Sutton win the first of a quickfire double header against Bromley

Sutton United got the single goal victory to win the first of a festive double header against Bromley. Jamie Collins, who had twice gone close to scoring in the first half, struck the decisive blow early in the second half, and although Bromley, who to that point had appeared quite happy with a goalless scoreline, were a bit more threatening in the closing stages U’s were well worth a victory that keeps them in close touch with the sides above them in the Vanarama National League table.

Gime Toure was given his debut for the hosts following his Christmas Eve signing and came close to making an instant impact when, with barely 30 seconds on the clock, he managed to create a shooting opportunity on the left edge of the penalty area but curled a shot just beyond the far post. After that it was Jamie Collins who had the clearest of openings, firstly meeting a left wing cross from Nicky Bailey after Bromley had cleared a corner and prodding the ball goalwards from close range only to be denied by a fine stretching save from David Gregory, and then heading Harry Beautyman’s corner goalwards and seeing Sam Wood positioned by the post to head off the line.

Bromley had a half chance when Jamie Butler lost the ball in a collision with Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe but recovered to grab it just before the Bromley player could find the unmarked Jack Holland in front of an open goal, while one goalmouth scramble ended with a blocked shot. Generally, though, it was a half that struggled to get going and the second half began in similar fashion as U’s had a lot of the ball but struggled to break down a well organised defence. Then Jonah Ayunga produced a powerful run on the left that ended with his cross being diverted behind for a corner. Beautyman’s deep flag kick was headed back from beyond the far post by Bradley Pearce and met by Collins with a towering header that hit the underside of the bar and fell behind the line before Bromley could clear.

Sutton came close to a second goal as Brett Williams had an angled shot turned round the post by Gregory and substitute Tom Bolarinwa’s first touch after replacing Toure was to bring down a cross from the left and send a shot wide of the right hand post. Bromley brought on Zavon Hines, who had enjoyed success in the past against Sutton as a second half substitute for Maidstone and Chesterfield, there were few moments when they looked likely to equalise, Marc Anthony Okoye heading a corner just wide from a left wing corner their best effort. However with three minutes to go there was a huge scare for U’s as Collins slipped in trying to collect Bailey’s pass and left Joe Quigley, who had been on for little more than five minutes, clear on goal. His approach lacked conviction, though, and Butler did superbly to force him wide so that, by the time Quigley did get his shot away, it was from a tight angle and hit the outside of the post with Pearce covering on the goalline.
Butler then saved superbly from Frankie Raymond’s skidding low shot as Bromley’s late pressure came to nothing and Sutton held on for a second successive league win.

The two sides do it agin on New Years Day, at Hayes Lane, Live on BT Sport.

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