Sutton Athletic caused an upset in this Kent Senior Trophy Preliminary Cup Round in a pulsating game which for the neutral could have gone either way.

Bearsted, the Premier Division side, will rue chances to put the game to rest but credit to Sutton as they played some good football and in the end probably deserved the victory.

Bearsted got off to the dream start as in the 4^th minute they took the lead when the ball into the area ended up at the back post & Jordan Ababio side footed in from 6 yards then two minutes later it was two when Harrison Hatfull on the edge of the area on the left saw his shot beat Sam Betts at the near post.

A minute later it was nearly three when a short free kick into the area found Ababio but his shot was deflected over the bar. At this moment Sutton were all over the place but in the 9^th minute they had their first chance when Arlie Desanges saw his header go just past the post.

Sutton got back into the game in the 16^th minute when Desanges on his own diverted a cross into the net, then in the next minute they should have equalised when a ball into the area saw a shot parried away by Illia Saukh but only to Desanges but from 3 yards his shot was saved by Saukh & cleared.

The game was like a ping pong game as both sides showed their attacking flair but defensively questions were being asked. In the 29^th minute Ababio cross into the area found Sam Stace who from 10 yards saw his flicked shot saved by Betts.

In the 45^th minute Bearsted went 3 – 1 up when Ababio received the ball on the right got to the by-line & his low cross was swept in by Stace.

The second half started with Bearsted on the attack & in the 47^th minute Ababio put David Baronowski into the area & his shot from the angle was saved by Betts. Sutton got their second in the 52^nd minute when Dan Gunner latched onto a through ball & chipped over Saukh.

In the 57^th minute Stace on the edge of the area cut inside & his shot was parried away by Betts. Sutton got the equaliser in the 76^th minute when a corner to the back post found Richard Gregory who from 2 yards smashed into the net game on.

Bearsted thought they had a winner in the 86^th minute when a free kick into the area saw Lekan Majoyegbe’s header come back off the cross bar. Two minutes later Flavious Petresor on the edge of the area saw his shot go just past the post.

In the 94^th minute James Sutherland running forward saw his shot parried away by Saukh, then the full time whistle went & extra time was needed.

The first half of extra time saw Bearsted take control & had a couple of chances when in the 98^th minute Andy Irvine put Ababio through in the area but his shot went wide of the post & in the 101^st minute Ababio was put through but again his shot went wide.

Sutton were just hanging on then the second half started with Bearsted again on top & in the 107^th minute a corner into the Sutton area caused confusion when the ball was cleared off the line & the follow up shot was deflected for a corner.

Two minutes later & Sutton thought they had won the game when a cross into the area saw Desanges on his own 10 yards out & his flicked header beat Saukh.

The lead only lasted two minutes in this topsy turvey game when a cross into the area saw Irvine on his own power his header past Betts. Bearsted were now looking for victory & in the 115^th minute Ababio on the left cut in & his shot came back off the post.

In the dying minutes of the game the ball sent forward saw Saukh come out the area & collide with a Sutton forward, both stayed down & eventually after getting booked went off with concussion with substitute Stephen Sage going into goal & from the resulting free kick Sage pushed Conor Evans shot round the post. The full time whistle went & now penalties.

Sutton went first & Jody Smith scored Baronowski blasted his penalty against the cross bar advantage Sutton, then Desanges scored, Vincent Follea stepped up & scored.

Dan Gunner scored & Ababio smashed his over the bar, then Jordan Samuels stepped up & cool as cucumber scored so Sutton had won 4-1 & go through to the next round.

       BEARSTED:

1. I.SAUKH       2. G.RUSSO (60)  3. C.CROUCHER  4. R.CROUCHER (80)  5. L.MAYOYEGBE  6. C.McCARTHY 7.    H.HATFULL (101)   8. V.FOLLEA  9. J.ABABIO   10. S.STACE   11. D.BARONOWSKI

SUBS USED:  16. F.PETRISOR (60)  17. A.IRVINE (80)  14. S.SAGE (101)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. S.HAFNER  15. J.WAKEFIELD

BOOKINGS:  9.ABABIO (60)  1. I.SAUKH (118)

        SUTTON ATHLETIC:

1.  S.BETTS       2. T.HILL   3. J.SMITH   4. C.PAGE  5. S.NICHOLLS  6. C.PALMER (68) 7.    T.WHITE (33)  8. L.THOMAS (75)  9. A.DESANGES  10. C.EVANS  11. D.GUNNER

SUBS USED:  15. J.SUTHERLAND 12. R.GREGORY (68)  14. J.SAMUELS (75)

SUBS NOT USED:  16. H.SHERIDAN  17. H.BRADFORD

BOOKINGS:  NONE

REFEREE:  Mr B.MARSHALL

ASSISTANTS:  Mr K.WENHAM & Mr G.SMART

ATTENDANCE: 70