeared in the guide to National League clubs which I wrote earlier this year:

Confusingly, there are two Sutton United football clubs in England: one is based in Sutton Coldfield and plays in the Midland League. But the Sutton United we are interested in was formed in what was then Surrey during1896 as a result of the amalgamation of two other clubs: Sutton Guild and Sutton Association Football Club. The new club initially chose to wear the colours of the latter and the choice has stuck as evinced by their Amber and Chocolate striped shirts. So if Morecambe are the Reds and FGR the Greens, we now know which club completes the Traffic Light sequence in the National League, don’t we?

Anyway – they play at a stadium with the splendidly poetic and evocative name of Gander Green Lane, 273 miles from the Mazuma Mobile Stadium in the south-west of the nation’s capital. Initially – when the term still meant anything in English football – they were an amateur club and they played in the significant (not to say rather snooty) Home Counties Athenian and latterly Isthmian Leagues for much of the Twentieth Century – and won both on several occasions.

But in 1985, they became members of the Football Conference before being relegated back into the Isthmian Premier League in 1991.They won this in 1999; spent another season in the Conference before being relegated back to it again and then being transferred to the newly-founded Football Conference South during 2004. They spent eight seasons in this – with a hiatus of another three years’ sojourn in the Isthmian League right in the middle – before winning the newly re-badged National League South in 2016. Four years later, they also won the National League and went straight into EFL League Two. They only survived three years in the Football League, were relegated back into the National League two seasons ago and finished twelfth in it last season.

United have appeared at Wembley four times – and it has not been a lucky venue for them. They were beaten by the original Wimbledon in the FA Amateur Cup Final 4-2 during 1963 and lost again in the same competition to North Shields six years later by two goals to nil. They then played Bishops Stortford in the FA Trophy during the summer of 1981 – and lost once more by the only goal of the game. During their brief adventure in the Football League, they also reached the EFL Trophy Final in April 2022. They went ahead twice against Paul Warne’s Rotherham United but went down yet again, this time 4-2.

It could be argued that Sutton’s greatest achievement, in all truth, occurred on Saturday, 7^th January 1989. On that day, non-league United humbled top-ranked FA Cup winners of just two seasons previously  – mighty Coventry City –  by knocking them out of the Third Round of the same competition by two goals to one at Gander Green Lane. It caused an absolute sensation at the time and will live on as one of the biggest upsets in Cup history ever to have happened anywhere in the world.

The Shrimps and the Greens Ambers of Gander Lane have only met twice in the past. It was two seasons ago in League Two and Morecambe won both of the fixtures, home and away. In the feisty game in Lancashire last year, though, both teams were subsequently fined for the `mass altercation’ – led by Lee Angol ironically enough for the visitors – which occurred during the match. Morecambe had to cough-up two Grand as a result; United even more: £2,750.

The recently departed Mr Angol was signed by Morecambe from Sutton last season but I can’t find details for any other players who have worn both teams’ shirts.

Morecambe will entertain Sutton United on Saturday, 8^th November 2025. They will then travel to Gander Green Lane on Saturday, 7^th March 2026.

The game would be played on a date between two really significant remembrance days for both the Sikh and general British communities. Last Wednesday was November 5^th, Guy Fawkes’ Night, when we celebrated the failure of a Catholic bigot to achieve what a lot of us would currently like to see happen at the Houses of Parliament in London, albeit for non-religious reasons. But the Fifth was also the night of the November Full Moon – which is the precise time that Sikhism celebrates the 556^th anniversary of its founder, Guru Nanak Dev Ji: it is the holiest day in their religious calendar.

On Tuesday next, though, the entire nation – including the Sikh element of it – will remember all the lives of the countless men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice when serving in British Armed forces (be it in Flanders; Germany; Palestine; Northern Ireland, Afghanistan or wherever over the years.)

The armistice of 11^th November 1918 which ended the First World War will be remembered throughout the UK and right across the planet as well. So it was appropriate that today’s game started with a commemoration of the fallen of countless conflicts in recent times.

Representatives of the club in the shape of Tarnia Elsworth; Pat Stoyles and Stuart Glover plus – from the Army – Staff Sergeant Ranjit Singh – passed an Honour Guard of Shrimpettes and the Morecambe Veterans’ team to stand around the centre circle with both clubs’ players and the match officials prior to kick-off.

Following a rendition of the Last Post by bugler Gillian Storey, a two minutes’ silence was impeccably respected by everyone who attended.

Sadly, some of our number don’t fully understand all the aspects of why we remember all the people who have died in the service of our country, wherever they might originate from. Last night, the club issued this statement about a racist incident presumably involving some of our own:

“Morecambe Football Club is aware of a video shared on social media recently, which included racist and offensive language. The club condemns this behaviour in the strongest possible terms.

Racism, discrimination, and abusive conduct of any kind are completely unacceptable and are not tolerated at Morecambe Football Club. This applies both in person and online and includes anything posted or shared in connection with the club, its players, staff, supporters, or wider community.

The club has reviewed this incident and taken appropriate action.

Consequences for those responsible have included, but are not limited to:

• Permanent or time-limited stadium bans.
• Withdrawal or cancellation of season tickets or membership.
• Referral to the police or relevant authorities.
• Reports to football governing bodies.

We expect all supporters to uphold the values of respect, inclusion, and equality that this club stands for. Any individual engaging in racist or discriminatory behaviour, whether inside the stadium or on social media, will face serious consequences.”

Wars are caused by intolerance and blind hatred, usually of other people the combatants have no prior knowledge of but (usually) turn-out to be not so different from themselves once the mutual killing ends.

Clearly, some people just don’t get this. How very depressing…

But moving swiftly on – last Tuesday night, the Shrimps drew 1-1 at Hartlepool to put themselves three points and a single place above Sutton in twenty-third position in the National League.

On Wednesday, though, United beat Eastleigh 2-1 after hanging on by the skin of their teeth towards the end of a game which they were winning easily at half time. The precious three points propelled Sutton right up to the dizzying heights of twenty-second in the National League whilst pushing the Shrimps right back to the bottom of the pack.

But Morecambe have a game in hand over all the four clubs above them and if they were to win this, they would currently be Twentieth – and safe from relegation.

So today’s match really was a six-pointer if ever there was one: victory for either side could make a phenomenal difference to the victor; defeat could be really damaging for the losers.

So what did Morecambe boss Ashvir Singh Johal have to say about today’s game?

In the past, a succession of Morecambe Managers have always Fronted-Up against the local media prior to games.

In my opinion, Ash should do the same.

His predecessors had no prior knowledge of what they were going to be asked. So you never quite knew what they were going to say.

But Ashvir clearly does. The questions which are pumped-out by the club’s website are far too predictable and obviously scripted – however badly.

A million times worse than this, though, is the fact that they sound like they have been and the result is pretty predictable answers to even more predictable questions.

Ash likes statistics. He usually talks in terms of metrics and geometrical formations in which pride, determination and the will to win is somehow lost.  

This time, he talked about `protection behind the ball’; a `healthy training environment’; `energy’ and other nebulous things which will simply never win games on their own for a club that is rock bottom of a non-league table.

By contrast, Sutton’s Head Coach is Chris Agutter. He was poached from National League South club Worthing last month. And it was he who was in charge as the relegation-bound Shrimps visited the south coast last year in the FA Cup. Against many pundits’ expectations, Derek Adams’ team won the game 0–2.  

So if we – completely arbitrarily and unfairly – add his experience to Sutton’s so far, the results are: three games played; three games won by Morecambe.

Would it get any better?

Mr Agutter was asked if he thought this was truly a six-pointer game prior to this afternoon’s game and replied:

“Nah! We go into the game really confident and looking forward to the challenge against a decent Morecambe side. They play some really good football. I think it will be a great game for the neutral. If you have a spare afternoon, I’d definitely recommend watching Morecambe/Sutton.  Morecambe score lots of goals; also concede lots of goals. There’s an opportunity for us”

He went on to say, perhaps at least partially as a result of being in charge of a small club in Worthing himself:

“Thank god for Morecambe as a community that their football club has (survived). It’s incredibly important – from a social perspective – that these clubs stay in existence.”

Amen to that…

Despite some showery rain earlier on, the match was played in bright sunshine for most of the time although it rapidly became quite nippy towards the end as darkness crept over the stadium.

It was all Morecambe for the opening fifteen minutes and Sutton couldn’t get out of their own half. Tommy Reid in the away goal did well to push Jake Cain’s effort after just two minutes away for a corner. Sutton didn’t win even one corner kick in the first half but Morecambe regularly piled them up.

Ben Williams then headed just wide of the target after eight minutes from a Miguel Azeez free-kick.

But that was as close as they came to scoring and as the half progressed, United played themselves back into it.

Williams did really well to block a shot from David Ogbonna after sixteen minutes only for Hayden Muller to strike the rebound well wide. Then one of the J Taylors from the Sutton team-sheet – it was Jack; not Jake – missed with a decent effort with just over half an hour played. Ogbonna also missed with another effort a few minutes later as I thought that the visitors were beginning to get on top.

In the forty-first minute, play was stopped for a while following a collision involving United defender Brandon Njoku. He was finally led from the field with all the tell-tale signs that he had dislocated his left shoulder. Bad luck – let’s hope it was less serious but I fear it won’t be. But with him replaced by Ashley Nadesan, Morecambe took the lead as Azeez scored with a tremendous instant volley from a right-wing cross by Lewis Payne in the second minute of injury time.

So the Shrimps went back to the Dressing Rooms in the lead. At that moment, they were clear of the relegation zone in the National League and Sutton were bottom again.

Could it possibly stay like this?

It seemed like it would when Cain scored with a lovely shot from just outside the penalty area with just five minutes of the restart played. Fifteen minutes later – with barely over twenty minutes left to be played, they looked to be home and dry. Sutton were offering little offensively and we seemed to be almost within touching distance of a clean sheet, three precious points and possibly even an escape from the jaws of the doomed at the bottom of the National League. In the 61^st minute, visiting stopper Reid made a tremendous save from Cain; pushing a fierce strike at full-stretch onto the crossbar and away up to his left.

For me, this was the key moment of the game. If Reid had conceded, the game would have been over.

But it wasn’t…

So what the Hell happened next?

Basically – Morecambe pressed the Self Destruct Button.  In just seven minutes, they lost their lead and were lucky not to have fallen behind into the bargain. Blackman did really well to keep out a looping strike from Ogbonna with 67 minutes on the clock. Four minutes later, Junior Eccleston found himself in the home penalty area on the Sutton left. He was going nowhere as he headed away from goal. So what on earth came over Rolando Aarons to make him try and tackle him – and give away a totally needless penalty in doing so? Lewis Simper converted it easily – and it was suddenly Game On for Sutton.

As the Shrimps’ defence was Absent Without Leave, the penalty scorer saw his shot brilliantly cleared off the line only for the visitors to re-group far quicker than Ash’s men and see Nadesan head the ball home in the 74^th minute to give the visitors the most unlikely draw.

And that was basically that. If either side was going to win it from that point on, Sutton looked likeliest.

This was truly awful from Morecambe today. If they continue to play like this, they will be relegated – and deservedly so. Where is the leadership on the field? Where is the discipline? Where is the determination?

Ashvir chose to start with Rolando Aarons today, for whatever reason. Given previous performances, I expected him to be hopeless and show no commitment to the cause. But he was even worse than I anticipated: far too easily knocked off the ball time and again by more determined opponents and constantly wasting possession. Worse still, he gave away the penalty which turned the match with a frankly stupid – and totally unnecessary – challenge. None of this is a surprise to me and probably most other people in the stands. So why does the Manager select him in the first place?

As I’ve said, I can’t even begin to explain what happened today: the last twenty minutes of a game they were winning easily is one of the most inept displays I have ever seen from any Morecambe team – ever…

It’s simply not good enough. We are now back in the Dead Zone, level on points with the three clubs in the Brotherhood of the Damned above us but with a vastly inferior goal-difference to all of them. Sutton are at the top of this mini-league in twenty-first place in the National League table – but they should be bottom and we should be out of the relegation places altogether.

So why aren’t we?  I was really intrigued – to put it politely – to see how the Manager would attempt to justify this latest disaster. He should have a plan, not some totally meaningless platitudes about `coasting’ to wins which his team simply aren’t achieving. To me at least, he seems to be increasingly retreating into a fantasy world as he talks about how things could be – as opposed to how they actually are:

“We’ve got to make better individual decisions and actions when defending. Better individual decisions and actions when in the final third. And then we coast to putting in winning performances.”

Very sadly, I fear that Ashvir is completely out of his depth. He needs help. The Panjab Warriors experiment has saved our club. But they hoped for a high profile which is simply not happening. So they need to act – and act now before the club is relegated yet again into relative obscurity instead of the return to the EFL that we all hope for.

Morecambe:  40 Jamal Blackman; 2 Lewis Payne; 5 Maldini Calcurri (Y); 8 Miguel Azeez; 10 Jake Cain; 11 Admiral Muskwe; 12 Rolando Aarons (28 Emmerson Sutton 81’); 15 Ben Williams; 18 Ben Tollitt; 21 Joe Nuttall; 24 Yann Songo’o.

Subs not used: 1 Archie Mair; 6 Ludwig Francillette; 9 Harrison Panayiotou; 29 Elijah Dixon-Bonner; 33 Arjan Raikhy; 36 Jack Nolan.

Sutton United: 27 Tommy Reid; 8 Lewis Simper; 14 Edon Pruti (C); 15 Will Tizzard (23 Jayden Harris 45’); 16 Jack Taylor; 18 David Ogbonna (Y); 25 Jake Taylor; 26 Junior Eccleston; 28 Kai Jennings (30 Alex Woodyard 86’); 34 Brandon Njoku (10 Ashley Nadesan 45’); 42 Hayden Muller.

Subs not used: 21 David Aziaya; 5 Harry Phipps; 17 Aaron Jones; 24 Noa Boutin; 37 Charlie Bell.

Ref: Gareth Rhodes.

Att: 3, 650 (89 very relieved fans from Sutton. It must have felt almost like a win to them…)