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Sutton away preview for Saturday

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Sutton away preview for Saturday

Postby Sweden Stag » Thu Aug 25, 2022 7:21 am

After two very good comeback victories at headquarters within the space of a few days, from 0-2 to 5-2 against AFC Wimbledon and from 0-1 to 2-1 against last season’s Conf National champions Stockport County, the Stags now travel to the 2020-21 Conf Champions Sutton United.

While the Stags hit the net on seven occasions last week, Sutton drew two blanks on the road at places they had never visited before. First a 1-0 defeat at Crewe, then a goal-less draw in their first-ever game against Grimsby Town, that one at Blundell Park.

At headquarters, Sutton have so far this season drawn 1-1 against Newport County and beaten Barrow by the only goal of the game, while the Stags this season still have to score on the road and were very unlucky to lose at Leyton Orient recently.


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 only Stags EFL home defeat this year.

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.

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.

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 all Sutton games so far this season, but three of those as sub.

Expect a tight game on Saturday. Come on Mansfield!
Stockholm, July 4, 2008, 15.00 GMT. Good news came, K.H. gone. March 1, 2012. Ground purchased.
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