DREAM OVER
Clinical Arsenal end Sutton’s amazing Cup run
Sutton manager Paul Doswell admitted it had been a ‘dream to watch my team play Arsenal’ as the non-League club’s fairytale run in the FA Cup came to an end.
the Vanarama national League side, who sit 105 places below Arsene Wenger’s men in the football pyramid, rose to the occasion but could not contain a Gunners team featuring several first- choice players. Lucas Perez opened the scoring in a nip-and-tuck first half and theo Walcott’s 100th goal for Arsenal after the interval secured a sixth-round tie at home to Lincoln City, also of the national League.
Doswell said: ‘I’m very proud, It’s been our cup final. these players have done this club so
proud, they’ll go down in history and they deserve it. It was a dream to watch my team play against Arsenal. The quality that they put out showed what was at stake.’
Sutton’s reserve goalkeeper and coach Wayne Shaw has been an iconic figure in the club’s Cup run but was involved in controversy last night after being pictured on live TV eating a pie on the bench, when bookies — one of which sponsors him — were taking bets on whether that would occur.
Doswell said he ‘assumed’ he had done it for a bet and added: ‘Wayne has become this global superstar on the back of being 20st. He’s made that a chance to get more media coverage off the back of it. It wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t think it shows us in the best light.’
Doswell also described Arsenal’s security arrangements as bizarre and like something out of a James Bond movie.
Wenger’s men arrived at the National League side’s stadium with personal bodyguards and Doswell said. ‘My lads were driving round their bodyguards to get out. They took over the tunnel. It was bizarre seeing James Bond security around us. It seemed safe around here to me. Very strange the way football has gone.’
Wenger was full of praise for Sutton, saying: ‘They didn’t drop physically at all, you could expect that they would have dropped much more physically. They remained absolutely focused, organised and with a huge desire in their game.
‘I would say if we were not mentally prepared we would not have gone through today.’
Sutton’s artificial pitch was heavily watered prior to kick-off, leading to several of the visiting team stumbling throughout.
Wenger added: ‘We did the job. It’s different on this kind of pitch. It was not an easy game at all. We have to give them credit, every mistake we made they took advantage of it, and on this pitch every little technical moment that is not 100 per cent you lose the ball. They played very well.’
Doswell admitted that he has not particularly enjoyed the personal fame that has come with their surprise Cup run.
‘As much as it’s been great for the club it’s not been the best three weeks in my life,’ he said. ‘It impeded everything I do. I’ve not been able to do a proper day of work. The social media world is not all it’s cracked up to be. I’ll be glad to get away from it personally and get back to my normal life.
‘It’s a different world. My lot are going to work tomorrow. They’re movie stars now, not allowed to speak to them, can’t get near them. It’s a different world from when I watched first division football when I was growing up.
Sutton were by no means outclassed and former Arsenal youth player Roarie Deacon nearly clawed one back only to see a 25-yard piledriver clatter the bar.
Deacon said: ‘They’ve got worldclass players and thankfully a few of them were out here playing against us. We got so far in the competition and to be playing against Arsenal was just fantastic.’
At the final whistle Sutton’s supporters invaded the pitch. There were a few scuffles with police and stewards but it cleared quickly.