Luffs boss turns back the years to score winner in cup clash
SATURDAY INTERMEDIATE SHIELD
(ROUND ONE) LOUGHBOROUGH FC 2 SUTTON BONINGTON 1 LUFFS manager Paul Campbell turned back the years and dug into a wealth of non league football experience to fill in at wingback for his much depleted squad of players for this County Cup tie on Saturday.
The visitors Sutton Bonington were never going to make this one an easy task at The Drome they were a well organised defensive unit backed by their keeper Ash Mace, a man on considerable stature.
The lively Loughborough forwards put pressure on Sutton and peppered Mace’s goal with shots but he gave the impression of a man picking cherries rather that blocking shots. Jordan Bailey forced a finger tip save for The Luffs while Jordan Crossland top corner shot was tipped over with remarkable ease. The first half pressure saw the chances go begging as Sutton began to sense the goal may never come, Sutton had the audacity to be the first team to put the ball in the net as Lawrence Wall had his goal ruled out for offside.
The Luffs really should have lead at half time, Ben Haywood squandered a header at the near post and Joel Dawes did the same almost immediately but this stubborn Sutton side would just not concede. The second half threatened to be just a matter of time, but the Sutton side hadn’t read the script and a shot from James Dann went just over the bar. The Luffs stepped up their game Haywood and Bailey began to torment the Sutton defence but it took half an hour and with time seemingly running out the shear persistence of Bailey forced the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0 and an almighty sigh of relief from the home crowd.
One up and ten minutes to go the Loughborough side made the mistake they could coast the rest of the game and Sutton stepped up their game and Sutton’s Zac Jackson whacked the ball against the home side post and the warning signs were there. It jerked The Luffs into action, Bailey beat keeper mace for a second time but the post saved him and the rebound fell kindly for Oscar Partner who blinded the ball over the top from four yards out.
With five minutes to go this game was by no means over, Sutton won a free kick the Loughborough defence failed to clear and James Wilkes forced the ball over the line to make 1-1 in the dying minutes and penalties were very much on the cards (No extra time these days in the County Cups) and that was not something to be relished with the Sutton keeper Ash Mace in such dominating form.
In the 90th minute Bailey was bundled over just outside the area and the final kick of the game was there. Up steps player manager Paul Campbell, he exerts his authority and demands to take the kick and the low shot finally beats keeper Mace through a crowd of players and nestles in the bottom corner.