HOT ROD SEES SUTTON SWEAT
MATT GRAY insists the National League title race will be full of twists and turns right to the end after his Sutton United side were denied a crucial point in a dramatic finale at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night.
Gray’s U’s twice came from behind to peg back ten-man hosts Notts County, only for Ruben Rodrigues’ 94th-minute penalty to earn all three points for the previously out-of-form Magpies.
Defeat left the long-term league leaders four points adrift of Torquay United at the top with a game in hand but an upbeat Gray has warned the top four to expect a rollercoaster ride right to the final game.
“It’s the first time for a long while where it hasn’t been in our hands but it’s not over, not by a long way,” boss Gray said.
“We’ve got five games to go, there’s plenty of football to play and they’ll be more twists and turns yet.
“With the attitude and the character of the lads we’ve got in that dressing room, then we’ll go right to the end.
“That was hard to take. I’m proud of the players, for their energy, desire and organisation, I thought they were excellent. They were disappointing goals to concede but, overall, I can’t fault the players and I can’t ask any more of them.”
Winger Rodrigues cut a rejuvenated figure after a quiet spell and put play-off chasing County in front inside eight minutes, only for Isaac Olaofe to reply for the U’s.
Comfortable
Top scorer Kyle Wootton restored the Magpies’ lead three minutes into the second half but Sutton restored parity once more through Omar Bugiel.
Notts full-back Dion Kelly-Evans was then shown a second yellow card, but just when it looked like they would take a precious point, Mark Ellis was bundled over in the box and Rodrigues stepped up from the spot to keep County’s promotion hopes alive.
While Sutton slipped they weren’t the first as Hartlepool
United were edged out to a single Jude Arthurs goal at
Bromley on Monday, leaving them six points adrift of the leaders.
Torquay, themselves, continued their march with an impressive 2-0 win at play-off chasing Chesterfield.
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans put them in front on 11 minutes before Billy Waters sealed the points for the Gulls 14 minutes from time.
Stockport County moved above Hartlepool into third with a comfortable 4-0 win over Wealdstone.
Ryan Croasdale’s first goal for the Hatters led a strong second-half showing with Alex Reid’s double and John Rooney’s stoppage-time fourth completing the rout.
FC Halifax Town returned to winning ways to consolidate fifth place with a fine 3-0 win at
Yeovil Town.
Luke Summerfield’s 14th-minute effort put the Shaymen in front before late strikes from Kieran Green and Jake Hyde wrapped up a comfortable victory.
Sam Barratt scored from his own half but Wrexham hit back from 2-0 down to rescue a point at Maidenhead United.
Resurgence
Barratt’s 15th-minute wonderstrike and James Comley’s second put the Magpies in control but the play-off chasing Dragons hit back strongly after the break and levelled through Jordan Davies and Dior Angus.
Big winners of the day were Boreham Wood who recovered from going a goal down to thrash King’s Lynn Town 5-1 at Meadow Park.
Michael Gash gave Lynn the perfect start inside four minutes but Wood hit back with aplomb - Kabongo Tshimanga smashing a fine second-half hat-trick, amidst goals from
Gus Mafuta and Kane Smith.
Dagenham & Redbridge made it five wins on the spin, while subjecting Woking to a seventh straight defeat, in a 3-1 success at Victoria Road.
Two first-half goals from Paul McCallum put them in control and after Sam Ashford had pulled a goal back from the weary Cards, Angelo Balanta made sure of victory.
Barnet continued their resurgence under new boss Simon Bassey with a 2-0 win at Weymouth. Ben Richards-Everton netted his first goal for the club and after Anthony Wordsworth became the TENTH Barnet player to be sent off this season, Tomi Adeloye wrapped up victory.
And it was a precession for
Solihull Moors, who waltzed to a 4-0 win over Altrincham – Jordon Thompson, a Shaun Densmore own goal, Kyle Hudlin and Cameron Archer the men on target.