Battling Bucks bow out of Cup with heads held high

Although they acquitted themselves well at the VBS Community Stadium, they may feel that they didn’t quite give their best account of themselves.

There was plenty to be optimistic about as the Bucks headed for South London. Their hosts, from a division higher, appear to be in danger of losing their Step 1 status, having only been relegated from the EFL at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Luck always plays a role in a Cup run; a tie away from home to higher-ranked opposition wasn’t ideal, but to be up against a side with just a solitary league victory and a last-gasp FA Cup win over Farnham Town, from Step 3, gave cause for optimism.

Bucks boss Kevin Wilkin probably needed a few more stars to align and was unable to align all of his own stars in his starting XI. 

Oliver Cawthorne’s ankle injury from the previous weekend failed to heal in time, and with fellow centre-half Orrin Pendley suffering a setback in his own recovery, his squad’s lack of real defensive depth bit hard.

In fairness, Jordan Cranston, who switched from full-back to partner Jordan Piggott, performed admirably, as did Jamie Meddows, who filled in for Cranston.

Sutton made the better start to the game, enjoying more possession as the Bucks sat off them a little. 

David Ogbonna tested Meddows down the right and one of his incursions brought a dangerous free-kick position and an early booking for Cranston.

Ammar Dyer created the Bucks' first real opening, surging forwards and then playing a searching ball inside full- back Aaron Jones. 

Charlie Williams sped onto it and into the box, opting to check back and shoot on his right rather than look for Matty Stenson in the middle. Keeper Tommy Reid blocked his effort, and the moment was gone.

Wilkin’s side were starting to dictate, with Sutton’s team of athletes being made to pursue the ball as the Bucks started to move it around confidently.

Sutton were restricted to the occasional set-piece threat, something the Bucks had been forewarned of. 

The combination of that awareness and the towering Josh Gracey in goal meant those opportunities yielded little.

Just before the 30-minute mark, the Bucks went close again, and it was Reid who had to plunge to his right to turn away a rasping shot from Stenson.

Khanya  Leshabela was the next to warm Reid’s gloves, his 20-yard shot struck hard but almost straight at the keeper.

The game’s opening goal arrived after 40 minutes. Sutton left wing-back Junior Eccleston’s ball inside to Jayden Harris appeared to have been covered, but Harris got past Alex Fletcher to cross low and Ogbonna stuck out a leg to divert the ball past Gracey.

The Bucks responded as Remi Walker flashed a shot wide before Fletcher stabbed just over Reid’s crossbar following a corner.

Before the Bucks could settle back into their rhythm after the break, they found themselves two goals adrift in the 50th minute.

Lewis Simper led his colleagues into the Bucks’ half, slid Ogbonna into space and the sliding Ashley Nadesan turned in his inviting low ball at the far post.

Substitute Ricardo Dinanga replied with a blocked shot, but he wasn’t to be denied for long.

In the 64th minute, Fletcher’s ball to Dyer on the right invited the full-back to cross, first-time, and Stenson left the ball for the arriving Dinanga at the far post, who headed the ball down and in through the narrowest of gaps left by Reid.

The game was back in the balance, and the goal gave the Bucks the momentum they needed.

But while they showed energy and endeavour, they couldn’t open up the full-time outfit in the same way they had done to other teams on their Cup run.

Lawal sent a curling, dipping shot just over Reid’s bar - Simper doing the same at the other end.

Bucks kept the ball moving well, but couldn’t find the penetration necessary, and although the ball spent much more time around the Sutton box, it was more hopeful than genuinely purposeful.

Cranston kept the tie alive in the 83rd minute when he cleared a shot from Kai Jennings.

As time ran out, a late corner earned by Dinanga saw Gracey signalled forward, but there was to be no headline-grabbing intervention from the keeper. Sutton saw the moment out, and although they’d shown lots of character, the Bucks were beaten.

AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Gracey, Dyer, Meddows, Piggott, Cranston, Fletcher, Walker (Armson 79), Leshabela, Hilton (Lawal 57), Stenson (George 79), Williams (Dinanga 57). Subs: (unused) Fridye-Harper, Rowe, Ilesanmi.Sutton United: Reid, Jones (Woodyard 46), Taylor, Pruti, Eccleston, Jennings, Muller (Tizzard65’), Simper (Phipps 90), Ogbonna (Boutin 70), Harris (Njoku 65), Nadesan. Subs (unused): Aziaya, Crichlow, Dabre, Bell.