The five game winning streak ends in Sutton as a late goal gives the hosts all three points.
The two inform teams in the league faced off here in South London with both teams gaining nine points out of a possible 12 in their last four games. Both teams were cancelling each other out until the 21st minute mark when a perfectly accurate cross was whipped in by Jamie Proctor onto the head of Nathan Smith who was up field following a corner and headed the ball over the Sutton keeper and into the net to give the Valiants the lead.
A tight affair before that goal but we dominated the game for a spell after it. James Wilson had an effort a minute after the opener just inside the area which was held by Dean Bouzanis in goal.
Sutton had lost just once before today at home, their home form being key for their position in mid table through the first ten games but we looked to defy that as after 28 minutes played our pressure was awarded with a second. Proctor scored his seventh of the season following some good work by James Gibbons who beat his man and found Proctor completely unmarked in the area and he slotted the ball into the far bottom corner.
Once again James Wilson had a shot saved a minute after we scored, this time he tried to curl the ball into the far corner but did not get enough on it as it was comfortable for Bouzanis. Our 2-0 lead was halved on 37 minutes when Rob Milsom’s shot from outside the area was deflected and rolled into the opposite corner to give something for the home supporters to shout about.
The Valiants started the brighter of the two in the second half, a solo run from James Wilson three minutes after the half got him into the area but his shot was tame and straight as Bouzanis in goal.
A controversial moment at the 69th minute mark. Dan Jones flicked the ball against a Sutton man for a throw-in but the referee gave the throw to the hosts. The ball was launched into the area which bobbled around and ended up in Vale’s net off the head of Ben Garrity. Three minutes later Tom Conlon won a header in the area which had Sutton’s keeper scrambling across to get it.
After coming close with a header Conlon got his goal following a corner on 78 minutes. The ball was cleared away into the path of Conlon who struck the ball home from outside of the area on the half volley. That lead was short lived as nine minutes later Will Randall scored with a header in the area to tie the game again.
Another controversial decision in stoppage when George Lloyd went down and was judged to have fouled his man. Confusion on the pitch as all 20 outfield players went to one end of the pitch before the referee gave the decision the other way and all 20 marched down to the other end. The ball was put in and a goal mouth scramble produced a winner in the 91st minute from Coby Rowe who smashed it into the net from close range.
Sutton United: Bouzanis, Rowe, John, Ajiboye (74’ Randall), Eastmond, Boldewijn (86’ Korboa), Kizzi, Milsom, Wilson (59’ Olaofe), Bennett, Smith
Subs not used: Palmer, Wyatt, Beautyman, Sho-Silva
Port Vale: Covolan, Gibbons (82’ Johnson), Jones, Smith, Worrall, Garrity, Wilson (66’ Lloyd), Conlon, Proctor (66’ Amoo), Pett, Cass
Subs not used: Stone, Benning, Taylor, Politic