PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY | Att:N/A
SUTTON UNITED – 0 MILLWALL – 2 [James 64. Noel 78]
After Saturdays somewhat straightforward win over a rather poor looking Brentford outfit, we were hoping that Millwall’s XI would present a somewhat stiffer test as we build up to the new season. Ironically, our ranks have since been boosted by the addition of two loan signings from Saturdays oppo.
It seems we’ve gained the short term services of their impressive looking defender Darius Charles (one of the few that looked any cop on the day) and a forward, whose name escapes me right now. Sorry mate! The latter is currently resting a knock however & thus won’t feature today. Neither will Bash (knee) or Watkins (hamstring) apparently. Right, enough rambling, let’s get down to business. As per with pre-season so you get highlights, not a full write up.
10mins – Ball down our left and Gareth comes off his line to claim. The Millwall attacker gets there first and touches it away from him. Then having recovered the ball on the byeline, tries his luck from an almost impossible angle with 2 team mates screaming for a square ball and an easy tap in. Ooooops!
21mins – Corner from the right finds Henry about 5 yards out, but his downward header is directed straight at the ‘keeper when it seemed easier to score.
27mins – Good run down the right by the Millwall no10 and he cuts inside Pestle before hitting a solid drive into the midriff of Williams in the centre of the goal.
30mins – Taiwo picks out Hudson raiding forwards, with a crossfield ball. The full back puts a high cross to the far post that has the ‘keeper struggling. Henry heads back into the air, but Green can’t quite add the final touch and the ‘keeper eventually gathers the ball at the second go by his upright.
And so ends a really rather dull first half! Right, time for a cuppa I think.
45mins – SUB – Williams, Hudson, Taiwo (OFF) Palmer, Graham, Wilson (ON)
46mins – Millwall attack straight from the kick off and end with a curling, dipping effort from around 20 yards being well tipped over the bar by the newly introduced Phil Wilson.
47mins – Henry breaks away down the right and crosses into the box. But his ball in is too high and McBean is forced to chase it down out on the left. He then puts the ball back into the danger area and it drops for Graham at the far post, but under pressure, he fires over.
50mins – A free-kick from the left to the centre of the box finds Scarborough. His first flicked touch is excellent and he turns to hook the dropping ball on goal. But the ‘keeper is behind it and manages to eventually gather it on his line after a bit of juggling. He then throws the ball out towards the left, only to have it intercepted in midfield and played back up to Henry. He darts from left to right before striking a dipping effort that crashes back off the far post.
54mins – For some reason, Scooby finds himself in space on the right and goes marauding forwards with the ball, delivering a perfect low cross for Henry at the far post, but with the goal at his mercy, he somehow skies his effort over the bar from about 6yards.
58mins – A neat 1-2 on the edge of the box puts Tanner in on goal, but his effort is blocked on the 18 yard line by the ‘keepers quick reactions. He then denies Henry a shot from the rebound and leaps to his feet to pluck the ball from the air as McBean tries to find the unguarded net.
60mins – SUB – McBean (OFF) White (ON)
63mins – A cross from the left finds it’s way beyond the far post and Wilson is forced to push away a volley from a tight angle at the expense of a corner.
64mins – GOAL 0-1 – Low skidding shot from the left comes through a crowd and Wilson does well to get down and push the effort out, but a Millwall man is lurking and tucks the loose ball away from 6 yards.
78mins – GOAL 0-2 – An attack for the visitors isn’t cleared and after a brief scramble in the box, an attacker pokes the ball under Wilson and into the far corner from the right.
80mins – With fitness starting to tell, Millwall look to finish us off. A quick break down the centre and the ball is worked left into space for a man up in support. His first time effort is half stopped by Wilson and Charles is on hand to head the loose ball away from danger.
81mins – SUB – Henry, Honey (OFF) Goodchild, Cuff (ON)
Despite our best efforts, we fail to register a goal that our performance probably deserves. But, still, there’s no reason to be particularly downhearted. We’d matched a fullt-time professional side for well over an hour and we only tired late on, although our schedule of 3 games in 6 days probably didn’t help there either.
So we head into the bar at the final whistle reasonably satisfied with the workout, minutes in the legs and looking forward to Saturdays final PSF down at Leatherhead before we get this nonsense started for real again.
TEAM: Gareth Williams, Craig Tanner, Asha Hudson, John Scarborough, Darius Charles, Liam Pestle, Paul Honey, Nick Green, Warren McBean, Jason Henry, Solomon Taiwo. SUBS: Phil Wilson, Ryan Palmer, Zak Graham, Ross White, Jason Goodchild, Tony Cuff