Jimmy Strouts on the attack at Gander Green Lane.
| Nationwide Football Conference - Monday 1 May 2000 - Gander Green Lane | ||
| Sutton United | 0 - 1 | Dover Athletic |
|---|---|---|
| Att: 601 | Berry o.g. (57) | |
| Dover Team: Hyde, Browne, Virgo, Leberl, Shearer, Beard, D.Clarke, Strouts, Godden, Hynes, Hogg (Norman 76) |
| Substitutes Not Used: Daniels, Munday, Hudson |
| Booked: Leberl |
| Sent Off: None |
| DAFC Website Man-Of-The-Match: Simon Beard |
Jimmy Strouts on the attack at Gander Green Lane. |
A 57th minute own goal by Sutton's Gwynne Berry was enough to give Dover three points and guaranteed the Whites their highest ever finish in the Conference.
The team fielded by Bill Williams was some way from his best eleven. There were first league starts of the season for forward Roy Godden and midfielder Anthony Hogg, Neil Le Bihan was absent injured, Stuart Munday was only fit enough for a place on the bench, Steve Norman was dropped to the bench in favour of James Virgo and both first choice strikers, Joff Vansittart and Steve Brown were curiously absent from the matchday squad. Mark Hynes returned to the side to partner Godden and Jimmy Strouts also returned to the starting eleven.
Sutton are already down and had nothing but pride to play for. Athletic are still chasing third place and were keen to avenge their Trophy exit at Gander Green Lane two months ago.
James Virgo made the first serious attempt on goal after 5 minutes when his free-kick went inches wide. Five minutes later Sutton winger Paul Sears delivered a dangerous cross at the other end but it flew across the Dover area without any Sutton players able to convert it.
Mark Hynes caused a couple of problems for his old side mid-way through the half. First he forced a fine save from Howells, then he delivered a cross which was missed by everybody.
Mark Watson went close on the half hour but his header was deflected wide. But the controversial incident of the match came on 34 minutes when Nko Ekoku was dismissed for a challenge on Paul Hyde, having been booked previously. Hyde and Ekoku had been involved in a bust-up at Crabble in August, but this incident was not anything significant and many thought that Ekoku was extremely unlucky.
Sutton started the second half the brighter team and Winston wasted an excellent chance, firing wide when he should have hit the target. The only goal of the game however came after 57 minutes and went to the visitors as Berry beat his own keeper with a chip from the edge of the box under pressure from Hynes.
The closest Sutton came to equalising was on 71 minutes when Leberl conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and Paul Hyde tipped the resulting effort from Richard Skelly over the bar.
