Sutton home preview for Saturday

[Sweden Stag]

Following the hard-fought and deserved goal-less home draw against FA Cup giant-killers Grimsby Town last Wednesday, the Stags once again are at headquarters. And the opponents this time are the 2020-21 Conf National Champions Sutton United.

Incidentally enough, Sutton’s latest League Two fixture was at home to Grimsby a little more than a week ago. But in that game, Sutton’s nine-game run without defeat, five wins and four draws, came to an end as Grimsby won by the only goal of the game.

When the Stags had their dark days a decade ago, they did not even play Sutton United. Fact is that they during those dark seasons for the Stags played in the League below, as Sutton belonged to the Conf South founder members in 2004-05 and even finished rock-bottom there in 2007-08, only to return in 2011-12 and become Conf South Champions in 2015-16, six points above Ebbsfleet.

Then came the Conf National return after a long absence and the 2016-17 Leeds giant-killing in the FA Cup fourth round, earning Sutton a bumper tie against Arsenal at headquarters. The 2016-17 K.O. was also revenge for a 0-6 home defeat way back in the 1969-70 season, in the fourth round. To get that far then, Sutton disposed of three fellow non-league sides. One of those were Dagenham, a predecessor to the current Dagenham & Redbridge club.

In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Sutton reached the FA Cup first round and beyond for something like seven seasons running. In those seasons, several league sides were slain. In 1987-88, the old Aldershot club were beaten to a 3-0 scoreline, and that was revenge for a 4-0 home defeat in 1963-64 against an Aldershot side later to dump out Aston Villa in a third round home replay. After beating Aldershot in 1987, Sutton kayoed Peterborough at their place before taking Middlesbrough to a replay in the third round. The following 1988-89 campaign was even better inasmuch as Sutton managed a classic giant-killing. The 1986-87 FA Cup winners, Coventry City, became drawn away to Sutton and crashed out big style to a 2-1 scoreline. A giant-killing often overshadowed by i.e. Wrexham against Arsenal, Yeovil against Sunderland, Hereford against Newcastle, and of course, the Stags against West Ham.

Last season highlighted the Stags’ problems against promoted sides from the Conf National as both games were lost. The away game was lost to a 2-0 scoreline in a poor game (after that game the Stags went unbeaten for fourteen games) while the home game was lost 1-2, the last Stags EFL home defeat during the 2021-22 campaign.

Before last season’s Sutton home fixture, the Stags set a new club record by winning their eleventh consecutive game at headquarters, setting a new EFL record by slaying Northampton due to a first-half strike.

But any point or any win against Sutton on Saturday will become the Stags’ first ever point(s) against Sutton as the corresponding away fixture last August to a 2-1 scoreline.

After a poor opening of last season, Sutton more than held their own and finished just below the playoff zone, in eighth position one place and one point below the Stags. And they are in a similar situation now.

A couple of players having played for the Stags and for Sutton United have been traced, although some of them did not make a long-standing mark at the Stags. Here they are: Craig Dobson, Richard Harris, Jeffrey Monakana, Richard Pacquette, Soloman Taiwo and a current Sutton player who before the start of last season came from Altrincham. The name: Alistair Smith, who last season featured in 33 Sutton League Two fixtures, but not the one at One Call. He featured, though, in last season’s corresponding fixture at Sutton and has played in 26 Sutton games so far this season, but eight of those as sub. And the latest ex-Stag in Sutton colours is Lee Angol, who came from Bradford City during the latest transfer window. Angol’s Sutton record so far: 10 games (four as sub), three League Two goals.

Expect a tight game on Saturday. Come on Mansfield!