Sutton Athletic progressed to the SCEFL Cup Semi Final with a narrow victory over Holmesdale in a thoroughly entertaining match at a rainy Oakley Road on Wednesday night.
The SCEFL Division One leaders started the game on top, moving the ball round well and pressing the home side. Henry Fulton headed wide from a free kick early on while Billy Muckle and Conor Evans then both had shots saved by Nathan Edwards in the Dale goal.
Holmesdale rallied for a while and Andy Constable was unlucky to see his header from a corner cleared off the line by Ijah Currie-Wilson.
Rory Ward fired over soon after for Lee Roots’ side and the game flowed freely on a superb surface especially given the amount of rain that had fallen in recent days.
Holmesdale created another good chance when John Foster crossed for Chris Hubbard, but his side footed effort on the volley went just wide of the near post.
The home side had a strong shout for a penalty soon after when Fulton challenged Ruel Powell-Downey in the box, but the referee awarded a corner and then from the resulting set piece Constable headed just wide.
James Rawsthorne and James Teodorescu both went close for Dale, before Smith had a low driven effort well saved by Edwards and Muckle fired over at the other end.
Late in the half, Dale could have taken the lead when Constable played in Ward, but instead of shooting when well placed he tried to pass the ball back to Constable and Richard Gregory cleared the danger.
The second half saw Sutton start well, Arlie Desanges had an effort from a cross at the near post bravely blocked by Jordan Eels. Holmesdale then pressed with a Hubbard cross from the left just evading Constable in the box, before Powell-Downey then shot just wide.
With play flowing from end to end, Smith went close twice for the visitors prior to the game’s winning moment just after the hour mark. A slick passing move saw Conor Evans and Desanges exchanging passes on the edge of the area before Desanges cut in and coolly slid the ball past Edwards to make it 1-0 to Sutton from ten yards out.
Currie-Wilson went close twice as the visitors looked to extend their lead and then following a foul on the same player, Evans fired a free kick narrowly wide from 20 yards out.
Late on Dale pressed for an equaliser, and everyone came up for an injury time corner, but Sutton held on and saw the game out to secure a hard earned place in the semi finals.
Dale – Edwards, Biuti, Teodorescu, Foster, Eels, Shield, Powell-Downey, Ward, Constable, Rawsthorne, Hubbard.
Subs: McCarthy, Hackshall, Ash, Skelly, Bearman-Oyce.
Sutton – Hyde, Hill, Fulton, Muckle, Gregory, Plummer, Smith, Currie-Wilson, Desanges, Evans, Gunner.
Subs: Wheeler, White, Crouch, Smale.
Goal: Desanges 61mins.
Att: 59
HT 0-0
FT 0-1