SUTTON UTD 3: BRAINTREE 1

Sutton United recorded a comfortable win over a side who had beaten them 3-0 on the opening day of the season, writes Tony Dolbear.

With four players under 20 in the starting line up there was huge encouragement to be gained by United followers from as good a performance as they have produced this season.

It meant an excellent start for Mike Mison as captain in the wake of Chris Boothe's departure to Aylesbury.

An early goal always helps, and with just 34 seconds gone Eddie Akuamoah provided it with a powerful left foot shot after Jon Palmer's challenge had knocked Rob Haworth's right wing cross into his path.

It might have been two moments later.

Matt Gray cut in from the right and saw his shot pushed round the post by Paul Catley.

Braintree might have been level before the quarter of an hour mark when Andy Potter outjumped Tommy Dunn to head a corner goalwards, but found Paul Honey standing on the goal line to head clear.

Braintree had other chances during the half.

Robbie Reinelt's shot deflected just wide and Paul Rippingale shot past the post after Dave Timothy's only mistake of the afternoon allowed Simpson and Reinelt to attack on the left.

Jon Palmer fired a shot across the face of goal following a corner before referee David Evans found himself at the centre of the arguments as defender Gary Waters hauled down Akuamoah on the edge of the penalty area after Haworth had flicked a ball into his path.

Quite who else other than the goalkeeper was in a position to deny Akuamoah wasn't obvious, but Evans allowed Waters to escape with a yellow card.

If Ryan Palmer wore a puzzled look at that moment he was entitled to, since the same referee had sent him off in similar circumstances against Gravesend last season.

The reprieve didn't stop visiting captain Nicky Smith picking up a booking for dissent.

Sutton added two goals in the first four minutes of the second half.

Blasted

First Ryan Palmer blasted in a 20-yard shot after Jon Palmer's presence had set up the shooting opportunity from Akuamoah's deep corner.

Then Haworth scored a third, heading on a high ball to Akuamoah and receiving the return pass before guiding a shot beyond Catley.

To their credit Braintree then had their best spell of the game and were unlucky when Dean Parratt's 40-yard shot drifted over the stranded Dunn but clipped the outside of the post.

They could make no impression though, and as Sutton finished strongly Honey was unfortunate to see his well executed 20-yard half-volley ruled out because Haworth was standing offside in the centre of goal. Both Timothy and substitute Matt Fowler saw shots go inches wide.

Timothy was also the recipient of a rustic challenge on the edge of the area that earned a yellow card for Simpson, who had got away with a similar offence in the first half.

So perhaps Simpson was lucky to be on the field to grab Braintree's late consolation after Dunn had saved brilliantly from Steve Blaney.

Sutton: Dunn, R Palmer, Gonsalves, Mison, Timothy, Honey, J Palmer (Fowler 64), Corbett (Berry 85), Gray (Brown 61), Haworth, Akuamoah.

Attendance: 515.

December 21, 2001 13:00