Sutton made a guard of honour as Champions Bearsted came out and their generosity carried on in the first half.

This was a game of two halves & for the neutral this was a great game.

The first half was only 4 minutes old when Sam Flisher put Andy Hart through on goal but his shot was deflected for a corner & from the resulting corner to the near post taken by Mike Holliday found Jack West unopposed who from 6 yards headed in.

In the 10^th minute it was two when Hart passed forward to Ashley Russell in the area & his shot was deflected for a corner & from the resulting corner taken by Holiday found Hart unopposed who from 6 yards headed in.

It became three in the 19^th minute when another Holiday corner found West who headed in. It nearly became four when another Holiday corner was half cleared back to him & his low screaming shot from an acute angle went across the goal avoiding everyone in the 6 yard box.

Chances were now coming for Bearsted as they showed why they were champions & in the 27^th minute Flisher’s cross to the back post found Russell whose header was saved by James Dean.

In the 36^th minute Flisher’s cross into the area was flicked on by Russell for Hart but from 10 yards he blasted over the bar. Right on half time Bearsted got their fourth when another Holiday corner was half cleared to Russell on the edge of the area & his shot beat Dean.

The half time whistle went & the Bearsted players trooped off thinking game over whilst the Sutton players knew they had to improve & get some pride back.

The second half saw a better performance from Sutton who controlled most of the half with Bearsted having a couple of chances.

In the 50^th Flisher running forward from halfway decided to try his luck from 25 yards but it went wide, in the very next minute Aiden Pursglove had Sutton’s first shot in anger & it was deflected for a corner, from the corner Darren Wheeler headed over.

In the 53^rd minute a corner into the Bearsted area resulted in a penalty being given to the amazement of the Sutton players as well as everyone in the ground but this did not faze Chris Marless who stepped up & his low shot into the left side of the net.

Three minutes later Bearsted’s second half chance came when Tom Brown passed out wide to Matt Garner who then passed to Hart 15 yards out but his side foot effort was easily saved by Dean.

A minute later Pursglove latched onto a through ball & once in the area went round Scott Andrews & from an acute angle saw West come back & clear off the line & concede a corner.

Chances were now coming at regular times for Sutton & in the 58^th minute Jonny Murray on the left crossed into the area for Pursglove but he headed wide. Three minutes later Wheeler’s cross into the area found Ollie Desacnec but he headed wide then three minutes later Gary Walker’s cross into the back post found Desacnec & his header crept in.

In a rare attack Bearsted nearly got their fifth when Flisher passed inside the full back for Russell whose 15 yard shot was saved by Dean, then in the 89^th minute Sutton got their third when a free kick into the area was cleared but only to Ben Williams who shot home from 18 yards, now Bearsted would have a nervy end to the game as Sutton threw everything at them but in the end they survived & what a way to finish the season.

After the final whistle went Bearsted’s players were presented with their winner’s medal & the championship cup  as they look forward to life in the Southern Counties East League.

 

BEARSTED:

1. ANDREWS 2.  J.WEST  3. J.BAKER  4. A.FOSTER  5. R.LYALL  6. M.HOLIDAY  7. A.HART (68)  8. M.GARNER 9. A.RUSSELL (83) 10. S.FLISHER  11.  P.WILLIAMS (45)

SUBS UISED:  17. T.BROWN (45)  12. C.EPPS (68)  14. S.SAGE (83)

SUBS NOT USED:   15. A.OMESASYA    16. D.DAMONSE

BOOKINGS:  2. J.WEST (88)

 

SUTTON ATHLETIC:

1. DEAN 2. J.HILL (45)  3. B.PALMER  4. D.GUNNER  5. C.MARLESS  6. S.HEATHER  7. J.MURRAY  8. B.WILLIAMS 9. O.DESACNES 10. G.WALKER (78)  11. A.PURSGLOVE

SUBS USED:  14. D.WHEELER  15. B.YOUNG

SUBS NOT USED:  12. W.JAMES  16. R.ANSON  17. D.MILLS

BOOKINGS:  NONE

 

REFEREE.  Mr I.SEARLE

ASSISTANTS:  Mr J.McKAY & Mr S.ROOTS

ATTENDANCE: 90