Maidstone United (0) 1 Karagiannis 88
Sutton United (2) 2 Wishart 2, Eastmond 9
Headcount: 3,030
Entrance: £9 Senior
Programme: £2
Mileage: 19/6,079
Match Report
At the turn of the year the title race (and automatic promotion) looked a procession as Ebbsfleet surged 14 points clear of the field. But their form has been indifferent since and Maidstone have chipped away at the deficit, whilst Sutton United have surged on the back of a 20 game unbeaten run.
A capacity, ground record attendance of 3,030 assembled, the black and amber of both clubs evident in the town an hour before kick-off.
The clubs, of course, not only share the same colours but each have their own 3G pitch, hence the dubbing of the fixture El Plastico.
Sutton fairly flew out of the traps and were ahead in the opening two minutes. The ball was fed to marauding full back Dan Wishart, who skipped a challenge, shrugged off an ineffectual challenge from Dan Sweeney to fire a shot into the far corner across the face of Lee Worgan.
Worgan was asked to make another save before a huge throw-in from Alex Flisher was met with a header from Callum Driver that came back off the bar.
Sutton moved two in front after nine minutes. Craig Dundas, a powerhouse of a man, started the move with a pass to the right-sided bye-line. The ball was cut back to Dundas whose cross, somewhat scuffed, found Craig Eastmond who swept the ball past Worgan.
The visitors were now in complete control and it took another full length save for Worgan parrying the ball away to safety. As a tussle on the right-hand corner post ended with the ball out of play and Kevin Amankwaah on the ground, the Maidstone keeper hurried across to collect the ball for the goal kick. He stopped and offered a hand to the Sutton man to lift him from the turf to which Amankwaah inexplicably lashed out sending Worgan, somewhat theatrically to the ground. The referee had little choice to show the red card and offer Maidstone a lifeline.
Sutton settled into a solid determination and every cross in towards the ex-Grays Athletic striker, Dumebi Dumaka, who didn't look half the player that terrorised Ryman Premier defences, was comfortably dealt with. In front of the back four, Nicky Bailey, who once cost Middlesbrough £1.4 million, swept up every loose ball.
On the break, Dundas and Tom Bolarinwa were a constant threat. Dundas is now 35 years of age, and I find it unbelievable that he has never experienced the Football League, whilst Bolarinwa, at 26 and with spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Barnet behind him, probably will not make it back to the League.
Dundas might have put the game to bed before the break when he broke clear but Worgan saved with his feet.
Maidstone enjoyed the majority of possession in the second half as Sutton settled for what they had and, although they brought a couple of good saves out of Ross Worner, the Sutton goal was largely unthreatened.
As the more fickle Maidstone supporters were giving up on their side, a cross-cum-shot from Vas Karagiannis sailed over Worner and into the net to give them hope.
But, to the delight of a sizeable Sutton following, the visitors professionally saw the game to its conclusion.
Plastico didn't quite serve up a Clasico, but it was a damn good game.
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