Eastleigh fell just short in a 2-1 loss during their travels to Sutton at the VBS Community Stadium in the Enterprise National League.
Despite giving it their all up until the last whistle, Eastleigh were unable to rectify the two goals they conceded in the first half. Goals from David Ogbonna and Lewis Simper gave the U’s all three points.
Ciaran McGuckin did get one back from the penalty spot after Aaron Pierre was brought down in the box; however, this was not enough on the night.
Scott Bartlett made three changes to the hard-battling Eastleigh side that fell short against Walsall in the first round of the FA Cup at the Silverlake on Saturday. With Jordan Cousins suffering an injury within five minutes on the weekend, Kieron Evans came in to replace him. Due to Cousins’ injury and the departure of Jack Taylor, who joined today’s hosts yesterday, Luke Humphries took the armband. Aaron Pierre and Jake Vokins both dropped to the bench to make way for Luis Fernandez and Angel Waruih.
The game jump-started into life in the 8th minute when a passage of one-touch football from Sutton allowed Jayden Harris to breach the Eastleigh defence on the left-hand side. Harris drove towards the Spitfires’ goal, but his shot was saved by Nick Townsend. However, David Ogbonna was there to tap it in, giving the U’s an early 1-0 lead.
Just four minutes later, the hosts nearly doubled their lead. A corner from Lewis Simper on the right-hand side was right on the money. Edon Pruti rose highest and guided his header towards the top right corner, but Townsend did incredibly to deny the second.
The Spitfires registered their first shot of the game in the 19th minute when Humphries attempted his luck from distance; unfortunately, his effort did not trouble Tommy Reid in the end.
After a quiet ten minutes of football, Sutton went from one end to the other after Pruti put a stop to a promising Eastleigh attack. Simper darted forward down the right-hand side and, after a one-two with Ashley Nadesan, his left-footed shot found the bottom right corner, leaving Townsend with no chance and doubling the U’s lead in the 33rd minute.
The Spitfires’ second shot of the game was very similar to the first, this time from a free-kick around 30 yards out, but once again Humphries’ shot went over the bar.
After the first 45 minutes, Bartlett opted to introduce his reinforcements from the bench, with Pierre and Vokins replacing Temi Eweka and Waruih.
Eastleigh started the half brightly, with Richard Brindley’s deep ball to the back post picking out Vokins, whose header went across the face of goal with Harvey Saunders the intended target. However, he could not get a touch on the ball as it was cleared away for a corner.
The corner caused chaos in the box. It was McGuckin who got the initial touch on the ball, which was dealt with only as far as Aaron Pierre, whose header from close range narrowly missed the bottom left corner.
Despite the brief threat from the Spitfires, it was the home side that came closest to the next goal in the 65th minute. A fantastic first-time ball from goalscorer Simper went all the way to the back post towards Junior Eccleston. His touch headed goalwards but was cleared away by Brindley.
Just one minute later, there was goalmouth action up the other end when Jake Vokins’ dangerous corner was heading towards the back post before substitute Pierre was brought down in the box. Referee Emily Heaslip had no hesitation pointing to the spot. McGuckin confidently stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to make the score 2-1.
Eastleigh began to thrive off the momentum and came close to levelling the scoring almost instantly. Evans did brilliantly to break up play in midfield; he then picked out Humphries, who took one touch to release McGuckin in on goal. However, the striker’s effort flew just over the bar.
The game in southwest London was now in full flow as both sides were exchanging attack after attack. As the 75th minute hit, Sutton came agonisingly close twice in the space of one minute.
The first came down the right-hand side as substitute Brandon Njoku picked out Nadesan, whose effort was drilled across the face of goal, narrowly missing the target. It was then Hayden Muller, whose excellent strike from distance was kept out brilliantly by Townsend.
With just ten minutes to go, Eastleigh were teasing the idea of an equaliser when the ball fell kindly to McGuckin in the box; however, his shot was blocked only as far as Skinner, but his shot was also blocked and dealt with.
Eastleigh counted their lucky stars in the 88th minute when a mix-up at the back between Humphries and Pierre allowed Njoku to be as free as a bird with just the goalkeeper to beat. Luckily for the Spits, the striker’s effort dragged wide of the post.
With the clock ticking down, Eastleigh had to get the ball and everyone forward as quickly as possible. Following a corner that was dealt with well, Brindley delivered a pinpoint ball to the back post. Luis Fernandez leapt highest, but his header was comfortably saved in the end by Reid.
Njoku, who already had the chance to put the game to bed in the 88th minute, would have one again with just four minutes of stoppage time remaining. However, like his first effort when through on goal, his second went straight into the side netting too.
This was the last action of a fantastic game that had plenty of goalmouth action. Unfortunately, though, Eastleigh came away with nothing after their trip to London.
Sutton United: Reid (GK), Simper (Tizzard 69′), Nadesan, Pruti (Woodyard 59′), Taylor, Jones (C)(Njoku 69′), Ogbonna, Harris (Bell 84′), Eccleston, Jennings, Muller
Unused Substitutes: Aziaya, Phipps, Boutin, Bell
Goals: Ogbonna 8′ Simper 33′
Yellow Cards: Jack Taylor 21′ Ashley Nadesan 45+3′ Muller 67′ Reid 68′
Eastleigh: Townsend (GK), Brindley, Eweka (Pierre 46′), Fernandez, Harris, Humphries, Lundstram, Evans (Skinner 76′), Saunders, Mcguckin, Waruih (Vokins 46′)
Unused Substitutes: McNamara (GK), Davis, Stone
Goals: Mcguckin 66′
Yellow Cards: Pierre 90+4, Vokins 90+8
Attendance: 1759 (67)
