It’s a big weekend in the National League for County, as we travel to take on league leaders and title favourites Sutton United looking to close the gap at the top and breathe new life into the promotion race.
Although Tuesday night’s late win against Barnet didn’t see us climb above 5th in the current standings, we now sit just two points shy of third place Torquay and four behind Hartlepool in second, with two games in hand on them.
Sutton meanwhile ground out another impressive win in midweek as they won 1-0 at Chesterfield, becoming the first away team to win at the Technique Stadium since November, to extend their lead at the top to six points, sitting ten points clear of County with a game in hand.
County go into this one having never scored against The U’s in three previous attempts, and will be looking to break that duck on Saturday to help throw the title race open once again.
Since we last met:
Sutton’s visit to Edgeley Park last month marked manager Simon Rusk’s first home game in charge of the Club, with Matt Gray’s well-drilled side pulling off a 2-0 victory against County, who had Liam Hogan wrongfully sent off in the second-half.
That victory for the London side sent them into 2nd and three points clear of us in the table, cutting the gap to then league leaders Torquay to nine points, with three games in hand on the Gulls.
Since that day, Sutton have simply gone from strength to strength, embarking on an extraordinary run that has seen them win eight and draw one of their last nine league games, to storm to the top of the table and seize control of the title race.
A 0-0 draw against Wrexham is the only blot on an otherwise perfect league record since that Edgeley Park meeting, with Boreham Wood, Wealdstone, Dagenham, Bromley, Yeovil, King’s Lynn and Chesterfield all swatted to one side in an unerring march to the top.
The side from Gander Green Lane have also showcased an impressive ability to grind out wins in recent weeks with their last five victories coming by a solitary one goal margin, with the winning goal in three of those games coming in the final ten minutes.
Their activity in the transfer market has also been a success of late, with the recent addition of forward Donovan Wilson on loan from National League side Bath City having an immediate impact – the former Wolves striker has scored the winning goal in their last two games.
Their key attacking threat however remains midfielder Harry Beautyman. The former Peterborough man has scored nine times from midfield so far this season, to add to the 15 goals he scored last campaign.
Match Stats:
- This will be just the fourth ever meeting between the two sides. After two 0-0 draws last season, Sutton won 2-0 at Edgeley Park last month.
- Sutton currently have the best home record in the National League, picking up 30 points from 14 games at Gander Green Lane. They have lost just twice at home this season, to Notts County and Chesterfield.
- County will be looking to win three straight National League games for the first time since a run of four straight wins back in October.
- Jack Stretton has scored twice in just 37 minutes of action since joining on loan from Derby County.
In association with LV Bet
